Articles from:August 2025

• Brock-led research drives breakthrough in predicting dementia risk

  Tuesday, August 12, 2025 | By Brock University

  MEDIA RELEASE – AUGUST 12, 2025 – R0091

  What if a simple heartbeat measurement could help predict a person’s risk of dementia?

  A Brock-led international research team has found that including an additional metric — resting heart rate — to an established dementia risk prediction model can make its results more accurate across most racial groups, says Professor of Health Sciences Newman Sze.

  The Cardiovascular Risk Factors, Aging and Incidence of Dementia (CAIDE) international assessment tool uses several physiological and social measurements to evaluate a patient’s vulnerability to developing dementia in the future. 

  But the current model doesn’t capture a patient’s full health picture, particularly across diverse racial groups in the U.S., says Sze, the Canada Research Chair in Mechanisms of Health and Disease.

  After obesity and hypertension, Sze says resting heart rate is one of the most important risk factors for dementia, a feature not captured in the current model.  

  “If the resting heart rate is too low or too fast due to heart muscle failure, there’s not enough blood being pumped to the brain,” says Sze. “The brain doesn’t receive enough oxygen and nutrients, which leads to brain degeneration.” 

  Sze and his eight-member research team tested the impacts of including resting heart rate (RHR) in the CAIDE model to see if adding that measurement would improve the model as a whole and increase equitable access to dementia prediction.  

  Resting heart rate, or pulse rate, refers to the number of beats per minute when the body is inactive and calm.

  The research team analyzed data from 44,467 U.S. participants aged 18 and older, including those aged 65 and above. The data, collected by the National Alzheimer’s Coordinating Center (NACC), spanned from 2005 to 2023 and included information from interviews, physical examinations and cognitive tests.  

  The team divided participants in the NACC database into self-reported racial groups: two American Indigenous populations, Asian, Black African, Hispanic and White.

  The team ran each group through the current CAIDE model, which is comprised of age, sex, body mass index, hypercholesteremia, level of education and hypertension measurements. 

  They then repeated the procedure with a CAIDE-RHR model that included resting heart rate. 

   “This adjustment significantly improved dementia risk prediction across most racial groups, offering a more inclusive and accessible way to identify at-risk individuals,” says Sze. 

  As resting heart rate is easy to measure, more people can be screened and monitored, which makes the model more inclusive, says the study’s lead author, PhD student Shakiru Alaka.

  He says other researchers have previously attempted to improve the CAIDE model’s accuracy by introducing expensive and time-consuming lab analysis to detect dementia biomarkers in blood samples.

  But this addition may reduce access for multi-racial, underserved populations, especially in the U.S., says Alaka.

  “In contrast, resting heart rate can be measured with a simple blood pressure cuff or by placing fingers on the wrist — methods that are quick, non-invasive and widely available, even in underserved community settings,” he says.  

  The team found the CAIDE-RHR model significantly improved the accuracy of dementia risk prediction for all racial groups in the study except the American Indigenous populations, although Sze says the low number of participants may have affected the model’s accuracy for that group. 

  “This finding highlights the important connection between heart health and brain health,” says Sze. “It’s a step toward addressing systemic gaps in how we assess dementia risk across diverse populations.”

  Although the study was conducted with U.S. participants, the findings have important implications for Canada, where dementia-related mortality has increased by 59 per cent over the past 10 years, says Sze.  

  “The CAIDE-RHR model offers a low-cost, non-invasive tool that could be integrated into routine care, including in rural and underserved communities, to help identify those at risk earlier and more equitably,” he says. 

  The study, “Enhancing the Validity of CAIDE Dementia Risk Scores with Heart Rate and Machine Learning: An Analysis from National Alzheimer Coordinating Centre Across All Races/Ethnicity,” was published Friday, Aug. 8 in Alzheimer’s & Dementia: The Journal of the Alzheimer’s Association. 

