The VLS at the 2017 Alzheimer's Association International Conference (AAIC)

 

Badhwar, A., McFall, G.P., Sapkota, S., Chertkow, H., Dixon, R.A. & Bellec, P. (2017, July). Toward discovery of multi-omics biotypes of Alzheimer’s disease: A focused review and proposed roadmap. Alzheimer's Association International Conference, London, England.

 

Dixon, R.A., McFall, G.P. & McDermott,K. (2017, July). Discriminating and predicting cognitive exceptionality and resilience: A roadmap for trajectory and interaction analyses with risk and protection factors. Alzheimer's Association International Conference, London, England.

 

McFall, G.P. & Dixon, R.A. (2017, July). Alzheimer’s biomarkers interact dynamically to predict cognitive trajectories differentially for cognitively exceptional, normal, and impaired groups. Alzheimer's Association International Conference, London, England.

 

 

The VLS at the 2016 Cognitive Aging Conference

 

McDermott, K.L., McFall, G.P., & Dixon, R.A. (2016, April). Successful memory aging is associated with advantages in other cognitive and risk domains. Cognitive Aging Conference, Atlanta, GA.

 

Sapkota, S., Bäckman, L., & Dixon, R.A. (2016, April). Executive function performance and change is predicted by genetic risk (APOE), intensified by COMT and BDNF, and moderated by lifestyle activities. Cognitive Aging Conference, Atlanta, GA.

 

Thibeau, S., McFall, G.P., & Dixon, R.A. (2016, April). Everyday physical activity and mobility affect executive function level and change for older adults: Age effects within APOE risk-allele status. Cognitive Aging Conference, Atlanta, GA.

 

 

The VLS at the 2014 Cognitive Aging Conference

 

Brewster, P.W.H., MacDonald, S.W.S., & Dixon, R.A. (2014, April). Norm-referenced measures of reaction time variability: Sensitivity to cognitive performance and longitudinal change in nondemented older adults. Cognitive Aging Conference, Atlanta, GA.

 

DeCarlo, C., MacDonald, S.W.S., & Dixon, R.A. (2014, April). Vascular and genetic influences moderate MCI status and stability: Evidence from the Victoria Longitudinal Study. Cognitive Aging Conference, Atlanta, GA.

 

Dixon, R.A. (2014, April). On the hunt for biomarkers of cognitive aging: Testing modifiers and identifying mechanisms of cognitive trajectories and transitions. Invited Overview Talk, Cognitive Aging Conference, Atlanta, GA.

 

MacDonald, S.W.S., Brewster, P., Halliday, D., Love, J., Hundza, S., DeCarlo, C., Lukyn, T., & Dixon, R.A. (2014, April). Intraindividual variability in both gait and gait-related cognitive performance are associated with 25-year cognitive decline. Cognitive Aging Conference, Atlanta, GA.

 

McFall, G.P., Wiebe, S.A., Vergote, D., Bäckman, L., & Dixon, R.A. (2014, April). Genetic and vascular health influences on the aging of episodic memory: Interactive effects of ApoE and pulse pressure. Cognitive Aging Conference, Atlanta, GA.

 

Runge, S.K., McFall, G.P., Small, B.J., & Dixon, R.A. (2014, April). Neurodegenerative-related genetic plasticity factors and cognitive aging: Evidence for better or worse. Cognitive Aging Conference, Atlanta, GA.

 

Sapkota, S., Tran, T., Camicioli, C., MacDonald, S.W.S., Li, L., & Dixon, R.A. (2014, April). Global metabolomics analyses discriminate phases of neurodegenerative disease and produce selective candidate biomarkers for cognitive aging. Cognitive Aging Conference, Atlanta, GA.

 

 

2012-2013 VLS Newsletter

 

To view the 2012-2013 Newsletter, please click here.

 

 

Summer 2012: Progress Report from the VLS Genetics Initiative

 

In the past year, the VLS Genetics Initiative has been very active. Not only did we present four separate and new research posters (with genetics content) at the recent (April 2012) Cognitive Aging Conference (see list below for details), but we have now submitted two genetics-based manuscripts for publication in prominent journals and have two other manuscripts in advanced stages of preparation. As we had hoped, adding genetic information to the exceptional VLS data base has proven to offer both challenging new opportunities and significant novel perspectives on human aging.

