Baycrest

EYE TRACKING FOR EARLY DETECTION Eye movement-based testing in labs has been useful for revealing cognitive differences between younger and older adults, and for differentiating clinical populations, such as individuals with mild cognitive impairment from their healthy aged counterparts. As a result, eye tracking is poised to become a valuable tool to identify who may have, or be at risk for, neurodegeneration. But for such screening tools to be accessible, eye tracking must move out of the lab and into community or home settings. At the RRI, Dr. Jennifer Ryan and Dr. Björn Herrmann are exploring eye movements and their link to human cognition as potential early markers of cognitive decline. Dr. Ryan records eye movements simultaneously with lab-based eye trackers and an online, webcam-based eye tracker. This Canadian Institutes of Health Research- supported research will reveal whether online eye tracking, when compared to in-lab eye tracking, may be a valid method to assess cognition in older adults. Dr. Herrmann focuses on eye movements as a new, more sensitive method to identify when listening becomes harder, which could help spot hearing problems earlier. As uncorrected hearing loss is a risk factor for dementia, earlier identification can help reduce dementia risk. Thanks to a Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada Discovery Grant and a generous donor gift from The Linda Judith Reed Foundation enabling his research, his work is showing a strong connection between how much effort the brain uses when listening to sounds, and how often eyes move, illustrating that tracking eye movements could become a useful tool for detecting hearing difficulties in older adults. KIMEL FAMILY CENTRE FOR BRAIN HEALTH & WELLNESS FOR DEMENTIA PREVENTION At the world's first research-based, community centre focused on dementia prevention, members of the Kimel Family Centre for Brain Health & Wellness receive a comprehensive risk evaluation and personalized activity program addressing five dementia risk domains to maintain brain health. For 2025, 382 people have participated in Kimel Family Centre research, and early participants have received annual assessments. Preliminary data show a significant reduction in dementia risk and improvements in cognition for participants, within the first six months of participation. To better reach underserved communities, representatives from Filipino, Chinese, South Asian, Black, and Italian groups are being consulted and asked to serve as Community Champions. CANADIAN CONSORTIUM ON NEURODEGENERATION IN AGING With its scientific headquarters at Baycrest, the Canadian Consortium on Neurodegeneration in Aging (CCNA) brings together more than 400 researchers and is the largest network of dementia researchers across Canada. Federal funding of $20 million over 5 years was recently approved by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research for Phase III of CCNA research. The newly secured funding will enable CCNA to make further progress on age-related neurodegenerative diseases, and position Canada as a global leader in the field. Phase III will operate within three themes: prevention, treatment, and quality of life, and will see a focus on Indigenous and women's health as it relates to dementia. 2023–2025 IMPACT REPORT 11 Dr. Björn Herrmann and volunteer

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