Initiative commits CAD$3.3m to address gender gaps in brain health research

A new initiative is to invest CAD$3.3m in brain health research to address “unacceptable” gender disparities.

Women’s Brain Health Initiative has announced a new partnership with Brain Canada and Krembil Foundation that will see CAD$3.3m invested in addressing sex and gender gaps in brain health research.

The collaboration, supported by The Erika Legacy Foundation and Power Corporation of Canada, will provide funding for three Canadian researchers and their teams.

Each researcher will receive CAD$1.1m from Brain Canada’s Basics of Better Mental Health Program. Their research will focus on investigating mental health conditions including depression, anxiety, and postpartum depression, with a significant emphasis on sex-specific factors or differences.

“By emphasising sex and gender-specific factors or differences, the studies that these researchers will lead hold immense promise in revolutionising our understanding and treatment of mental health conditions,” said Lynn Posluns, president and CEO of Women’s Brain Health Initiative.

“Through such collaborations, we are taking meaningful strides toward promoting women’s brain health and paving the way for more effective interventions tailored to the unique needs of women.”

Dr Liisa Galea, a senior scientist at Centre for Addiction and Mental Health and one of the researchers involved in the project, said:  “I am beyond thrilled with this grant funded in part by the WBHI, supporting our research in postpartum depression.

“Historically, very little research has focused squarely on women’s brain health and why the postpartum is a time of heightened susceptibility to mental health disorders for the birthing parent. This is why funding specifically for women’s mental health is important as it highlights the need for this type of research.”

Dr Viviane Poupon, president and CEO of Brain Canada, said the inclusion of sex-specific biological considerations is instrumental in understanding the biological roots of mental health conditions.

She added: “We take great pride in supporting these three recipients who are at the forefront of addressing sex gaps in brain research.”

Women’s Brain Health Initiative, a Canadian charitable foundation established in 2012, is the largest resource for information specific to women’s brain health.

The foundation works towards improving the brain health and mental wellness of women, caregivers and their families and raising awareness of the “unacceptable” discrepancies in brain research.