Bridging Cognitive and Motor Reserve Across Cultures: Linking Lifestyle and Aging in Canada and Italy

This project will explore how balance-based physical activities such as tai-chi, yoga, dance, and martial arts may help protect memory, thinking, mobility, and overall brain health as people age. Although many studies show that lifestyle habits can support healthy aging, much less is known about how different countries measure brain and cognitive health in older adults. By bringing together researchers at Concordia University in Canada and the University of Padova in Italy, this study compares how different cultures assess and understand cognitive and motor aging. Using balance tests, cognitive assessments, and non-invasive brain-activity measures, this collaboration aims to identify lifestyle habits that support healthy aging and to develop more inclusive, culturally responsive tools for assessing brain health in older adults worldwide. Both institutions will benefit from this collaboration through the exchange of complementary expertise, with Italy contributing strengths in ecological neuropsychological assessment and Canada contributing experience in brain-activity and balance-based research. Ultimately, this partnership will strengthen international ties and support long-term advancements in aging science across both countries.

Faculty Supervisor:

Karen Li

Student:

Partner:

University of Padua

Discipline:

Sociology

Sector:

Education

University:

Concordia University

Program: