Neuropsychology & aging

This group includes a multidisciplinary team of health care researchers. The group's main research focus is to understand the neuropsychological changes involved in aging and the implications of these changes for dementia prediction, functioning in the community, response to drug treatment and care provision.

The team has demonstrated the utility of neuropsychological tests in the prediction of Alzheimer's disease (AD) 10 years prior to its onset and are currently examining disease prediction after 15-years follow-up.

Another research focus is the role of estradiol on cognitive and behavioural changes in younger and older postmenopausal women. The group has recently completed a randomized controlled trial (RCT) of estrogen therapy and its effects on delayed verbal recall. Investigations into sex differences in health care utilization and factors involved in hot flashes, lifestyle and mood in recently post-menopausal women are also underway.

We are also conducting an ongoing large scale study of over 350 cognitively impaired seniors living alone in the community to examine the neuropsychological, behavioural, medical and social determinants of safety and emergency room use by these seniors.

Future studies include computer-assisted cognitive assessment in family medicine.