17th Annual Rotman Research Institute Conference
March 4 – 6, 2007
The Four Seasons Hotel, Toronto

Attention: Health, science, life reporters - Possible story angles

Don’t miss the Sunday afternoon workshop at this Conference!

Neuropsychological rehabilitation is a relatively recent development for people with progressive disorders, such as dementia. It’s attracting serious attention from researchers and clinicians who see exciting possibilities with this non-drug intervention. During the Sunday workshop, presenters from the U.K. and Canada will discuss the latest in cognitive rehabilitation techniques for people with early-stage Alzheimer’s, mild cognitive impairment (considered pre-Alzheimer’s state) and severe amnesia.
Sunday Workshop, March 4, 2007, 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Presenters include Dr. Linda Clare (U.K.) and Drs. Brian Richards, Kelly Murphy and Catherine Mateer (Canada).

Will electronic handheld organizers become the essential compensatory tool for aging Canadians and their fading brain power?

For the past four years, Baycrest psychologist Dr. Brian Richards and his team have been training individuals with severe amnesia to use a palmOne handheld device, with customized software to support their unique needs. The rehabilitation program is a powerful demonstration of how leading edge brain science at Baycrest’s Rotman Research Institute is married with leading edge technology from palmOne to help people with a devastating brain disorder be able to function and stay independent. What’s most exciting is that this approach has potential application, down the road, across a wide range of cognitive disorders from mild to severe.
Use of external memory aids in the rehabilitation of severe memory impairment. Psychologist Dr. Brian Richards, Baycrest, Sunday, March 4, 2007 at 2:00 p.m.

Is there a way to delay the onset of Alzheimer's Disease? A new program offers hope for those most at risk.

The Mayo Clinic defines mild cognitive impairment (MCI) as a transition stage between the cognitive changes of normal aging and the more serious problems caused by Alzheimer's disease. This transition stage can last as long as five years or more. MCI most commonly affects memory, though it can affect other areas of cognition such as language and attention abilities. The best opportunity for doctors to delay the onset of Alzheimer’s is to start interventions at the MCI stage. Psychologist Dr. Kelly Murphy will outline the strategies used in Baycrest’s Memory Intervention Program to help clients with MCI improve functional memory and maintain their level of independence in instrumental activities of daily living, such as keeping track of appointments, things to do, and medication regimen. She will present promising results from a study that evaluated the efficacy of this program – findings that indicate this intervention has the potential to delay the onset of clinical dementia in at-risk individuals.
Memory intervention in mild cognitive impairment. Dr. Kelly Murphy, Baycrest, Sunday, March 4, 2007 at 2:50 p.m.

It’s not just any type of learning that may help prevent cell death in older brains. New research is showing that the learning must be challenging and difficult enough to give the brain a good workout!

In the last 10 years scientists have discovered some very good news -- the brain has the capacity to regenerate throughout the lifespan! The hippocampus, a region involved with aspects of learning and memory, produces thousands of new cells every day. Although many of these new cells will die within the first few weeks, there may be ways to preserve their numbers. Research by Dr. Tracey Shors and colleagues has found that certain types of learning can help the new neurons survive. The more rigorous and challenging the mental exercise, the better chance of those new cells sticking around.
Neurogenesis and the makings of memories. Psychologist Dr. Tracey Shors, Rutgers University, Monday March 5, 2007 at 10:30 a.m.

Older adults are more distractible than younger adults. But aging boomers need not worry. Distraction has its benefits!

A large scientific literature suggests that older adults are more distractible than younger adults. This distraction effect can result in poorer performance on tasks compared to younger adults. But Dr. Lynn Hasher will present dramatic evidence of the ways in which age-related susceptibility to distraction can actually enhance the performance of older adults compared to their younger counterparts. Older adults seem to be more adept than younger adults at implicitly using previous distracting and irrelevant information to enhance their performance on future tasks. It’s a transfer of knowledge effect that occurs without older adults even being aware of it!
The benefits of distraction for older adults. Dr. Lynn Hasher, Baycrest, Tuesday, March 6, 2007 at 2:30 p.m.