Baycrest

The Centre for Aging + Brain Health Innovation (CABHI), powered by Baycrest, is a solution accelerator for the aging and brain health sector, providing funding and support to innovators for the development, testing, dissemination, and scaling of new ideas and technologies that address unmet needs in brain health and older adults' care. Rotman Research Institute (RRI) scientists play a critical role in CABHI's success by serving as scientific advisors, project reviewers, innovators, and industry collaborators. Established in 2015, CABHI is the result of the largest investment in brain health and aging in Canadian history, and is a unique collaboration of healthcare, science, industry, not-for-profit, and government partners. CABHI aims to help improve quality of life for the world's aging population by allowing older adults to age safely in the setting of their choice, while maintaining their cognitive, emotional, and physical well-being. EXAMPLE PROJECTS LED BY RRI SCIENTISTS Keeping the brain engaged to heal itself The brain has the extraordinary ability to "rewire" and adapt to new circumstances, known as neuroplasticity. As we age, our memory and thinking skills often decline, caused by decreases in the size and function of brain structures like the hippocampus, the memory centre of the brain. Despite structural changes, the brain is still able to carry on in its duties by altering the networks it relies on. To help older adults compensate for these brain changes, Rotman Research Institute scientists have partnered with the Toronto Rehabilitation Institute to design a targeted, online intervention that aims to improve the performance of the hippocampus by keeping the brain engaged. A unique aspect of the intervention is that minimal training is required and participants are able to complete it in the comfort of their homes. "The hippocampus is an ideal area for targeted treatment since its degeneration is common in a number of brain disorders, such as Alzheimer's disease and even in normal aging," says Dr. Asaf Gilboa, RRI Senior Scientist. "If we can successfully slow degeneration with this intervention, it could be used to treat other brain conditions." Through CABHI's Researcher- Clinician Partnership Program (RCP 2 ), the research team is investigating the intervention's feasibility and effectiveness among older adults, as well as conducting other clinical trials to evaluate whether it can also assist patients with traumatic brain injuries or multiple sclerosis. Centre for Aging + Brain Health Innovation 20 ROTMAN RESEARCH INSTITUTE

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