Grant: CIHR Café Scientifique Program

Increasing life expectancy and a rapidly aging population have led to a growing interest and need for understanding the changes in brain function with healthy aging. Changes in cognition (e.g., thinking, memory and attention) are common with aging and a better of understanding of what happens and why these changes might occur can help individuals cope with, and possibly minimize, at least some of these changes. The Café event will consist of brief presentations by health researchers regarding what we know about age-related changes in brain function and cognition, followed by interactive discussions with the audience. This event will be a great opportunity for the general population to increase their knowledge about updated health research and ask questions in a relaxed and informal environment regarding a variety of factors that have been shown to affect and enhance brain fitness. With this event, we hope to increase awareness among the general population regarding the multidimensional nature of brain health and function. This goal will be accomplished by facilitating the exchange of knowledge and opinions between the audience and health researchers and encouraging discussions among the audience at the Café and in their community.