/hbhl/taxonomy/term/110/all en /hbhl/article/research-spotlight-research/bigbrain-mapping-future-neuroscience <p>A decade after Alan Evans and Katrin Amunts made waves in the neuroscience world with the BigBrain, <a href="https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.1235381">unveiled in Science in 2013</a>, they are working to take their original model to the next level.</p> Wed, 03 Jul 2024 14:27:38 +0000 Emilie Hackett 1458 at /hbhl /hbhl/article/research-spotlight-research/exploring-ataxia-charlevoix-saguenay-breakthrough-gene-therapy <p>Autosomal Recessive Spastic Ataxia of Charlevoix-Saguenay (ARSACS) is a rare hereditary disease that significantly impacts motor control, coordination, and stiffness, particularly in the legs. This condition, which first appears in children from two to five years old and progresses slowly, was initially identified in the Charlevoix-Saguenay region of Quebec in 2000. Though rare, affecting only one in 1,500 people in the region and with roughly 320 cases in Quebec, ARSACS is increasingly recognized globally as the second most common form of Ataxia.</p> Wed, 03 Jul 2024 14:22:54 +0000 Roberta Santangelo 1457 at /hbhl /hbhl/article/research-spotlight-research/charting-safer-course-advancements-chronic-pain-treatment <p>Chronic pain affects one in every five individuals, yet effective treatment options are far and few between. Too often, chronic pain patients are left to choose between opioids, anticonvulsants for nerve pain and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as ibuprofen and naproxen, all of which present their own negative side effects.</p> Mon, 08 Apr 2024 15:00:59 +0000 Emilie Hackett 1449 at /hbhl /hbhl/article/research-spotlight-research/brains-dish-revolutionizing-parkinsons-disease-research-brain-organoids <p>Parkinson’s Disease (PD) affects nearly 100,000 Canadians and 10 million people worldwide. Characterized by a dopamine deficiency in the brain, this neurodegenerative disease disrupts signal transmission in the brain, impacting its proper functioning. Motor symptoms, like tremors, slowness of movement and imbalance problems can appear and deteriorate in patients who have quietly carried the disease for years. Equally devastating are PD’s lesser-known symptoms, like depression, anxiety, hallucinations, dizziness and sleep disorders.</p> Mon, 19 Feb 2024 21:56:51 +0000 Emilie Hackett 1372 at /hbhl /hbhl/article/research-spotlight/Adversity-Mental-Health <p>While it is commonly understood that a difficult childhood can lead to mental health issues, research has now exposed deeper, more troubling impacts of early life adversity: that these experiences can reshape the brain and body at a cellular level. Physiological effects like these are at the core of the ƻ����Ժ-Douglas-Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry International Collaborative Initiative in Adversity and Mental Health (AMH Initiative).</p> Fri, 12 Jan 2024 22:17:56 +0000 Emilie Hackett 1361 at /hbhl /hbhl/article/research-spotlight/IMPRESS-Indigenous-mentorship <p>At ƻ����Ժ, the <a href="/branches/programs/impress">IMPRESS program</a> is making waves in the lives of Indigenous students. IMPRESS, or the Indigenous Mentorship and Paid Research Experience for Summer Students, is a unique undergraduate program run by <a href="/branches/">Branches</a>, ƻ����Ժ’s community outreach program in Enrolment Services that aims to promote academic initiatives and offer mentorship opportunities for underrepresented youth.</p> Tue, 31 Oct 2023 14:30:27 +0000 Emilie Hackett 1341 at /hbhl /hbhl/article/neural-pathways-research-spotlight/unraveling-mysteries-brain-plasticity <p>Have you ever wondered what happens inside someone’s brain when they’re learning how to play a musical instrument<a href="#_ftn1" name="_ftnref1" title="" id="_ftnref1">[1]</a> or how to ride a bike?</p> <p><span class="pull-quote">One of the brain’s most fundamental and amazing functions is the ability to adapt to and learn from new experiences, environments and stimuli through a process called brain plasticity.