 

This list presents the four VLS manuscripts currently in progress.

 

Dixon, R.A., DeCarlo, C.A., MacDonald, S.W.S., Vergote, D., Jhamandas, J., & Westaway, D. APOE and COMT are Complementary Markers of Cognitive Status and Stability in Normal and Impaired Aging.

 

McFall, G.P., Wiebe, S.A., Vergote, D., Westaway, D., Jhamandas, J., & Dixon, R.A. IDE (rs6583817) Polymorphism and Type 2 Diabetes Differentially Modify Executive Function Performance and Change in Older Adults.

 

Sapkota, S., Vergote, D., Westaway, D., Jhamandas, J., & Dixon, R.A. Selective Aging Magnification of COMT (rs4680) and BDNF (rs6265) Associations for Executive Functioning and Neurocognitive Speed in Normal Older Adults.

 

Whitehead, B.P., Vergote, D., Westaway, D., Jhamandas, J., & Dixon, R.A. Exploring Interactive Associations Among Genetic and Health Risk Factors: Cognition in Healthy and Diabetic Older Adults.

 

In addition, the VLS has been collecting new neurocognitive and genetics data from early Alzheimer's patients in Edmonton. Key collaborators for this project include Drs. Richard Camicioli (Neurology), Jack Jhamandas (Neurology), Kathy Lechelt (Geriatrics), David Vergote (Campus Saint-Jean, University of Alberta), and David Westaway (Prion Centre). Several VLS graduate students and research assistants have been actively involved in collecting the new data: Inka Fakuade, Jill Friesen, Peggy McFall, Shraddha Sapkota, and Bonnie Whitehead. Our first set of biosamples are currently being processed, with DNA extraction and genotypinig scheduled to be completed this summer. We appreciate (a) funding from Alberta Health Services, University Hospital Foundation, the Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, and (b) research coordination with the Glenrose Rehabilitation Hospital (Edmonton).

 

 

May 2011: VLS Newsletter

 

To view the 2010-2011 Newsletter, please click here.

 

 

March 2011: Progress Reports from the VLS Genetics Initiative

 

We have recently prepared our first series of progress reports on the new genetics initiative.  The first poster (November 2010) was prepared for presentation at the "Glenrose Hospital Foundation Spotlight on Research" conference, held at the Shaw Conference Centre overlooking the river valley in downtown Edmonton.  The second version (December 2010) was presented at the annual Translational Neuroscience Symposium held at the University of Alberta.  The third, and most recent version, was presented in March 2011 at the Joseph Royce Research Conference sponsored by the University of Alberta Department of Psychology. The local team includes members from Geriatrics, Neurology, Prion Centre, Psychiatry, Psychology, and the VLS.  The present data were collected and assembled with the help of many VLS participants and staff, with Stuart MacDonald and Correne DeCarlo making special and essential contributions.

 

Click on VLS Genetics to view this poster.

 

See below for the background and rationale of this project.

 

 

2009-2011: The VLS Genetics Initiative

 

VLS Growth: The VLS has grown dramatically in the last decade, reflecting the overall project goal of advancing our understanding of the many interrelated aspects of human aging. The initiatives we have launched since the 1990s include (a) a protocol for collecting and coding all medications from VLS participants, (b) an expanded neuropsychological battery, (c) a coordinated set of physiological and sensory measures, and (d) new longitudinal-epidemiological research emphases linking biological, health, and neurocognitive aging. We began our latest initiative in 2009, implementing at both VLS sites. Specifically, we have been inviting all of our participants to volunteer for a new supplemental study that will help us examine potential genetic and epigenetic markers of cognitive health, normal cognitive aging, and neurodegenerative impairment and decline.

