Northern Medical Program assistant professor Dr. Jacqueline Pettersen will be working with team members across Canada as part of a national study, the largest of its kind, on dementia.

The Canadian Consortium on Neurodegeneration in Aging (CCNA) is leading the $8.4 million study, which is focused on learning more about who is at risk of developing dementia, how early it can be identified and what tests are most effective at detection. The study’s funding comes from the $31.5 million grant awarded for the creation of the CCNA in 2014 by the Government of Canada.

“As a cognitive neurologist who specializes in dementia, this study fits well with my ongoing areas of interest,” says Dr. Pettersen. “I have always been fascinated by memory, and my current research is largely focused on memory and the factors that can impact it, such as nutrition.

“I am excited to be able to bring a more northern and rural-based perspective to this project as this segment of the population is largely under-represented in traditional research studies.”

Pettersen will be the site principal investigator in Prince George, one of 30 communities across the country from which participants will be drawn.  Over the next two years, the project plans to enroll 1600 individuals with memory problems between the ages of 50 and 90. 

“We are looking at starting recruitment in Prince George, pending a few logistics, within a few months,” notes Pettersen.  “The duration of the study for each participant will be two years, but the entire project, because of its rolling entry approach, will run for three to four years.”

While previous research has focused mostly on specific types of dementia in isolation, the goal of this study is to examine dementia in all its forms, including “mixed” dementia, which is a more common aspect of the disease. This involves cases in which multiple diseases are present, such as Alzheimer’s disease and cerebrovascular disease (which affects blood flow to the brain).  This broad approach is being taken in order to investigate what these dementias have in common, as well as what differentiates them.

“We hope to better characterize the various forms of dementia, including the mixed forms, as well as highlight early indicators that can identify affected individuals sooner,” explains Pettersen. ”We also hope to better understand the role of gender in the development of dementia, and why women are more susceptible to Alzheimer's while men are more prone to vascular dementia.

“Ultimately, the knowledge gained from this study will help us to develop effective interventions to slow progression of the disease or even prevent it from developing in the first place.”