Small Wonder

BY LISA KALYNCHUK, PHD • VICE PRESIDENT RESEARCH AND INNOVATION

Ihave always been fascinated by the brain. My interest was piqued as an undergraduate student, when I took a third-year neuroscience class taught by a dynamic and engaging instructor. From that time on, I was captivated and set myself on a path toward a PhD in neuroscience and an academic career dedicated to understanding how the brain reacts to stress and how we can help people who experience mental-health disorders.

The brain is a marvel. Although it is small, weighing only about three pounds, it comprises billions of cells that are in constant communication with one another and with other organs in the body. Everything we do, everything we learn and remember, everything we see and hear and taste, every emotion we feel—it all comes from activity and connections between cells in our brain.

And our brains are always changing. We refer to this as brain “plasticity.” The ability of the brain to change with experience is how we learn and adapt. It is also the reason why we are all unique individuals. Each one of us has our own distinct history and set of experiences that influence how our brain develops and evolves over time. In this sense, no two brains are alike.

All around us we see the impact of compromised brain health. We see it in the tortured faces of refugees who had to flee from persecution and potential death, and we see it in the unprovoked rage and anger or sometimes suicide of an athlete after a series of concussions. We see it in the blank stare of an elderly man who cannot recall the name of the daughter who just came for a visit. And we certainly feel it as many of us struggle to cope with an uncertain future created by a lengthy pandemic, a climate crisis and alarming geopolitical tensions.

All these issues have led to an epidemic of mental-health disorders and an unprecedented crisis of substance use and opioid overdose. These are not disorders of the elderly. The World Health Organization reports that approximately 20 per cent of the world’s children and adolescents suffer from a mental-health condition, with suicide the second leading cause of death among young adults. There has never been a more critical moment to invest in research and public-health interventions to overcome these challenges. Universities have a key role to play in this.

The brain is complex and difficult to study. Progress is slow because we lack the tools and technologies to view the human brain in detail and in real time. But as you will see in this issue of the Torch, UVic faculty, students and alumni are at the forefront of new discoveries and technologies to rapidly accelerate our knowledge.

We will continue to support this important work on our campus through the UVic Health Initiative and Aspiration 2030, our new Research and Creative Works Strategy. In signature areas of Indigenous health, healthy aging, mental health and translational medicine, UVic researchers are pushing the boundaries of what is possible and advancing lifelong health for all.

We all have a role to play. Given how sensitive the brain is to environmental conditions, you can be sure that eating and sleeping well, exercising and limiting stress will positively contribute to your brain health. But there is more. Accumulating evidence shows that keeping your brain active is one of the best ways to keep it healthy. So, challenge yourself with puzzles and games, learn a new language, engage in new social activities and travel to new places, even if all that means during COVID times is a trip to a new supermarket in the adjacent town.

Your brain does a lot of work for you. Be sure to take care of it. T