 

Genetics Initiative Team. The new initiative is funded by a 3-year (2009-2011) grant to three Co-Principal Investigators at the University of Alberta: Roger Dixon (Psychology), Jack Jhamandas (Neurology), and David Westaway (Centre for Prions and Protein Folding Diseases). Other Investigators on the project include: Drs. Richard Camicioli (Neurology), Florin Dolcos (Psychiatry), Kathy Lechelt (Geriatrics), and Stuart MacDonald (Psychology, UVic). Key postdocs and graduate students (and other HQPs) include: (a) at UAlberta: Dr. Sanda Dolcos, Bonnie Geall, Peggy McFall, Dr. David Vergote, and (b) at UVic: Anna Braslavsky, Correne DeCarlo, Jacob Grand. Crucial research coordinators in this dual-site and multi-disciplinary enterprise include Karrie Darichuk (Prion Centre), Jill Friesen (VLS), and Terry Perkins (VLS-Vic).

 

Project Goals. The purpose is to explore promising linkages among selected genetic and epigenetic markers and neurocognitive performance and change with aging. Other researchers exploring this topic have found some promising linkages between some genetic characteristics and cognitive performance in mature adults. A unique opportunity is presented by the fact the VLS has been operating for over 20 years: We will examine genetic-epigenetic influences on actual long-term changes in cognitive health across periods of 9-18 years. At this report, we have collected DNA samples from over 600 VLS participants. All three main VLS samples are well represented. We are currently expanding our purview, as we are collecting (at both sites) corresponding genetic and cognitive data from volunteer participants with recent diagnoses of Alzheimer’s disease. When completed, this initiative may provide new information about important markers and predictors of sustained cognitive health, normal cognitive decline, and the accelerated decline associated with neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s.

 

Further Reading: This is a booming area, so here are three recent readings that provide

complementary commentary.

 

Dixon, R.A. (2011). Enduring theoretical themes in psychological aging: Derivation, functions, perspectives, and opportunities. In K.W. Schaie & S.L. Willis (Eds.), Handbook of the Psychology of Aging (7th ed.). San Diego, CA: Elsevier.

 

McGue, M., & Johnson, W. (2008). Genetics of cognitive aging. In F.I.M. Craik & T.A. Salthouse (Eds.), The Handbook of Aging and Cognition (3rd ed.). New York: Psychology Press.

 

National Institute on Aging. (2008). Workshop summary: Genetic methods and life course development. Washington, DC: National Institutes of Health.

 

 

VLS Newsletters (2004 - 2009)

 

Check out the 2008-2009 Newsletter here.

Check out the 2006-2007 Newsletter here.

Check out the 2004-2005 Newsletter here.

 

 

The VLS at Recent Cognitive Aging Conferences: 2012-2004

 

Alwerdt, J., Small, B.J., & Dixon, R.A. Personality traits and cognitive performance in aging: Level but not slope effects. (April 2012).

 

DeCarlo, C.A., Vergote, D., Whitehead, B.P., MacDonald, S.W.S., Westaway, D., Jhamandas, J., & Dixon, R.A. Testing independent and interactive associations among genetic and other biomarkers of cognitive risk, status, and stability in the Victoria Longitudinal Study. (April 2012).

 

Hendrix-Buxton, S., Small, B.J., McFall, G.P., & Dixon, R.A. Apolipoprotein E genotype moderates the benefits of lifestyle activities on cognitive decline: Evidence from the Victoria Longitudinal Study. (April 2012).

 

MacDonald, S.W.S., Love, J., Quade, T., DeCarlo, C.A., Halliday, D., & Dixon, R.A. Linking variability, gait, and cognition: What sensorimotor indicators can tell us about cognitive aging. (April 2012).

 

McFall, G.P., Wiebe, S.A., & Dixon, R.A.  Longitudinal analyses of executive functions in older adults: Modifying role of Type 2 Diabetes and the IDE polymorphism. (April 2012).

 

Whitehead, B.P., Sapkota, S., McFall, G.P., Vergote, D., Westaway, D., Jhamandas, J., & Dixon, R.A. Testing effects of BDNF and COMT polymorphisms on cognitive functioning in normal aging and Type 2 Diabetes: Two replication and extension studies. (April 2012).

