Grant: Doctoral Research Award: Canada Graduate Scholarships

Globally by 2050, it is expected that the number of adults over age 60 will reach 2.1 billion. As the population becomes increasingly older, it is also expected that the number of people experiencing dementia will rise. In fact, age is the number one risk factor for dementia, a few other risk factors we know about are; low levels of education, poor exercise, hearing inability, and poor heart health. Recently, more risk factors for the development of dementia have been identified, including vision loss and high levels of unhealthy fat build up within our blood (cholesterol). This research will examine these new risk factors in people who have had experienced some decline in their thinking skills. It will lead to a better understanding of how vision loss and high levels of cholesterol are linked to structural/functional changes in the brain. It will also identify how these new risk factors may differentially impact males and females. This is an important aspect to consider as dementia (specifically Alzheimer's disease) and poor heart health (i.e., high cholesterol levels) are most commonly found in older females; but are ultimately areas of research that are largely understudied. The results from this study will lead to a better understanding of modifications that could be made to improve health for older adults at risk for dementia.