Big data meets
neuroscience
PREDICTING DEMENTIA EARLIER
Baycrest's breadth of services makes it unique in its ability to act as
a living lab. By taking a coordinated approach across all of Baycrest's
assets, from the new Kimel Family Centre for Brain Health and
Wellness, to the Sam and Ida Ross Memory Clinic, to our full range of
independent living, assisted living, and long-term care facilities, we aim
to create a new Brain Health Assessment Platform to move from
reactive medicine to proactive, predictive, and personalized care. The
approach will leverage the RRI's expertise in neuroimaging; sensory,
cognitive, and clinical assessment; and neuroinformatics.
Three key elements of our platform are the development of consistent,
personalized brain health assessments based on nearly 30 years
of expertise of RRI scientists; big data analyses and data sharing
approaches, already in development through unified databases; and
integration with The Virtual Brain, a computer-based brain simulator
developed by RRI Scientist Dr. Randy McIntosh in collaboration with
leading neuroscientists around the world. We plan to develop and
pilot the platform at Baycrest, and then, in keeping with the tenets
of open science, adapt and share our approach with seniors' care
organizations across Canada and around the world. Through this
comprehensive approach, our goal is to develop personalized longevity
prescriptions for every older individual, maximizing not only lifespan,
but also healthspan.
2017–2018 YEAR IN REVIEW 33
Visit us online to learn more about Dr. Randy McIntosh
and other RRI scientists here.