 

DeCarlo, C.A., MacDonald, S.W.S., & Dixon, R.A. Revisiting Birren’s BioAge: Linking biological and cognitive processes in the Victoria Longitudinal Study. (April 2010)

 

de Frias, C.M., Dixon, R.A., & Camicioli, R. Neurocognitive inconsistency in Parkinson’s disease and normal aging: An 18-month longitudinal study. (April 2010)

 

Dolcos, S., Braslavsky, A., Geall, B.P., MacDonald, S.W.S., & Dixon, R.A. Is mild cognitive impairment associated with markers of biological vitality and lifestyle activity? (April 2010)

 

Geall, B.P., Dixon, R.A., MacDonald, S.W.S., Fischer, A.L., & Hultsch, D.F. Intraindividual variability in neurocognitive speed performance in Type 2 diabetes. (April 2010)

 

McFall, G.P., Dolcos, S., MacDonald, S.W.S., & Dixon, R.A. Do biomarkers mediate Type 2 diabetes-cognition relationships: Exploring structural models. (April 2010)

 

Small, B.J., Dixon, R.A., & McArdle, J.J. Tracking cognitive change from 55 to 95 years of age: Findings from the Victoria Longitudinal Study. (April 2010)

 

Stuart W.S. MacDonald. Overview of Intraindividual Variability in Cognitive and Neurocognitive Aging. (Invited Overview Paper, April 2008)

 

Cindy de Frias, Roger A. Dixon, and Esther Strauss. Executive Functioning in Special Populations: From Cognitively Elite to Cognitively Impaired. (April 2008)

 

Brent J. Small, Roger A. Dixon, John J. McArdle, and Kevin J. Grimm. Changes in Lifestyle Activities in Relation to Changes in Cognitive Abilities: 12-year Data from the Victoria Longitudinal Study. (April 2008)

 

Sophie E. Yeung, Ashley L. Fischer, and Roger A. Dixon. Exploring Effects of Type 2 Diabetes on Cognitive Performance in Older Adults. (April 2008)

 

Roger A. Dixon. An Epidemiological Approach to Cognitive Health in Aging: Illustrations from the Victoria Longitudinal Study. (Invited Address, August 2007)

 

Dixon, R.A., & de Frias, C.M. Mild memory deficits differentially affect six-year changes in compensatory strategy use. (April 2006)

 

Dixon, R.A., Garrett, D.D., Lentz, T., MacDonald, S.W.S., Strauss, E., & Hultsch, D.F. Neurocognitive markers of mild cognitive impairment: Speed and inconsistency. (April 2006)

 

Feltmate, S.E., Gagnon, L.M., Kang, S.J., & Dixon, R.A. Exploring metacognitive characteristics of collaborating dyads. (April 2006)

 

Garrett, D.D., MacDonald, S.W.S., & Dixon, R.A. Characteristics of the cognitive battery affect prevalence and stability of subclinical cognitive impairment. (April 2006)

 

Small, B.J., McArdle, J.J., MacDonald, S.W.S., & Dixon, R.A. Growth-survival models of terminal decline: Effects of initial level and change in cognition. (April 2006)

 

Tippe, S.E., de Frias, C.M., & Dixon, R.A. Do NSAIDs buffer cognitive decline in normal aging? Evidence from the Victoria Longitudinal Study. (April 2006)

 

de Frias, C.M., & Dixon, R.A. Memory compensation: Structure, invariance, variability, and memory correlates. (April 2004)

 

Dixon, R.A., MacDonald, S.W.S., & Hultsch, D.F. Revisiting the terminal decline hypothesis: New evidence for enduring questions. (April 2004)

 

Hertzog, C., Dixon, R.A., Hultsch, D.F., & Maitland, S.B. Does longitudinal memory change correlate with (either) subjective memory change (or) change in subjective memory? (April 2004)

 

Mansueti, L., Westbury, C.F., & Dixon, R.A. Cognitive functioning following mild stroke in older adults: Occupational, lifestyle, and activities effects. (April 2004)

 

Wahlin, Å., MacDonald, S.W.S., de Frias, C.M., Nilsson, L-G., & Dixon, R.A. How health and biological age influence chronological age and sex differences in cognitive aging: Moderating, mediating, or both? (April 2004)

 

 

Joseph R. Royce Research Conference: 2012-2007

 

The VLS has presented several student posters at the 21st (March 2007), 22nd (February 2008), 23rd (March 2009), 24th (March 2010), 25th (March 2011) and 26th (March 2012) Annual Joseph R. Royce Research Conferences held at the University of Alberta. Congratulations to the students who presented their research.

