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Research aims to address sex and gender-specific factors in mental health

TORONTO, April 3, 2024 /CNW/ - Women's Brain Health Initiative (WBHI) is excited to announce a new partnership with Brain Canada and Krembil Foundation that will see $3.3 million invested in addressing sex and gender gaps in Canadian brain health research.

With the support of The Erika Legacy Foundation and Power Corporation of Canada, the collaboration will provide funding for three Canadian researchers and their teams: Dr. Liisa Galea at Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Dr. Susan George at University of Toronto, and Dr. Stephanie Borgland at University of Calgary.

"By emphasizing sex and gender-specific factors or differences, the studies that these researchers will lead hold immense promise in revolutionizing 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."

Each researcher will receive $1.1 million 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.

"I am beyond thrilled with this grant funded in part by the WBHI, supporting our research in postpartum depression," said Dr. Liisa Galea. "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."

"The inclusion of sex-specific biological considerations is instrumental in understanding the biological roots of mental health conditions," said Dr. Viviane Poupon, President and CEO of Brain Canada. "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 evidence-informed information specific to women's brain health. The foundation is a significant force in raising critical awareness of the unacceptable discrepancies in brain research on afflictions that present in women in frightening proportions.

WBHI's research, education, and awareness programs are essential to improving the brain health and mental wellness of women, caregivers, and their families, as well as catalyzing the urgency that must drive funds toward research to combat brain aging diseases that affect women. Funding for this new research was made possible through WBHI's Stand Ahead Challenge.

Read the full announcement from our partners at Brain Canada here.

SOURCE Women's Brain Health Initiative (WBHI)