Unlocking the mysteries of the human brain is one of the greatest and most pressing scientific and societal challenges of our time. Our brains shape our memories, passions, and societies. Yet, when our brains are challenged – by neurological disorder, brain injury, mental illness, and/or addiction – the implications extend past individual health and well-being to impact global development and productivity.
At the core of the Canadian Brain Research Strategy is the conviction that we need to foster better neurological and mental well-being for all Canadians. We achieve this by harnessing Canada’s research excellence in brain and mental health, leveraging strengths in a collaborative, transdisciplinary and open research ecosystem.
The Canadian Brain Research Strategy serves as the guiding roadmap, uniting research efforts across the country towards a shared objective to understand the human brain for real-world impact.
The Challenge: Understanding the Brain
Understanding the brain – in health, development, disease, and resilience – will be crucial to Canada’s success and well-being in the 21st century. The massive burden of brain disorders such as autism, neurodegenerative diseases, depression and addiction is profound and growing.
7.5 million Canadians – reported living with a brain condition in 2019, and this has only grown since the COVID-19 pandemic.
Tens of billions of dollars spent annually – in healthcare costs, social care, income support, productivity loss, insurance claims, and disability payments.
1,000 trillion internal connections – exist in the human brain, more than there are stars in the Milky Way.
At the same time, technology is rapidly changing every facet of the way we live, including how we learn, communicate and perhaps even think. We must optimize our brain’s potential and harness its full capabilities to effectively navigate these shifts. Only through advances in brain research will these challenges be addressed.
The Opportunity: A New Era for Neuroscience
There is ample reason for optimism. With more data and tools like AI than ever before, a revolution in brain health and research is underway, yielding new insights into how the brain works. But much more needs to be done.
Unravelling the complexity of the brain will not be done by individual scientists working harder alone. Instead, spurred by this grand challenge, CBRS has mobilized a diverse coalition – encompassing 40 neuroscience and mental health research institutes across the country, alongside private and non-profit organizations, health charities, patient advocacy groups, Indigenous partners, and research funding agencies. Together, we are dedicated to combining our expertise and resources to confront the challenges of understanding the human brain and advancing mental well-being at a national level.
Beyond improving human health, a coordinated effort to understand the brain will fuel innovations that can be applied to the understanding of any complex system. Such an effort will also expand the boundaries of technology, driving the development of new tools to benefit science and society, such as next-generation machines and generalized artificial intelligence.
