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Dementia under 65: Where do they fit in?

Dementia under 65: Where do they fit in?

It was love at first sight when Sandy met Doug. They had both ended long marriages. They shared a passion for work, a love of travel, and had compatible plans for retirement. They clicked instantly. The McLean’s married two years later and were in the midst of living the lives they’d dreamed of when Doug, a top executive, lost his job because of increased anxiety and diminishing cognitive abilities. Things didn’t get better. Doug became depressed and delusional. He could no longer tell time or do math, and he struggled with his…

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‘We’re not running and hiding’: Couple confronts possibility of dementia head-on

‘We’re not running and hiding’: Couple confronts possibility of dementia head-on

When you’ve seen the effects of dementia before, noticing even minor changes in your cognitive abilities can be alarming. Both Yvon and Susanne lost their mothers to Alzheimer’s, so they’re no strangers to the disease. When Susanne began to show small signs of forgetfulness a few months ago, they immediately went to their doctor. After a series of tests, Susanne was diagnosed with Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI), which can be—although not always—a precursor to dementia. Susanne was given appropriate medication…

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highway
Dementia and air pollution: should we flee to the country?

Dementia and air pollution: should we flee to the country?

Could living in a major city increase your risk of dementia? A new study suggests that may be the case. After studying over two million Ontarians over an 11-year period, researchers found that the closer they lived to a major roadway, the more likely they were to develop dementia. Those who had lived in urban areas for a long time were even more likely to develop the condition than those who had moved more recently. These findings suggest one culprit…

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Research Video Series: Introducing Marco Prado

Research Video Series: Introducing Marco Prado

Dr. Marco Prado’s research aims to address the mechanisms by which deficient cholinergic circuits contribute to dementia. He is an Alzheimer Society Research Program Biomedical Research Grant recipient and a professor at the University of Western Ontario. Let’s make sure that aging does not mean losing one’s identity. -Dr. Marco Prado Dr. Marco Prado Biomedical Grant Recipient in Alzheimer’s disease and dementia – $149,128 Project: Mechanisms of anti-cholinergic activity mediated dementia and Alzheimer’s pathology Read about more of our grants…

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Research Video Series: Introducing Laura Hamilton

Research Video Series: Introducing Laura Hamilton

Dr. Laura Hamilton is testing the efficacy of a new therapeutic target (stearoyl CoA desaturase (SCD)-1) to improve learning and memory deficits in Alzheimer’s disease using a mouse model. Laura is a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Montréal and is this year’s Alzheimer Society Research Program Spark Award Recipient. The potential to contribute to a better quality of life for millions of people motivates me every day. -Dr. Laura Hamilton Dr. Laura Hamilton Spark Postdoctoral Fellowship in Alzheimer’s Disease…

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Research Video Series: Introducing Dr. Rahel Rabi

Research Video Series: Introducing Dr. Rahel Rabi

At the University of Toronto, Rahel Rabi’s research focuses on diagnosis and detection, where she is working hard to identify the cognitive biomarkers of mild cognitive impairment (MCI). In this video, Rahel describes her research funded by the Alzheimer Society Research Program in her own words. Scientists have made remarkable strides in understanding Alzheimer’s disease, and with recent advances in research involving novel techniques, we can work towards finding a cure. -Rahel Rabi Rahel Rabi Rawlinson Post-Doctoral Fellowship in Alzheimer’s…

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Brain cells
What this week’s Nobel Prize in Medicine announcement means for dementia research

What this week’s Nobel Prize in Medicine announcement means for dementia research

This year’s Nobel Prize in Medicine was awarded to Japanese biologist Yoshinori Ohsumi for his discoveries on how cells eat themselves. That’s right – Ohsumi conducted experiments in the 1990s on how cells break down and recycle their components, literally eating themselves to remove damaged content and provide building blocks for cell regeneration. This process is called “autophagy”, a term that was actually coined in 1963 by Belgian scientist Christian de Duve, who also received a Nobel Prize for his work in this area….

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Make a difference on World Alzheimer's Day
Let’s make a difference on World Alzheimer’s Day

Let’s make a difference on World Alzheimer’s Day

Today we celebrate World Alzheimer’s Day, a perfect time to focus on the amazing work being done worldwide to conquer dementia. It is also a fantastic opportunity to raise awareness and show our support for those affected by the disease. Dementia affects everyone, whether we know someone living with the disease, volunteer, provide care or conduct research to uncover the cure – in one way or another, we are in this together. When the Alzheimer Society of Ontario was first…

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Changing the way dementia research is done in Canada
Changing the way dementia research is done in Canada

Changing the way dementia research is done in Canada

Research is usually researcher-driven. We want to help change that. What do we mean? Researchers usually decide what work is important enough to be funded and then good enough to be published. But are researchers aware of the issues that matter most to those who can actually benefit from their work? Not always. That’s why we’ve created the Canadian Dementia Priority Setting Partnership, a study that will bring the voices of Canadians affected by dementia into the conversation about research.

People with dementia speak to Senate Standing Committee

People with dementia speak to Senate Standing Committee

In February 2016, the Canadian Senate asked that the Standing Senate Committee on Social Affairs, Science and Technology study the issue of dementia in our society and to provide a final report in January 2017. On May 18, Mary Beth Wighton and the other members of the Ontario Dementia Advisory Group (ODAG) presented to the committee. View the presentation on SenVu or read her remarks:       Good afternoon, Thank you for inviting us to appear before you this afternoon.  It’s…

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