Search

Dr. Rahel Eynan is a researcher with Lawson Health Research Institute who has dedicated her life to studying the nature of suicide and those affected. 

She is the lead author on a study recently published in Suicide and Life-Threatening Behavior by The American Association of Suicidology. A first of its kind in the world, this study retrospectively compared the psychosocial and clinical characteristics of people who have died by suicide and left an E-note with those who left a paper note, or no note at all. 

“Suicide notes are intimate last communications left by suicide decedents to their loved ones, friends or foes,” explains Dr. Eynan. Only a minority of suicide decedents leave a suicide note, which is defined as a message expressed by a person who intends to end their life. 

Typically, the notes are handwritten on paper, walls, body parts or mirrors. However, electronic suicide notes have been reported with increasing frequency including communication through email, text messages, tweets, blogs, video sharing websites, chat rooms and posts on social media networks. 

This emerging phenomenon remains generally under-researched. 

“The notes play an important role in forensic investigations and have evidentiary value in the courtroom. They are also considered integral to understanding suicidal behaviour as they provide a unique opportunity to examine an unsolicited account of the person’s thoughts and emotions prior to the self-destructive act,” says Dr. Eynan. 

This study was embedded in the Southwestern Ontario Suicide Study (SOSS) and was conducted  in collaboration with the Office of the Chief Coroner and Ontario Forensic Pathology Services and the London regional coroner office. The researchers collected data for 476 deaths by suicide that occurred between January 2012 and December 2014. Socio-demographic, psychosocial and clinical characteristics were collected with a modified version of the Manchester questionnaire used in the UK. 

“Note leaving does not appear to be a random phenomenon among suicide decedents. There are common characteristics between those that do offer a final communication and in what form,” states Dr. Eynan.

They found that final communication was left by 45.8 per cent of the individuals and of those almost 75 per cent left notes that were handwritten or typed. Electronic notes were left by 17.9 per cent, usually in the form of text messages, and 7.8 per cent left a combination of paper and electronic notes, as some people left more than one. Some notes contain a just a single word while others were several pages in length. 

The average age of suicide decedents is 47.2 years old and the majority are men. Death by suicide often happens after a major life transition, including those involving finances, business and employment or the dissolution of a marriage or relationship. In some cases, it is associated with a mental illness. 

Those who did not leave a note were more likely to have had a diagnosed mental disorder; histories of self-harm; other physical illnesses; previous admissions to hospital or mental health services; and, been assessed for suicide behavior 3 months prior to their death.

People who left a note were significantly younger in age; more likely to be divorced or separated; less likely to be living with a partner; and, less likely to have been retired. 

“Suicide decedents with fewer than two admissions to a mental health unit, including those with no history at all, were three times more likely to have left a suicide note,” explains Dr. Eynan. “Two-thirds of these people however did have contact with a primary health care provider in the month prior to their deaths. Interestingly, most were for routine and non-urgent reasons.”

Suicide notes are written for several purposes. It can be an opportunity to put affairs in order, justify or explain their suicidal action, or reduce the emotional burden of those left behind. 

It can be theorized that people without a diagnosis of mental illness and fewer health care admissions may be more compelled to complete their suicide narrative and explain their motives. On the other hand, those who did not leave notes may have felt that their long-standing struggles with mental illness were well known to family and friends. 

The findings point to a subgroup of younger suicide people who have less contact with mental health services, have no mental illness and yet are at risk of suicide. 

“This tells us that we can be more proactive in assessing for suicidal behaviours at each interaction of help-seeking and health care.” For example, routinely giving screening questions at every appointment which assess mood and other indicators. “It could be something like a paper form or tablet in the waiting room, reducing the stigma and more easily opening up the conversation,” adds Dr. Eynan. 

The general public should also be educated to take any communication by any means of suicide risk or intent as serious.

The shifting methods of communicating final good-byes that make use of newer forms of technologies could provide a window of opportunity for intervention. Social media sites and app developers could partner with researchers to develop innovative protocols and mechanisms that identify users at risk and intervene by sending the user links to crisis services or directly connecting them to an appropriate service.

Dr. Eynan is often reminded of the quote ‘whoever saves a life, saves an entire world.’ She takes the utmost care to treat each person’s story with dignity and respect. 

