How we age can differ considerably, but more of it is in our hands than we often realise. To start with, we need to get to know ourselves better, learn how to rely on the gist of information that is available as memory loss progresses, and develop an ability to turn off the situations that distract us. Scientifically, there is an emerging body of knowledge about modifiable risk factors for brain disorders, many of which are more prevalent in older age. There are also age-tech solutions to empower people to live the lives they choose.

Dr. Allison Sekuler – Paweł Świeboda’s guest on this episode of NeuroCentury - is passionate about preventing, detecting and treating age-related sensory and cognitive decline. Her research was the first to show that older brains “rewire” themselves to compensate for functional changes. They form new connections, although naturally on a much smaller scale than before the age of 25. They also recruit new brain regions to fill the gaps.

Allison is Sandra A. Rotman Chair in Cognitive Neuroscience and Vice-President for Research at Baycrest Health Sciences. She holds faculty positions at University of Toronto and McMaster University. She also has scientific and industry collaborations across North America, the EU, and Asia, and is President and Chief Scientist at CABHI, Center for Ageing and Brain Health Innovation at Baycrest, a solution accelerator established in 2015 with funding of 124 million CAD. CABHI is a unique collaboration of health care organisations, science, industry, not-for-profit and government partners. The centre helps innovators get access to user groups, test and validate their projects.

Music can stretch our cognitive and sensory abilities. Allison plays the drums, has earned her Drum Professional Certificate, and she explains in the podcast why “drumming is the mother of all ageing interventions”.

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Music for the NeuroCentury podcast is composed by Rafał Kulczycki

To measure the strength of a wellbeing economy, governments should adopt the notion of mental wealth, which goes beyond the monetised value of goods and services. Jo-An Occhipinti is the global champion of this concept. She is an epidemiologist and systems scientist, focused on improving the health and wellbeing of populations through systems modelling research. Jo-An is co-director of the Mental Wealth Initiative and head of systems modelling, simulation and data science at the Brain and Mind Centre, University of Sydney.

This episode of NeuroCentury comes from Sydney, where Paweł Świeboda discusses with Jo-An Occhipinti how to recognise the value of people’s contributions to the informal economy. It is the latter, or “social production”, that strengthens the social fabric and wellbeing of communities and nations. GDP, combined with social production, produces the Mental Wealth of nations. “In essence, Mental Wealth is a macroeconomic measure of the strength of a Wellbeing Economy”, Jo-An says.

If economic structures and policies are optimised only for growing GDP, insufficient attention is paid to impacts on environmental, social, and psychological health. In turn, these undermine economic performance, leading to further narrowing of the focus of economic policy on GDP growth. “Unless our economic models evolve, starting with reconfiguring GDP to account for social production, we will continue to face these pervasive and worsening challenges”.

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Music for the NeuroCentury podcast is composed by Rafał Kulczycki

“Surpassing yourself, so that people can surpass the disease” – this is the motto of Hassan Fadli, Founder of “5 Ironman’s Beat Alzheimer’s” non-profit, aiming to promote awareness, prevention and research in the field of dementia (https://www.5ironmansbeatalzheimer.com/en). Hassan is an engineer by training and profession. A couple of years ago, he decided to honour his father, who has recently died of Alzheimer’s Disease (AD), and contribute to the community. Each Ironman race involves 3.86 km of swimming, 180,25 km cycling and 42,20 km of running. It is an exceptional effort, made for an exceptional cause.

In this episode of NeuroCentury, Paweł Świeboda discusses with Hassan Fadli what lies ahead in the brain health campaign. The need for awareness-raising is shown by the recent data from the World Alzheimer Report 2024 (see: https://www.alzint.org/resource/world-alzheimer-report-2024/), which says that 88% of people living with dementia indicate experiencing discrimination. Also, 80% of the general public believes dementia is a normal part of ageing, which it is not (it is a disease).

More is known about the importance of prevention with the latest Lancet Commission report raising to 45% the share of dementia cases worldwide, which could potentilly be prevened or delayed by addressing a range of modifiable risk factors. However, prevention still needs to be translated into a lasting change in lifestyles.

Research in the neuro space is sinigificantly underfunded compared to other disciplines. As a result, only 2 disease-modifying drugs for AD have been authorised by the US FDA since 2000 as well as 9 symtomatic drugs. In comparison, there have been 573 drugs in oncology. Hassan’s non-profit is conducting a pilot phase of a longitudinal multi-case clinical research study with endurance athletes who are at risk for dementia related diseases focusing on their physical health, mental health, and resilience during sports training and competitions. Endurance is what the fight against AD will need with future cure offering the ultimate reward.

neurocentury.com

Music for the NeuroCentury podcast is composed by Rafał Kulczycki