Lakewood Ranch's Brain Health Initiative has exceed $1.6 million in funding since its launch in March of 2019, and will move forward with the second phase of its initial three-phase project, which includes developing a brain health community impact model that can be measured and replicated throughout the Gulf Coast region, planning for a longitudinal brain health pilot study, and developing the infrastructure for a Brain Health Innovation Lab, which will serve as a living laboratory. Planning for Phase 2 will begin this month; additional fundraising efforts are ongoing to support medium- and long-term sustainability goals for the project.

The Brain Health Initiative was formed by The Academy for Brain Health and Performance (ABHP) in collaboration with Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH), a Harvard Medical School Teaching Hospital. This large-scale effort is designed to uncover the factors, both positive and negative, that affect brain health and performance, as well as discern, develop, and test interventions aimed at enhancing brain health and optimizing performance throughout the lifespan. Planning for Phase 2 will begin this month, and Phase 3 will begin in spring 2020.