 

McFall, G.P., Wiebe, S.A., & Dixon, R.A. Longitudinal analyses of executive functioning in aging: Modifying roles for Type 2 Diabetes and IDE polymorphism. (March 2012).

 

Sapkota, S., McFall, G.P., Whitehead, B.P., Vergote, D., Westaway, D., Jhamandas, J., & Dixon, R.A. Effects of COMT and BDNF polymorphisms on neurocognitive functioning in normal aging. (March 2012).

 

Whitehead, B.P., Vergote, D., McFall, G.P., MacDonald, S.W.S., Camicioli, R., Lechelt, K., Jhamandas, J., Westaway, D., & Dixon, R.A. Allelic distributions of APOE, BDNF, and COMT: Toward neurogenetic analyses of healthy aging, mild cognitive impairment, and Alzheimer's disease. (March 2011).

 

Demsky, A.N., McFall, G.P., Geall, B.P., & Dixon, R.A. Exploring the effects of obesity on cognition. (March   2010)

 

Dolcos, S., Braslavsky, A., Geall, B.P., MacDonald, S.W.S., & Dixon, R.A. Is mild cognitive impairment associated with markers of biological vitality and lifestyle activity? (March 2010)

 

Geall, B.P., Dixon, R.A., MacDonald, S.W.S., Fischer, A.L., & Hultsch, D.F. Intraindividual variability in neurocognitive speed performance in Type 2 diabetes. (March 2010)

 

McFall, G.P., Dolcos, S., MacDonald, S.W.S., & Dixon, R.A. Do biomarkers mediate Type 2 diabetes-cognition relationships: Exploring structural models. (March 2010)

 

Wang, R., McFall, G.P., & Dixon, R.A. Olfactory identification and cognitive functions in aging. (March 2010)

 

Dolcos, S., & Dixon, R.A. Effects of conscious and nonconscious goal regulation on responses to emotional stimulation: From younger to older adults. (March 2009)

 

McFall, G.P., Geall, B., Fischer, A.L., Dolcos, S., & Dixon, R.A. Role of co-morbidities in moderating and mediating cognitive deficits associated with aging and Type 2 diabetes. (March 2009)

 

Fischer, A.L., Yeung, S.E., & Dixon, R.A. Does Type 2 diabetes affect cognitive performance in older adults? (February 2008)

 

Cochrane, K.M., Frender, R.H., & Dixon, R.A. Autobiographical memory cues support episodic memory in early AD. (March 2007)

 

Feltmate, S.E., & Dixon, R.A. Social engagement and the presence of mild cognitive impairment. (March 2007)

 

Yeung, S., & Dixon, R.A. Effects of Type II diabetes on cognitive functioning in older adults: Data from the Victoria Longitudinal Study. (March 2007)

 

 

Autumn 2006: Memory, Aging, and Brain

 

In October a celebration was held in Sweden to honour the contributions and career of VLS colleague, Dr. Lars-Göran Nilsson (Stockholm University). Click here for the full program.

 

 

Autumn 2005: The VLS at the Gerontological Society of America (GSA)

 

The following papers from the VLS are presented at the 58th Annual Meeting of the Gerontological Society of America. In addition to Roger Dixon (Edmonton), the VLS co-authors are from Victoria, Tampa, Stockholm, and Los Angeles.

 

Bielak, A., Hughes, T.F., Small, B.J., & Dixon, R.A. (2005). Does an engaged lifestyle predict cognitive level and intraindividual variability 6 years later?

 

Hughes, T.F., Bielak, A., Small, B.J., & Dixon, R.A. (2005). Lifestyle activities, cognitive reserve, and intraindividual variability in cognitive functioning.

