Alzheimer’s disease and other causes of dementia affect millions of people around the world and are becoming one of the greatest health challenges of our time. The true extent of the problem is not fully known, as people with milder forms of the disease—at the mild cognitive impairment stage—often go undiagnosed until dementia has developed. Today, however, there is more reason for hope than ever before.
Alzheimer’s disease can now be diagnosed while people are alive—even at very early stages, sometimes before symptoms appear. Research has shown that the disease begins decades before memory loss or other signs, offering a critical window for prevention and treatment. Scientists have also identified lifestyle factors that can help slow or delay dementia. In addition, we understand that many people have more than one brain pathology alongside Alzheimer’s, which means our approach to treatment must be broader and more personalized.
For the first time, we have two approved disease-modifying therapies—drugs that can actually slow the course of Alzheimer’s disease. These treatments are not perfect (see Use of lecanemab and donanemab in the Canadian context), but they represent a breakthrough moment as they show that it is possible to keep people in milder stages of the disease for longer, preserving independence and quality of life.
At TDRA, we are proud to be part of this transformation. Working with our partner hospitals and the University of Toronto, we are advancing research, developing new clinical care pathways, and ensuring that discoveries move quickly from the lab to the clinic.
We are just getting started, but here are some of our major activities this year toward these goals:
Improving access to research and knowledge translation: Our plain-language Research Studies Portal is making it easier for people living with mild cognitive impairment, dementia, caregivers/care partners, and healthy volunteers to connect with studies. We also continue our public-facing webinar series with the Alzheimer Society of Toronto and attended community events to share resources, bringing the latest research directly to the community in an accessible way.
Improving clinical care: Through our Clinical Table, we established three working groups—Investigations and Treatment, Regional Access, and Integrating Primary and Secondary Care—to drive progress in how clinical dementia care is delivered across Toronto and beyond.
The future of dementia care will not be about managing decline, but about rewriting the course of neurodegeneration. Together—with innovation, collaboration, equity, and commitment—we are changing the trajectory of Alzheimer’s disease and bringing hope to millions of people living with dementia and their families.
