Canadian Armed Forces invests in access to brain imaging technology for mental health research
News Release
May 16, 2016 – Ottawa – National Defence / Canadian Armed Forces
The Department of National Defence (DND) and the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) today announced a collaboration with The Royal Ottawa Mental Health Centre at an event marking an investment in brain imaging technology.
The CAF has invested $2.65 million over a four-year period for this collaboration. Together, the organizations have entered into an agreement in which the CAF will acquire access to the state-of-the-art PET/fMRI scanner – the only one of its kind in Canada devoted entirely to brain and mental health research.
This collaboration is one of a number of CAF initiatives aimed at improving mental health services to military personnel and their families.
Quotes
“Contributing to mental health research is one of the many ways the Government of Canada is demonstrating its commitment to the mental health needs of Canadian Armed Forces members and their families. This partnership is an example of how we are collaborating with our civilian counterparts to benefit our men and women in uniform.”
The Honourable Kent Hehr, Associate Minister of National Defence
“This partnership will see experts at The Royal Ottawa Mental Health Centre and our military mental health professionals working together towards a common goal of developing a new understanding of the effects of mental illness on brain functions. I see this as a key investment in helping our Canadian Armed Forces members and veterans who are fighting to overcome mental health issues.”
General Jonathan Vance, Chief of the Defence Staff
“Investment in research is critical to our understanding of mental illness, and to finding new and more effective treatments. This partnership – especially our investment in the PET/fMRI system – will provide Canadian Forces Health Services with access to state-of-the-art
Brigadier General H.C MacKay, Surgeon General
technology to advance mental health care for our members and veterans.”
“The Royal and the Canadian Armed Forces share a strong dedication to the well-being of our soldiers, veterans, and their families and we are proud to be expanding our research collaboration. Mental health injuries can be extremely debilitating but this research will be a game-changer. With a better understanding of how PTSD and Operational Stress Injuries affect the brain, we aim to rewrite the stories of suffering into stories of recovery."
George Weber, President and CEO of The Royal
Quick Facts
- The Positron Emission Tomography, or PET scan, identifies which parts of the brain are metabolically active using specially labeled molecules. Functional magnetic resonance imaging, or fMRI, is a technique for measuring brain activity by detecting the changes in blood oxygenation and flow that occur in response to neural activity.
- The combined use of these two technologies will allow clinicians and scientists from Canadian Forces Health Services and The Royal to examine the effects of various drugs used to treat depression, post-traumatic stress disorder and other mental illnesses on brain functions.
- The research that will be conducted may lead to more personalized treatment for those suffering from mental illness including PTSD.
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Contacts
Media Relations
Department of National Defence
Phone: 613-996-2353
Toll-Free: 1-866-377-0811
Email: mlo-blm@forces.gc.ca
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