Grant: Catalyst Grant: Analysis of CLSA Data - INMHA Mandate

As we age, our brain health and thinking abilities are influenced not only by biological aging, but also by life experiences and exposures. Factors like neighbourhood quality, education, exercise, and stress effect brain health over time, as we age. This project will examine the impacts of these and related factors using the Scaffolding Theory of Aging and Cognition-revised (STAC-r) as a framework. The STAC-r theory helps explain how the brain adapts to aging. Some experiences - like staying active, learning new things, or being socially connected - can build up the brain's "scaffolding" helping it stay strong. Other things, such as long-term stress, depression, or health problems can wear down that "scaffolding", making it harder for the brain to function well. This research will use data from the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging (CLSA), a national longitudinal cohort of Canadian adults who were aged 45+ on enrollment, and who are being followed over a 30 year period to explore three key concepts: Intrinsic Capacity (our mental and physical abilities), Allostatic Load (the wear and tear on the body from stress), and Frailty (how vulnerable someone becomes when health starts to decline), and to investigate how our experiences and environment (like access to parks, pollution or income level), affect brain health as we age.