/hbhl/taxonomy/term/110/all en /hbhl/article/research-spotlight-research/cultivating-indigenous-knowledge-and-community-mcgill <p>After three years, McGill’s <a href="/branches/programs/impress">Indigenous Mentorship and Paid Research Experience for Summer Students (IMPRESS)</a> program continues to empower Indigenous students to overcome barriers and flourish in their academic pursuits, all while supporting Indigenous perspectives and knowledge at McGill. </p> Tue, 19 Nov 2024 21:37:37 +0000 Emilie Hackett 1488 at /hbhl /hbhl/article/research-spotlight-research/explore-connect-lead-opportunities-hbhl-trainee-committee <p>Are you passionate about neuroscience and eager to get involved in the McGill community? The Healthy Brains, Healthy Lives (HBHL) Trainee Committee offers graduate students and postdoctoral fellows the chance to connect with like-minded peers and develop professionally by being part of a team that facilitates monthly networking events, academic talks and helps organize HBHL’s annual Symposium. Since 2017, over 80 graduate students and postdoctoral fellows have participated in the Trainee Committee.</p> Thu, 29 Aug 2024 19:17:05 +0000 Roberta Santangelo 1472 at /hbhl /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>Research at McGill University has brought promising developments in gene therapy targeting a rare hereditary disease present in Quebec.</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 McGill-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 McGill University, 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>, McGill’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 McGill 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 McGill’s <a href="/branches/">Branches</a> community outreach program.</p> Fri, 21 Oct 2022 21:23:30 +0000 Dara O'Connor 1259 at /hbhl