“There was a lot of suffering shared in the notes, but the most prevalent messages were expressions of love.”  

While this kind of research can be difficult, it gives her a lot of hope. 

If you need help:

Canadian Mental Health Association’s Reach Out program is a 24-7 telephone hotline and internet service for individuals experiencing mental health concerns, addictions or crisis.

Reach Out can be contacted at 519-433-2023, toll free at 1-866-933-2023 or online at www.reachout247.ca. 
 

September is World Alzheimer’s Month and Saturday, September 21 was World Alzheimer’s Day. 

In recognition, the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease has published an open access, special issue that will be available to everyone for the first two weeks of publication. 

Dr. Manuel Montero-Odasso, Scientist at Lawson Health Research Institute, has edited and led the special issue focusing on gait disorders and dementia. 

He is world renowned for his findings on the relationship between cognition and mobility in the elderly, and gait as a predictor of frailty and dementia. He leads the Mobility, Exercise and Cognition (MEC) Team in London, comprised of top researchers in the areas of mobility, exercise and brain health.

Image

Dr. Montero-Odasso is also a professor at Western University’s Schulich Medicine & Dentistry, geriatrician at St. Joseph’s Health Care London and London Health Sciences Centre, and Director of the Gait and Brain Lab, a part of Lawson’s Parkwood Institute Research group. 

“This Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease supplemental issue showcases studies presenting the epidemiology of gait disturbances and cognitive impairment, dissecting specific associations between cognitive domains and quantitative gait parameters, and addressing with advanced neuroimaging techniques the potential mechanisms underlying the gait-cognitive interaction seen before dementia,” explains Dr. Montero-Odasso. “Also, this issue highlights how to manage mobility impairment in the cognitive impaired by using assistive devices.”

Alzheimer’s disease is an irreversible, progressive brain disorder that slowly destroys memory and thinking skills. It is the most common cause of dementia among older adults. There are over half a million Canadians living with dementia - plus about 25,000 new cases diagnosed every year. By 2031, that number is expected to rise to 937,000, an increase of 66 per cent.

Read the Gait Disorders Special Issue with editorial from Drs. Montero-Odasso and George Perry entitled “Gait Disorders in Alzheimer’s Disease and Other Dementias: There is Something in the Way You Walk.” 
 

In a new study, researchers at Lawson Health Research Institute and Western University are demonstrating that gait, or motion testing, while simultaneously performing a cognitively demanding task can be an effective predictor of progression to dementia and eventually help with earlier diagnosis. To date, there is no definitive way for health care professionals to forecast the onset of dementia in a patient with memory complaints.

Dr. Manuel Montero-Odasso, a Lawson scientist, geriatrician at St. Joseph’s Health Care London, and associate professor in the Division of Geriatric Medicine at Western University’s Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, is leading the “Gait and Brain Study.” His team is assessing up to 150 seniors with mild cognitive impairment (MCI), a slight decline of memory and other mental functions which is considered a pre-dementia syndrome, in order to detect an early predictor of cognitive and mobility decline and progression to dementia.

Image

Dr. Montero-Odasso with study participant, Roy Bratty

“Finding methods to detect dementia early is vital to our ability to slow or halt the progression of the disease,” says Dr. Montero-Odasso. The study, funded by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, followed participants for six years and included bi-annual visits. Researchers asked participants to walk while simultaneously performing a cognitively demanding task, such as counting backwards or naming animals. Those individuals with MCI that slow down more than 20 per cent while performing a cognitively demanding task are at a higher risk of progressing to dementia.

“While walking has long been considered an automatic motor task, emerging evidence suggests cognitive function plays a key role in the control of walking, avoidance of obstacles and maintenance of navigation,” says Dr. Montero-Odasso. “We believe that gait, as a complex brain-motor task, provides a golden window of opportunity to see brain function.”

The “gait cost,” or speed at which participants completed a single task (walking) versus a dual-task, was higher in those MCI individuals with worse episodic memory and who struggle with executive functions such as attention keeping and time management.

