Brains mediate all human actions and experiences, while holding the key to health, productivity, well-being, and economic prosperity, at both individual and societal levels. Diseases and disorders of the brain are the leading cause of disability and overall disease burden in the world. As the population ages, this burden is expected to increase dramatically, putting additional stress on an already strained society.
With such a high burden of disease comes substantial potential for impact – and brain research is the key to unlocking it.
Canadians have been at the forefront of progress to date in brain research. Canada ranks among the top five countries in the world in this area, publishing 6.4% of brain research articles globally. Canadian research publications obtain higher citation rates than those from US-based researchers, suggesting that Canadian brain research is of higher quality and impact.
As a leading funder of brain research in Canada, complementary to tri-council funding, Brain Canada is an important factor in this success. Brain Canada-funded publications are cited four times more often than expected compared to similar publications (i.e., same field, year, type) in the academic literature, a testament to their value in advancing knowledge to improve brain health – and to Canada’s leadership in this space. Brain Canada has also played an important role in influencing policy. In a recent assessment of Brain Canada research funded from 2011-2022, 10% of research publications were cited in policy, compared to the less than 6% average for academic research.
Read more about the many research impacts made possible through Brain Canada