  In addition to Sze and Alaka, the research team includes Brock University Professor of Health Sciences Brent Faught, Distinguished Professor of Kinesiology Panagiota Klentrou, Associate Professor of Health Sciences Rebecca MacPherson, Assistant Professor of Health Sciences Mostafa Shokoohi, Research Associate So-Fong Cam Ngan and researchers from the U.K.’s Newcastle University and the National University Health System in Singapore. 

  
  For more information or for assistance arranging interviews: 

  *Sarah Ackles, Communications Specialist, Brock University [email protected] or 289-241-5483

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  Categories: Media releases

• New Canadian Sport Policy signals major shift toward participation and access, says Brock expert

  Monday, August 11, 2025 | By Brock University

  EXPERT ADVISORY – AUGUST 11, 2025 – R0090

  The newly released Canadian Sport Policy 2025–2035 marks an important shift in national priorities for sport, which could reshape participation, accessibility and infrastructure for the next decade, says a Brock University expert.

  Associate Professor of Sport Management Kyle Rich has been following the policy renewal closely as part of his national research project on how provincial and territorial sport policies are developed and implemented.

  His work examines how policy decisions at the regional level shape the sport experiences of communities across Canada.

  Rich is the Principal Investigator of the Regional Perspectives of Sport Policy Implementation project, a pan-Canadian study examining how provincial and territorial policies influence sport participation and delivery.

  The team works directly with regional sport organizations to inform policy interventions aimed at increasing opportunities for Canadians to get involved in sport.

  “This policy is three years overdue, and its arrival is significant for everyone involved in sport from grassroots participants to high-performance athletes,” Rich says. “While it doesn’t contain any major surprises for those following the process, there are some important shifts in focus that deserve attention.”

  Rich adds that past Canadian sport policies have struggled to meet their goal of increasing participation, with national sport participation rates continuing to decline despite policy targets.

  “This time, participation is clearly at the forefront,” he says. “The policy uses stronger language around barrier-free access and affordability, recognizing that cost remains one of the biggest obstacles to getting more Canadians involved in sport.”

  Rich notes this new plan seeks to bring private, for-profit organizations and academies into alignment with national standards for safety, inclusivity and governance; and a recognition of spaces and places for sport emphasizes the importance of physical infrastructure, from municipal arenas and school gyms to outdoor recreation areas, in supporting participation.

  “This is an important acknowledgment,” he says. “In Canada, municipalities have historically been disconnected from national sport policy, but they are the primary providers of sport and recreation facilities. Recognizing their role opens the door to new conversations about how to make schools, municipal facilities and outdoor spaces more accessible.”

  He notes that many small town and rural facilities built during the late 1970s and early 1980s are nearing the end of their lifespan, with limited resources being allocated for their replacement.

  “Over the next decade, we’re going to see growing pressure on local governments to maintain or replace critical sport infrastructure,” Rich says.

  While the policy sets a shared national vision of “working together to enable everyone to grow, excel and achieve well-being through sport,” each province and territory will determine how best to implement it.

  “That flexibility is both a strength and a challenge,” he says. “Some jurisdictions may prioritize participation and community health, while others focus on economic development through event hosting. Where provinces and territories choose to invest will determine whether participation goals are actually met.”

  Rich points to the policy’s careful balancing act between promoting sport as a tool for community building and as an engine for economic growth, which could determine funding and programming decisions in the years ahead.

  He adds that the policy’s recognition of rural, remote and Indigenous communities, along with its emphasis on inclusion, diversity and safe sport, aligns with Canada’s broader social priorities.

  However, Rich cautions that meaningful progress will depend on sustained investment, co-ordinated action across sectors and effective monitoring.

  “This policy sets the right tone, especially on participation and accessibility,” he says. “The question is whether political will and resources will follow to make those goals a reality.”

  Kyle Rich, Associate Professor of Sport Management, is available for media interviews on this topic.

  For more information or for assistance arranging interviews: 

  *Maryanne St. Denis, Associate Director, Strategic Communications, Brock University, [email protected] or 905-246-0256

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  Categories: Media releases