About the presentation: This presentation will cover findings of a recent randomized trial investigating the impact of exercise on grey and white matter changes in individuals living with vascular cognitive impairment. The presentation will include a detailed methodological account of the neuroimaging pipelines used in the study, with an emphasis on a machine learning model used to measure brain structural changes. Emerging results will be shared concerning changes in white matter lesions and brain aging in this population, and point out future directions of the field. 

About the speaker: Dr. Silva is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Health, Kinesiology, and Applied Physiology at Concordia University. He completed his postdoctoral training the University of British Columbia, after earning his PhD in Kinesiology from Western University. Originally from Brazil, he received his BSc in Physical Education from Nove de Julho University in São Paulo. His research examines how physical exercise and other lifestyle factors influence neuroplasticity and cognitive function, as well as how they may mitigate the risk of vascular cognitive impairment and Alzheimer’s disease. His current work places particular emphasis on promoting brain health equity across diverse racial and ethnic populations. His research has been funded by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, Michael Smith Health Research BC, Canadians for Leading Edge Alzheimer Research, StrokeCog, the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada, and the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada. If you are invested in Dr. SIlva’s research, please visit his lab’s website at https://silvalab.ca/.