“Our results reveal a ‘motor signature’ of cognitive impairment that can be used to predict dementia,” adds Dr. Montero-Odasso. “It is conceivable that we will be able to diagnose Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias before people even have significant memory loss. Our hope is to combine these methods with promising new medications to slow or halt the progression of MCI to dementia.”

The study, “Association of Dual-Task Gait with Incident Dementia in Mild Cognitive Impairment”, was published in the journal, JAMA NEUROLOGY.

Image

Members of the study’s research team, from left to right: Korbin Blue, Research Assistant (Co-op Student); Yanina Sarquis-Adamson, Lab Research Assistant; Frederico Faria, Post-Doctoral Fellow; Dr. Montero Odasso, Director, Gait and Brain Lab; research participant; Alanna Black, Lab Research Coordinator; Stephanie Cullen, Research Assistant (Undergraduate Student); and, Navena Lingum, Research Assistant (Master Student). 

Dr. Donna Goldhawk, an imaging scientist at Lawson Health Research Institute (Lawson), is providing a unique and valuable learning experience to senior high school students. Since 2009, she has accepted students to train in her hospital-based research laboratory at St. Joseph’s Health Care London in partnership with secondary schools in the Thames Valley region.

Dr. Goldhawk recruits students in partnership with the Partners in Experiential Learning (PEL) program. This unique academic co-op education program in London, Ontario identifies high school students interested in health research and prepares them for placement in a health research environment. The students earn senior high school credits and receive training in basic laboratory research.

Originally conceived by Dr. Jim Koropatnick, a cancer scientist at Lawson, and Mr. Rodger Dusky, a retired secondary school teacher, PEL has been running successfully since 2004. It is a partnership between the Thames Valley District School Board, London District Catholic School Board, the Ontario Ministry of Education, Western University, London Health Sciences Centre and St. Joseph’s Health Care London. In Dr. Goldhawk’s experience, PEL attracts an excellent calibre of student who is eager to learn, aspiring to further education and capable of contributing to the science of molecular imaging.

Through the Ontario Research Fund (ORF), the Ministry of Research and Innovation also recognizes the value of attracting youth to the scientific enterprise and provides funding to support youth outreach. Dr. Goldhawk oversees one such initiative, approved under a grant entitled “Heart Failure: Prevention through Early Detection Using New Imaging Methods”. She works with PEL to attract summer students with an interest in molecular imaging.

This year, a total of three ORF summer studentships are available at the following collaborating research labs: Lawson Health Research Institute (London), University of Ottawa Heart Institute (Ottawa) and Sunnybrook Research Institute (Toronto). To learn more about these summer studentships, please email Dr. Goldhawk at @email by May 25, 2018.

Participating students can expect experiential learning tailored to their current understanding of science and aimed at expanding this knowledge for a fuller appreciation of biomedical research.

“ORF youth outreach recognizes the role of medical imaging in today’s workplace and promotes the study of cardiovascular disease in the next generation of researchers,” says Mr. Dusky. “This fills a clear gap in knowledge and career planning for high school youth.”

In Dr. Goldhawk’s laboratory, for example, cardiac research is focussed on the measurement of iron contrast using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). “Many cells have naturally distinct iron metabolism. However, we are also using genes from magnetic bacteria to improve the magnetic sensitivity of mammalian cells. MRI can then be used to detect disease processes in living subjects.”

“We are particularly interested in reporter gene expression for MRI, a term coined to describe how changes in the pattern of gene activity, and its related protein activity, may be visualized.” Her research group uses laboratory models to track these biological molecules, particularly those involved in cardiac inflammation and cancer growth and metastasis.

Her current team of four graduate and four undergraduate students span various stages of their chosen programs. In this setting, high school students step into a work atmosphere where they interact with colleagues at multiple levels. In addition, since molecular imaging research is inherently interdisciplinary, students acquire training in both biology and physics.

Dr. Goldhawk finds that students exposed to high-quality science education more easily envision themselves in positions of responsibility within the health care sector. Youth learn that developing a scientific career is a process with many choices for fusing interests with a specific occupation.

“To retain the interest of talented young scientists, it is essential to provide them with interesting challenges that reward their curiosity and ambition to learn,” explains Dr. Goldhawk. “In hospital-based research institutes, youth are also exposed to the clinical side for which our research is targeted. This is a quality scientific experience for youth interested in expanding their outlook, performance, technical, problem-solving and record-keeping skills. I think it is essential to build these opportunities into our scientific programs.”

