Mapping the Landscape, Knowledge Gaps, and Areas for Innovation in Brain Health and Dementia Research in Canada: Protocol for a Scoping Review of Reviews

BACKGROUND: Dementia is one of Canada's most pressing public health challenges, with rates expected to surge in response to the country's aging population. Given the rapidly growing issue of dementia, understanding national research efforts are critical to prioritizing and advancing strategic directions in brain health and dementia research. Recently, the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) awarded a one-year funding grant from the Brain Health and Cognitive Impairment in Aging (BHCIA) research initiative to map the scope of brain health and dementia in Canada. OBJECTIVE: This scoping review of reviews protocol aimed to address this call by outlining the methodology that will be used for mapping the research landscape, documenting the knowledge gaps, and identifying areas of innovation to advance brain health and dementia research in Canada. METHODS: Given the large volume of literature, a scoping review of Canadian-led reviews was selected as the most appropriate method because it would allow for a robust synthesis of nationally relevant research while mapping knowledge gaps and innovation. Our scoping review of reviews protocol will follow the Arksey and O'Malley framework, along with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses Extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR) guidelines. The search will focus on peer-reviewed literature reviews published between January 1, 2020, and January 1, 2025, to capture the current state of knowledge since the national dementia strategy's publication in 2019. This search will be conducted using five electronic databases: CINAHL, PubMed, PsycINFO, Scopus, and Web of Science. Our data extraction table will include the following categories: author/province/year, aim, review timeline, method, theme, knowledge gaps, innovations, and findings. The data will be analyzed using a combination of deductive and inductive thematic analysis. RESULTS: This protocol was registered on June 5, 2025 with the Open Science Framework (OSF). This study was funded by CIHR from November 2024 to November 2025. The anticipated timeline for the publication of the full scoping review of reviews is spring 2026. The findings from this review will be shared through targeted knowledge mobilization activities such as presentations at national funding agency meetings, academic conferences, and community workshops. CONCLUSIONS: Our scoping review of reviews will provide a robust synthesis of the brain health and dementia research landscape, helping to document critical knowledge gaps, and identify areas for innovation. The results of this research will provide critical information to help inform strategic funding initiatives and future research directions. The findings from our scoping review will have implications for research funders, policymakers, community-organizations, and researchers that are working to accelerate brain health and dementia research across Canada. CLINICALTRIAL: Open Science Framework (OSF) 10.17605/OSF.IO/A5BSX; https://doi.org/10.17605/OSF.IO/A5BSX.