</span><a href="#_ftn2" name="_ftnref2" title="" id="_ftnref2">[2]</a></p> Fri, 10 Mar 2023 14:12:13 +0000 Roberta Santangelo 1299 at /hbhl /hbhl/article/research-spotlight/cultivating-business-vitro <p>Neuroscientists use living organisms to simulate, or <i>model</i>, biological processes in the lab. These models allow them to gain insights into the underlying causes of neurological disease. These insights, in turn, inform both clinical studies and drug development. Sometimes animal models are used, but early research often begins by looking at cells grown outside a living organism in a test tube or dish. This method is known as research<i> in vitro</i>—Latin for “in glass.”</p> Fri, 13 Jan 2023 18:12:45 +0000 Dara O'Connor 1286 at /hbhl /hbhl/article/digital-storytelling-and-video-game-based-interventions-mental-health-care-services-20 <p>Besides offering pure entertainment, video games can provide players with a sense of community and help them with stress management, all while improving skills such as communication, cognitive ability, hand-eye coordination, decision-making and team building.</p> <p>At the same time, video games have been shown to be useful in enhancing health outcomes, specifically with psychological therapy for children and teen.<a href="#_ftn1" name="_ftnref1" title="" id="_ftnref1">[1]</a>.</p> Thu, 08 Dec 2022 16:30:32 +0000 Roberta Santangelo 1279 at /hbhl /hbhl/article/research-spotlight/new-drug-offers-hope-treatment-anorexia <p>Eating disorders such as anorexia and bulimia affect up to 10% of the population and are very difficult to treat. Anorexia carries the highest mortality rate of all mental-health disorders, but unlike depression and other mental illnesses, there are currently no medications to treat eating disorders.</p> <p>New research from ƻ����Ժ professor Salah El Mestikawy at The Douglas Research Centre may change all that.</p> Tue, 29 Nov 2022 21:51:35 +0000 Dara O'Connor 1276 at /hbhl /hbhl/article/research-spotlight/researchers-classify-alzheimers-progression-and-subtypes-personalized-approach-disease <p>Alzheimer’s disease is a disorder characterized by abnormalities in several different biological areas.</p> <p>A study carried out by HBHL-funded researcher Yasser Iturria-Medina and his research group, in the Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery at The Neuro, represents the first and largest multimodal data collection effort to date for Alzheimer’s disease. It includes two independent, large-scale, post-mortem and <i>in vivo</i> cohorts covering the entire disease spectrum.</p> Mon, 14 Nov 2022 20:16:42 +0000 Roberta Santangelo 1274 at /hbhl /hbhl/article/research-spotlight/neural-correlates-social-cognitive-deficits-schizophrenia-patients-and-without-cannabis-use <p>There is evidence of an association between regular cannabis use and psychotic symptoms disorders, both in general population and in individual with schizophrenia. Although studies have shown a link, the relation between cannabinoid use and psychosis is still under review.<br /> <br /> As an Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychiatry and a researcher at the Douglas Research Centre, Dr. Rachel Rabin is currently working together with her research group to examine the effects of chronic cannabis use on social cognition and underlying brain structure. <br /> <br /></p> Wed, 26 Oct 2022 20:04:48 +0000 Roberta Santangelo 1262 at /hbhl /hbhl/article/research-spotlight/exploring-path-academia <p>From May to August 2022, researchers funded by Healthy Brains, Healthy Lives (<a href="/hbhl/">HBHL</a>) hosted students interested in brain and mental health research as part of the Indigenous Mentorship and Paid Research Experience for Summer Students (<a href="/branches/programs/impress">IMPRESS</a>) initiative, developed by ƻ����Ժ’s <a href="/branches/">Branches</a> community outreach program.</p> Fri, 21 Oct 2022 21:23:30 +0000 Dara O'Connor 1259 at /hbhl /hbhl/article/research-spotlight/charting-out-google-maps-brain <p>Are you old enough to remember carrying a paper map around? Have you wondered what ever happened to MapQuest? While these tools haven’t disappeared at all, they’ve long been overshadowed by Google Maps. But have you ever asked yourself why?</p> Fri, 21 Oct 2022 14:31:19 +0000 Dara O'Connor 1258 at /hbhl /hbhl/article/research-spotlight/art-science-communication Intersectoral performance-art collective unites research knowledge and lived experience of neurodegenerative disease. Tue, 04 Oct 2022 18:07:29 +0000 Dara O'Connor 1251 at /hbhl