The Nutrition and Brain Health Laboratory aims to identify and elucidate mechanisms that underlie the association of modifiable nutritional risk factors with vascular cognitive Impairment and neurodegenerative disease. The long term goal of this research is to identify pathways that can be targeted in susceptible individuals, for the development of dietary and pharmacological interventions to prevent and treat these conditions. To do so, the laboratory takes an integrative approach using complementary human and animal studies to understand the role that such modifiable risk-factors play in brain health and aging. Epidemiological studies help identify potentially modifiable risk factors such as B-vitamin deficiencies and hyperhomocysteinemia that are associated with these conditions. Using dietary interventions to establish metabolically valid pre-clinical models of the observed epidemiological associations, we examine the extent to which interventions can modify and improve behavioral, physiological, and neuroanatomical and neurochemical outcomes in these models. Of particular interest is the role of microvascular plasticity and the extent to which it contributes to cognitive aging. These studies include in vivo application of non-invasive absolute near infrared spectroscopy, to determine its diagnostic and prognostic value as a putative translational measure of cerebral microvascular health. Other projects include collaborations to examine the effect of liver health on brain function and the neuroprotective potential of functional foods developed at the Faculty of Agriculture. In addition to this basic and translational research, the group also holds a strong interest in the safety and efficacy of micronutrients in clinical practice and in public health interventions such as food folate and iodine fortification.