 

MacDonald, S.W.S., & Dixon, R.A. (2005). Vascular implications for cognitive trajectories of terminal decline: Findings from the Victoria Longitudinal Study. In C. Brady & A. Spiro (Chairs), Symposium on: Vascular disease and cognition: Multidisciplinary approaches.

 

Small, B.J., Dixon, R.A., & McArdle, J.J. (2005). Health predictors of age-related changes in episodic memory. In S.M. Hofer (Chair), Symposium on: Associations among health, cognition, and personality: Evidence from longitudinal studies on aging.

 

In addition, Brent Small presented his invited address, "Health and Lifestyle Influences on Cognitive Aging", in honour of the 2004 Margret Baltes Award.

 

 

Centenarian

 

We are very proud of our first centenarian. A member of VLS Sample 1, Mr. Allan Trueman, completed the sixth wave in Spring 2003. Click here to view pictures of Mr. Trueman relaxing after a hard day's work in the lab.

 

 

2004: New Book Published

 

The VLS, in cooperation with the Betula Project, has published a new book about ground-breaking directions of research in cognitive development and aging.

 

R.A. Dixon, L. Bäckman, and L-G. Nilsson (Eds.). (2004). New frontiers in cognitive aging. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

 

The cover art for this book can be viewed here.

 

The table of contents can be viewed here.

VLS News

 

The VLS at the 2018 Banff Brain Aging and Dementia Conference

 

The VLS presented research at the second international conference put on by Campus Alberta Neuroscience and the Alberta Healthy Brain Aging and Dementia community, Promoting Healthy Brain Aging and Preventing Dementia: Research and Translation. It took place June 20-22, 2018 at the Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity in Banff, Alberta, Canada.

The VLS at the 2017 Second Annual CCNA Science Day

 

Congratulations to Dr. Peggy McFall and Sheri Thibeau who were the recipients of the ASC-CCNA (Alzheimer's Society of Canada - Canadian Consortium on Neurodegeneration in Aging) poster award in the Postdoctoral and PhD categories respectively at the 2017 Second Annual CCNA Science Day Trainee Poster Competition.

 

 

Winter 2019: Dr. G. Peggy McFall Press Release

 

Dr. Peggy McFall recently received publicity for her article in the Journal of Alzheimer's Disease entitled, "Modifiable Risk Factors Discriminate Memory Trajectories in Non-Demented Precision Factors and Targets for Promoting Healthier Brain Aging and Preventing Dementia?"

 

See the Faculty of Science press release here: https://www.ualberta.ca/science/science-news/2019/april/healthy-memory-preventing-alzheimers

 

 

The VLS at the 2018 Third Annual CCNA Science Day

 

Camicioli, R., Dixon, R.A., Tadley, J., Buzatto, A.Z., Mung, D., Bajwa, B., & Li, L. (2018, October). Lipidomics analyses in Parkinson's disease. Presented at the 2018 Canadian Consortium on Neurodegeneration and Aging Science Day, Montreal, QC.

 

Dixon, R.A., & Bellec, P. (2018, October). CCNA Biomarkers Team: Progress, prospects, and plans. Presented at the 2018 Canadian Consortium on Neurodegeneration and Aging Science Day, Montreal, QC.

 

McFall, G.P., Olivier, P., Dieumegarde, L., Drouin, S., Camicioli, R., Duchesne, S., & Dixon, R.A. (2018, October). Longitudinal analyses of imaging trajectories provide novel insights into the variable dynamics of brain aging and Alzheimer's disease. Presented at the 2018 Canadian Consortium on Neurodegeneration and Aging Science Day, Montreal, QC.

 

 

Recent VLS Student Research Awards

 

Dr. Peggy McFall's and Shannon Drouin's poster received the ASC-CCNA (Alzheimer's Society of Canada - Canadian Consortium on Neurodegeneration in Aging) poster award in the Postdoctoral category at the 2018 Third Annual CCNA Science Day Trainee Poster Competition.

 

Sebastian Caballero and Sheri Thibeau each received a student poster award at the 2018 Campus Alberta Neuroscience International Conference on Promoting Healthy Brain Aging and Preventing Dementia: Research and Translation.

