Baycrest

NEXT BREAKTHROUGHS EXPERTS SHARE ADVANCES IN MCI DIAGNOSIS AND TREATMENT WATCH Dementia experts and scientists from across North America, who focus on memory loss, gathered in Toronto in March to discuss the latest clinical and scientific advancements for diagnosing and treating mild cognitive impairment, or MCI, at Baycrest's Annual Conference on Cognitive Neuroscience. MCI is considered a transition stage or border zone between mild cognitive changes associated with normal aging and more serious problems caused by an underlying dementia such as Al- zheimer's. It is estimated that half-a-million Canadians aged 65 and older have MCI, but many don't know it because only a small percentage have pursued a clinical diagnosis. Not all MCI sufferers will go on to develop Alzheimer's – some will stabilize and others may even improve in their cognitive powers. "It's not easy for even the most experienced clini- cian to tell with certainty whether the memory changes in a patient are related to very early MCI NHL ALUMNI TAKE PART IN STUDY or simply due to normal aging," says conference co- chair Dr. Nicole Anderson, a clinical neuropsycholo- gist and senior scientist at Baycrest, and co-author of a new book on MCI, due for release this summer. People with MCI are typically still able to work and engage in normal social activities. Their memory problems and difficulties with attention and rea- soning are much less severe at this stage com- pared to a more advanced clinical dementia. As with all dementia screening, doctors have to rule out a myriad of other factors that may be responsible for changes in a patient's cognition – depression and diabetes are two examples – and be familiar with the latest diagnostic criteria for MCI, in order to reach an accurate diagnosis. "We are getting better at identifying which people with MCI will convert to Alzheimer's," says confer- ence co-chair Dr. Tiffany Chow, a clinician-scientist at Baycrest's Sam and Ida Ross Memory Clinic. "We know our best shot at delaying cognitive dete- rioration is to start treatments at the asymptomatic or mild symptomatic stages. This is why education and awareness are so critical. We strongly encour- age people to see their doctor as soon as they start experiencing memory issues that don't seem normal. We encourage family doctors to become familiar with MCI diagnostic criteria." NHL alumnus Kevin Maguire skates in the Scotiabank Pro-Am for Alzheimer's. WATCH A study by the RRI is investigating the long-term effects of head injury in hockey, particularly when combined with other risk factors players may have, such as lifestyle habits, diabetes and a genetic predisposition to dementia. NHL alumni will undergo comprehensive cognitive testing to isolate the brain health factors that may be specific to the players, with follow-up cognitive testing and brain scanning (with MRI) that will take place every three years. This study will provide some insight into the aging brain not only in professional athletes but also in the wider population. A portion of the proceeds from the Scotiabank Pro-Am for Alzheimer's, Baycrest's annual hockey fundraiser, is helping fund this study, led by Dr. Brian Levine, an expert in head trauma and dementia. 20 2011/12 Baycrest and Baycrest Foundation Annual Report

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