Image

Above: Suhail Shukri, 2018 PEL student at Oakridge Secondary School, and Sarah Donnelly, 2013 PEL student at Wilfred Laurier Secondary School and current MSc candidate at Western University’s Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, training with Dr. Jeremy Burton and Dr. Donna Goldhawk at Lawson Health Research Institute. 

With nearly 300 guests in attendance, health research was celebrated at the fourth annual Lawson Impact Awards on Wednesday, April 19 at the London Convention Centre.

The Lawson Impact Awards celebrates hospital-based research that makes a difference by advancing scientific knowledge and applying it directly to patient care. With awards in seven categories, the annual event honours Lawson scientists, staff, trainees and partners who demonstrate excellence.

“The Lawson Impact Awards recognizes those who have made exceptional contributions to science and innovation. This year's winners include individuals, groups and partners who work tirelessly to improve our understanding of health and disease in Canada and around the world,” says Dr. David Hill, Scientific Director, Lawson Health Research Institute.

This year’s Lawson Impact Awards winners include:

• Dr. Peeyush Lala - Scientist Career Award
• Drs. Glenn Bauman and Aaron Ward - Innovation Award
• Dr. Gediminas Cepinskas - Dr. Joseph Gilbert Research Contribution of the Year Award
• IDB Holland bv - Industry Partner of the Year Award
• Helen and Andy Spriet - Community Partner of the Year Award
• Arthroplasty Clinical Research Team (Dr. Lyndsay Somerville, Codie Primeau and Bryn Zomar)  - Staff Award of Excellence
• Charles Ishak - Leadership Award (Student & Trainee)

The recipients of Lawson’s 2017 Strategic Research Fund (SRF) were also revealed at the Lawson Impact Awards. The Lawson SRF is an annual competition that supports projects that will advance science in alignment with Lawson’s strategic research goals, as outlined in the Lawson Strategic Plan 2014-2018. For the second year in a row, the 2017 competition was focused on “inflammation”. The following two projects were awarded $50,000 over a two-year period:

• “Re-setting the breast microbiome to lower inflammation and risk of cancer” – Drs. Muriel Brackstone and Gregor Reid
• “Assessing acute cardiac inflammation after left-sided breast cancer radiotherapy with hybrid PET/MRI” – Drs. Stewart Gaede and Gerald Wisenberg

A highlight of the event was a keynote presentation from record-breaking Canadian astronaut, aquanaut and researcher, Dr. Dave Williams, titled “The Art of the Possible: Innovation Transforming Healthcare”. Dr. Williams provided an inspiring talk that used examples from his space shuttle missions and health research to illustrate how the impossible can be made possible.

In addition, this year’s event honoured Canada’s 150th year as a nation by paying tribute to Canadian scientists and the contributions they’ve made on the world stage. Acknowledging the role of Lawson scientists in continuing this legacy, attendees were also asked to provide their feedback about the future of innovation. These insightful ideas will be shared in the months to come as Lawson continues to celebrate Canada 150.

To view videos of each award winner, visit the Lawson YouTube page. To see more photos from the event, visit Lawson's Facebook page. 

On April 11, in a full room at the London Convention Centre, almost 350 guests celebrated the sixth annual Lawson Impact Awards. The event honours research that is making a difference both locally and globally, and recognizes the remarkable accomplishments of Lawson scientists, staff, trainees and partners.

“This event gives us the opportunity to reflect on the importance of the work we do here at Lawson, and how everyone’s contributions ultimately improve patient care,” says David Hill, Scientific Director, Lawson Health Research Institute. “Throughout the organization, individuals regularly go above and beyond to drive innovative new discoveries.”

