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The Devastating Impact of Brain Injury
Strokes often result in patients who suffer major cognitive disabilities and require extensive therapy. The after effects of mini strokes are particularly severe. This form of stroke may lack a catastrophic vascular event, but it leads to deficits in thinking and memory, and survivors have an increased chance of developing Alzheimer’s disease or dementia.
The impact of all types of stroke is profound—Canadians spend a total of 3 million days in hospital because of stroke, costing the Canadian economy approximately $3 billion annually. While the immediate hospitalization of stroke patients accounts for some of these costs, recovery from stroke exacts a greater financial toll. The personal impact for patients and families affected by the injury is immeasurable.
Despite its devastating effects, stroke, unlike many other diseases, is preventable. In fact, more than half of the strokes that occur in Canada each year could be prevented by simply controlling risk factors, which include smoking, alcohol, physical inactivity, obesity, high blood pressure, high blood cholesterol, and diabetes. Approximately 80 per cent of all Canadians have at least one risk factor.
Research in New Preventative Therapies
Canada, with its aging population, is currently facing a major crisis in stroke and dementia related disease. As a national leader in biological, clinical and imaging research, Robarts Research Institute at The University of Western Ontario is ideally positioned to meet the research challenges that stroke presents. Through the design, development and testing of preventative therapies, scientists at Robarts hope to stop disease progression through early detection, decreasing the human impact of this devastating illness and saving the Canadian health care system millions of dollars.
Led by an interdisciplinary team of scientists including Robarts’ Director, Dr. John MacDonald, the stroke research group is working diligently to minimize the damage in major and mini strokes and to preserve mental function in patients. Strokes result in the gradual loss of brain cells which can occur long after the initial symptoms have disappeared. With this in mind, Robarts scientists have identified a number of mechanisms responsible for the delayed loss of brain cells and as a result, have developed several drugs and therapeutic strategies to minimize this damage and restore lost brain activity. One of these drugs is in the clinical trials phase and has been commercialized in order to facilitate its eventual use in practice.
By exploring new ways to prevent stroke and to decrease its impact, Robarts scientists are working to ensure future generations simply won’t be affected by this debilitating brain injury.
More than $1.5 million is needed over the next five years to support this important research. Funds will provide assistance for all elements of a successful research enterprise including human resources recruitment (stroke scientist, graduate students, post-doctoral fellows and research associates), equipment funds, operating expenses and imaging costs.
For more information about how you can make a difference, please contact:
Tara Kenney
Development Officer, Robarts Research Institute
The University of Western Ontario
PO Box 5015, 100 Perth Dr.
London, Ontario, Canada N6A 5K8
Tel: 519-931-5276 Fax: 519-931-5220
E-mail: tkenney@robarts.ca
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