Pioneering Brain Resilience in Alzheimer’s Disease

Dr. Fernanda De Felice leads a groundbreaking research program aimed at revolutionizing the diagnosis and treatment of Alzheimer’s disease (AD), the most prevalent type of dementia. Her work is particularly distinguished by the pursuit of early diagnostic biomarkers for AD, utilizing innovative techniques to detect disease-specific nanoparticles in blood samples. This approach holds the potential to transform the landscape of AD treatment, enabling early interventions and the development of personalized treatment strategies tailored to the unique progression of the disease in individuals. Her research also delves into the neuroprotective effects of physical exercise, with a specific focus on the hormone irisin, which has been implicated in mitigating memory impairment in AD models. As the Canada Research Chair in Brain Resilience, Dr. De Felice’s investigations seek to uncover novel pathways through which exercise enhances brain resilience and combats neurodegeneration. By exploring these mechanisms, her research aims to provide new insights into how lifestyle interventions can preserve cognitive function and slow the progression of neurodegenerative diseases.

Dr. De Felice’s interdisciplinary approach highlights the potential of non-pharmacological interventions in maintaining cognitive health. Her research has the possibility to lead to the development of neurotherapeutics that reproduce the beneficial actions of exercise in memory. It also has the potential to improve clinical care by providing access to early and simple disease diagnosis and to accelerate the development of new drugs to prevent cognitive decline in aging.