 

Dr. Peggy McFall and Sheri Thibeau were the recipients of the ASC-CCNA (Alzheimer's Society of Canada - Canadian Consortium on Neurodegeneration in Aging) poster award in the Postdoctoral and PhD categories respectively at the 2017 Second Annual CCNA Science Day Trainee Poster Competition.

 

 

The VLS at the 2020 Virtual CCNA Science Day

 

Caballero, S., McFall, G.P., Gee, M., Nelles, K., Burt, J., Dixon, R.A., & Camicioli, R. (2020, October). Fluctuating cognition in neurodegenerative disease: Comparing reaction time mean rate and inconsistency. Poster presented at the 2020 Virtual CCNA Science Day Conference.

 

Dixon, R.A. (2020, October). Factoring sex into aging and neurodegeneration research: Examples with large data bases. Presentation in G.E. Einstein (Moderator), Integrating sex and gender in aging and neurodegeneration research: Examples from micro- to macro-data. Symposium presented at the 2020 Virtual CCNA Science Day Conference.

 

Dixon, R.A. (2020, October). Moderator: New directions in biomarker research and application in Alzheimer's disease. Symposium presented at the 2020 Virtual CCNA Science Day Conference. Speakers included: Pedro Rosa-Neto (McGill), Mari de Marco (UBC), Cheryl Wellington (UBC), and Yasser Iturria-Medina (McGill).

 

 

The VLS at the 2021 Banff (Virtual) Conference
Promoting Healthy Brain Aging and Preventing Dementia:
Research and Translation

 

The conference was sponsored by Campus Alberta Neuroscience (CAN) and the CAN-based Healthy Brain Aging and Dementia committee.

 

 

The full agenda and speaker list can be found here:
https://www.albertaneuro.ca/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/HBAD_2021_agenda_FINAL.pdf

 

Dixon, R.A. (2021, May). Moderator: Integrating big data, neuroinformatics, and precision health approaches. Symposium featuring invited talks by David Wishart (Alberta), Aman Badhwar (Montréal), Yasser Iturria-Medina (McGill), Michelle M. Mielke (Mayo Clinic). Presented at the Banff Conference on Promoting Healthy Brain Aging and Preventing Dementia: Research and Translation. Virtual Conference from Alberta Canada.

 

Bohn, L., McFall, G.P., Gee, M., Dixon, R.A., & Camicioli, R. (2021, May). Does the Montreal Parkinson Risk of Dementia Rating Scale predict dementia in a geriatric Parkinson's disease cohort? Paper presented at the Banff Conference on Promoting Healthy Brain Aging and Preventing Dementia: Research and Translation. Virtual Conference from Alberta Canada.

 

Caballero, H.S., McFall, G.P., Zheng, Y., & Dixon, R.A. (2021, May). Data-driven approaches to executive function performance and structure in aging: Integrating person-centered analyses and machine learning risk prediction. Paper presented at the Banff Conference on Promoting Healthy Brain Aging and Preventing Dementia: Research and Translation. Virtual Conference from Alberta Canada.

 

Drouin, S.M., McFall, G.P., Potvin, O., Bellec, P., Masellis, M., Duchesne, S., & Dixon, R.A. (2021, May). Data-driven analyses of longitudinal hippocampal imaging trajectories: Discrimination and biomarker prediction of change classes and clinical outcomes. Paper presented at the Banff Conference on Promoting Healthy Brain Aging and Preventing Dementia: Research and Translation. Virtual Conference from Alberta Canada.

 

Han, Y.W., McFall, G.P., Drouin, S.M., Bohn, L., & Dixon, R.A. (2021, May). Gender mediates the relationship between sex and memory in cognitively normal older adults. Paper presented at the Banff Conference on Promoting Healthy Brain Aging and Preventing Dementia: Research and Translation. Virtual Conference from Alberta Canada.

 

Heal, M., McFall, G.P., Vergote, D., & Dixon, R.A. (2021, May). Bridging Integrator 1 (BIN1, rs6733839) and sex are moderators of vascular health predictions of memory aging trajectories. Paper presented at the Banff Conference on Promoting Healthy Brain Aging and Preventing Dementia: Research and Translation. Virtual Conference from Alberta Canada.

