Dementia research centre opens at University of Calgary

Calgary's leading experts on the aging brain are now working togetherunder the same roof.

University of Calgaryresearchers specializing in dementia, stroke, Alzheimer's and Parkinson's moved into a new state-of-the-art space Wednesday, which is locatedadjacent to the Foothills Hospital.

"Many people can have more than one ofthese diseases at the same time. So by putting people with specialties in these different areas together we can collaborate and understand and share information and potentially make a lot more progress,"saidDr. Eric Smith, associate professor in the department of clinical neurosciences at the university.

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The new facility was made possible by a $6 million gift to the Hotchkiss Brain Institute from the Ronald and Irene Ward Foundation. Ronald Ward, who had Lewy body dementia, passed away in 2007.

"As a result of that, and the family being touched by that unfortunate disease, the foundation was created and has been supporting research including this major donation," said Smith.

He says with the cost of dementia care in Canada now exceeding the cost of care for all types of cancer, it's critical for researchers like himself to find ways to better prevent and treat the disease.

"We're now a society that has more seniors than young children," said Smith.

Smith saystheRon and Rene Ward Centre for Healthy Brain Aging Research will also be atechnological hub thatusesneuroimaging, or brain-scanning, to seek answers.