Research Focus
Aging & Brain Health
Depression is the number one brain health problem in Canada for individuals over the age of 40. People who experience untreated depression in mid-life are twice as likely to develop dementia later in life, compared to those who don’t share that untreated history. Taking care of your mental health today saves your brain health tomorrow. Depression is highly treatable, while dementia is currently incurable. I develop research-based, self-management treatments that target mid-life depression to prevent the development of dementia later on. Our team at Baycrest was one of the first to show that cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT – the gold standard talk therapy for depression and anxiety) improved mood in older adults, as well as their scores on thinking, attention and concentration. Self-management treatments like CBT teach us to think more adaptively for improved mood. They also help older adults think more clearly. My dream is to help older adults understand that “your brain health is in your hands” and improve mental and brain health through cost-effective, scalable self-management strategies. After all, self-care is the new healthcare.