This year’s Lawson Impact Award winners are:
•    Dr. Guido Filler – Scientist of the Year Award
•    Dr. Don Richardson – Innovation Award
•    Dr. Sarah Morrow – Dr. Joseph Gilbert Research Contribution of the Year Award
•    Saagar Walia – Staff Award of Excellence
•    Laura Craven – Leadership Award for Fellows and Students
•    Lawrence Yip – Leadership Award for Fellows and Students
•    GE Healthcare – Industry Partner of the Year
•    Breast Cancer Society of Canada – Community Partner of the Year Award (LHSF)
•    Legate Personal Injury Lawyers – Community Partner of the Year Award (CHF)
•    3M Canada – Community Partner of the Year Award (SJHCF)

Two Children’s Health Research Institute (CHRI) award recipients were also recognized at the event. As a program of Lawson, CHRI awards a Scientist and Trainee of the Year annually, sponsored by the Children’s Health Foundation. CHRI’s 2019 award recipients are: Dr. Craig Campbell (CHRI Scientist of the Year), and Dr. Mohamed Gatie (CHRI Deb Comuzzi Trainee of the Year).

An engaging keynote was delivered by Dr. Dorin Comaniciu, Senior Vice President for Artificial Intelligence and Digital Innovation at Siemens Healthineers, titled “Artificial Intelligence for Health Care: The Road Ahead.” Dr. Comaniciu spoke about the wide application for artificial intelligence in health care, focusing on the fields of diagnostic imaging, image-guided therapy and personalized medicine. Sharing his own digital avatar, guests were treated to a glimpse of what the future of care will look like with the advancement of this technology.

If you attended the event, you are encouraged to complete this short survey. Your feedback is important in helping make improvements for next year’s event.

Visit the Lawson YouTube channel to watch videos highlighting each of the award recipients. To see photos from the event, visit Lawson’s Facebook album.

Lawson Health Research Institute – the research institute of London Health Sciences Centre (LHSC) and St. Joseph’s Health Care London – is ranked seventh in the country in Re$earch Infosource’s 2023 list of Canada’s Top 40 Research Hospitals. 

This is the 13th year in a row that Lawson has ranked top ten in the country, and the seventh-place ranking is up two spots from 2022 – highlighting continued dedication to hospital-based research at LHSC and St. Joseph’s.

Lawson also ranked second for research intensity among the large tier institutions with more than $776,000 of research spending per researcher.

“These rankings help LHSC and St. Joseph’s assess how we compare to similar hospitals across the country,” says Dr. David Hill, Scientific Director at Lawson and Integrated Vice President, Research at LHSC and St. Joseph’s. “Our continuous placement in the top 10 of all research hospitals shows we are doing important and relevant medical research that is making a difference to patient care.”

Lawson has been at the forefront of research in a wide range of specializations, making advances in areas from cancer care and mental health supports to molecular imaging and theranostics in recent years.

“Conducting research in hospitals means it can go from bench to bedside much more quickly,” says Dr. Hill. “Things move much faster now than they ever did. Our top 10 ranking shows we are leading the way, and that funders are confident in London’s hospital-based researchers.”

The top 40 list analyzes hospital-based research institutes from across the country on several metrics, including total research expenditure from the previous fiscal year. The ranking looks at funds from all sources, including both internal and external, to support research in hospitals.

For the 12th year in a row, Lawson Health Research Institute has ranked top ten in the country for the 2022 edition of Canada’s Top 40 Research Hospitals List by Re$earch Infosource.   

Lawson, the research institute of London Health Sciences Centre (LHSC) and St. Joseph’s Health Care London, has ranked in ninth place, and has also maintained the top ranking for research intensity among the large tier institutions with more than $700,000 of research spending per researcher.

“The most important metric is how we are growing year by year as an effective hospital research community,” says Dr. David Hill, Scientific Director at Lawson and Integrated Vice President, Research at LHSC and St. Joseph’s. “The rankings give us a measure of how we are comparing to peer hospitals across the country.”

Hospital-based research has been at the forefront since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The hard work and innovation to take research from bench to bedside during such a critical time has made a difference in patient outcomes around the world.

“Today’s research innovation is tomorrow’s health care. We need to maximize the former while shortening the gap between the two as much as possible. Being recognized in the top 10 reflects confidence research funders have in London’s hospital-based scientists.” says Dr. Hill. 

The top 40 list analyzes hospital-based research institutes from across the country on several metrics, including total research income from the previous fiscal year.  Lawson received $129,832 million in research income in 2022. The ranking looks at funds received from all sources, including both internal and external, to support research at LHSC and St. Joseph’s.