Aging | Cervo Brain Research Centre

	Célyne Bastien Identification of new methods for treating insomnia by studying brain activity during sleep and wakefulness Célyne Bastien studies the psychological and physiological aspects of insomnia to understand its effects on people and to find ways of treating them. She is particularly interested in the mechanisms of sleep protection (which make it possible to remain asleep) and compares the objective quality (measured in the laboratory) and the subjective quality (reported by the individuals) of sleep in good sleepers and insomniacs. Dr. Bastien studies the activity of the brain...
	Yves De Koninck Synaptic transmission: from chronic pain to Alzheimer's disease Yves De Koninck's work focuses on the transmission of signals from one neuron to another, also called synaptic transmission, and the necessary balance between excitatory and inhibitory signals in the brain and spinal cord. His research has shown how a normally benign stimulus can turn into a pain signal, leading to the development of chronic pain. One person in five will experience chronic pain in their lifetime, a proportion that increases with age. This is the leading cause of disability in the country...
	Simon Duchesne Important discoveries in brain imaging enabling early diagnosis of brain disorders Dr. Simon Duchesne's research aims to enable the earliest possible diagnosis of degeneration of the brain, as caused by disorders such as Alzheimer's disease. By comparing measurements taken from radiological images of the brains of cognitively healthy people with those of the brains of people with a disease, Professor Duchesne can determine the significant differences that characterize the latter. The presence of such "biomarkers" in the brain could predict the onset of symptoms decades in advance...
	Carol Hudon Development of novel methods for early detection, and non-pharmacological treatments of cognitive decline during aging Dr. Hudon is a neuropsychologist who develops approaches to better diagnose and treat disorders that occur most often in the elderly population, such as mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer's disease. Early detection increases the likelihood that a change in lifestyle and certain treatments may delay the progression of the disease, significantly improving the quality of life of people affected. Dr. Hudon uses and tests neuropsychological assessment and...
	Martin Lévesque Research into the causes of Parkinson's disease aiming to develop new treatments Professor Martin Lévesque studies the development and maintenance of neural circuits that produce dopamine in the brain. His research has identified molecules that are necessary for the development, survival and integration of dopaminergic neurons in the brain. These neurons play a crucial role in movement control, mood, attention and stress response. Dr. Lévesque's research has led to important advances in the understanding of Parkinson's disease, a neurodegenerative disease characterized by...
	Joël Macoir Early detection of neurodegenerative diseases by language tests and other cognitive tests Professor Joël Macoir's research aims to develop and validate tests to detect or diagnose language and cognition disorders associated with neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease, progressive primary aphasia and other forms of dementia. Recently, projects in this area of research have led to the development of a quick and simple test that can be administered by frontline health care professionals to detect the presence of language disorders commonly observed in pathological...
	Martin Parent Study of the neural circuits involved in Parkinson's and Huntington's diseases Professor Martin Parent studies neural circuits within a specific set of brain structures, called basal ganglia, which play a crucial role in the control of movement. His team is particularly interested in the alterations that occur in these circuits that lead to the expression of the symptoms of Parkinson's and Huntington's diseases. His studies on animal models have led to the identification of key actors whose function is impaired by these neurodegenerative diseases. His discoveries in...
	Chantelle F. Sephton Investigation of new therapeutic targets to slow or prevent the development of severe neurodegenerative diseases Dr. Chantelle Sephton's research program aims to find new therapeutic targets to slow or stop the development of devastating diseases such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and frontotemporal dementia. Dr. Sephton is particularly interested in the role of two proteins, named TDP-43 and FUS, that bind to RNA, the genetic material that is used to produce proteins. These RNA binding proteins play a crucial role in controlling the production of other proteins that are...
	Pascale Tremblay Learning how the language networks changes during aging The work of Professor Pascale Tremblay aims to understand the production and perception of language, and the evolution and modification of these advanced functions with age and experience. Because language is a complex process, Dr. Tremblay is advancing this field through an innovative multidisciplinary approach that integrates data from multiple disciplines including cognitive neuroscience, linguistics, and rehabilitation, and utilising multiple methodological approaches, including neuroimaging, brain stimulation and...

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