 

McFall, G.P., Bohn, L., Gee, M., Drouin, S.M., Han, W., Li, L., Camicioli, R., & Dixon, R.A. (2021, May). Machine learning analyses identify multi-modal predictors of incipient dementia in Parkinson's disease. Paper presented at the Banff Conference on Promoting Healthy Brain Aging and Preventing Dementia: Research and Translation. Virtual Conference from Alberta Canada.

 

 

Alzheimer's Association 2020 International Conference (Virtual)

 

Dixon, R.A. (2020, July). Machine learning approaches for precision mining of longitudinal data. Presented at the Alzheimer's Association International Conference (Virtual Event).

 

Sapkota, S., McFall, G.P., Dixon, R.A., Masellis, M., & Black, S. (2020, July). Association of ventricular size on executive function and attention is modified by Apolipoprotein E and moderated by pulse pressure in Alzheimer's disease. Presented at the Alzheimer's Association International Conference (Virtual Event).

 

 

This event was a follow-up to a successful conference of the same name held in 2016. That conference brought together people of different fields and backgrounds and allowed for cross-disciplinary connections and innovative conversations. The audience included researchers, physicians, policymakers, trainees and members of the community from Alberta, Canada and around the world. Several new, promising developments resulted from the event, including new funding into Alberta dementia research, greater connection to national initiatives, and new collaborations formed.

 

Topics of presentation and discussion at the 2018 conference occurred in five sessions:

•    New frontiers of biomarker research, early detection and precision health application

•    Neurodegeneration as a connect-opathy

•    Cutting-edge rodent models and the path to diagnostics/therapeutics

•    Exercise and cognitive interventions for healthy brain aging and prevention of dementia

•    Applied research in dementia

 

VLS Director, Roger Dixon, co-organized the conference and chaired the first session (biomarkers). VLS Assistant Director, Peggy McFall, presented an invited address at the conference. VLS graduate students, Sebastian Caballero and Sheri Thibeau, received outstanding poster awards for their research presentations.

 

The conference website is: http://can-healthybrains.com/

 

VLS Presentations:

 

Bohn, L., McFall, G.P., & Dixon, R.A. (2018, June). Less Isn’t Always Better: Weight Status Differentially Impacts Semantic Related Cognition as a Function of Age and Sex. Poster presented at the International Conference on Promoting Healthy Brain Aging and Preventing Dementia: Research and Translation, Banff, AB.

 

Caballero, H.S., McFall, G.P., & Dixon, R.A. (2018, June). Integrating Characteristics of Executive Functions in Non-Demented Aging: Structure, Trajectories, Classification, and Biomarker Predictors. Poster presented at the International Conference on Promoting Healthy Brain Aging and Preventing Dementia: Research and Translation, Banff, AB.

 

Drouin, S., McFall, G.P., Fu, S.X., & Dixon, R.A. (2018, June). A four-facet model of subjective memory decline in non-demented aging: Selective prediction sensitivity for women. Poster presented at the International Conference on Promoting Healthy Brain Aging and Preventing Dementia: Research and Translation, Banff, AB.

 

McFall, G.P. (2018, June). Alzheimer’s Biomarkers Discriminate Non-demented Cognitive Aging Trajectories and Phenotypes. Invited talk, International Conference on Promoting Healthy Brain Aging and Preventing Dementia: Research and Translation, Banff, AB.

 

Sapkota, S., McFall, G.P., Masellis, M., & Dixon, R.A. (2018, June). Alzheimer's Genetic Network Effects on Cognitive Trajectories are Moderated by Modifiable AD Risk Domains. Poster presented at the International Conference on Promoting Healthy Brain Aging and Preventing Dementia: Research and Translation. Banff, AB.

 

Thibeau, S., McFall, G.P., Rockwood, K., & Dixon, R.A. (2018, June). Decoding Interacting Trajectories of Frailty and Memory Aging: Patterns of Change, Prediction, and Resilience. Poster presented at the International Conference on Promoting Healthy Brain Aging and Preventing Dementia: Research and Translation, Banff, AB.

 

 

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