Researcher

Selected publications

Rahayel S, Postuma RB, Montplaisir J, Mišić B, Tremblay C, Vo A, Lewis S, Matar E, Martens KE, Blanc F, Yao C, Carrier J, Monchi O, Gaubert M, Dagher A & GAGNON JF. A prodromal brain-clinical pattern of cognition in synucleinopathies. Annals of Neurology 2020;Nov 20. PMID: 33217037. Https://doi/org/10.1002/ana.25962.

De Roy J, Postuma RB, Brillon-Corbeil M, Montplaisir J, Génier Marchand G, Escudier F, Panisset M, Chouinard S & GAGNON JF. Detecting the cognitive prodrome of dementia in Parkinson’s disease. Journal of Parkinson’s Disease 2020;10:1033-1046. PMID: 32310188. Https://doi10.3233/JPD-191857.

Rahayel S, Gaubert M, Postuma RB, Montplaisir J, Carrier J, Monchi O, Rémillard-Pelchat D, Bourgouin PA, Panisset M, Chouinard S, Joubert S & GAGNON JF. Brain atrophy in Parkinson’s disease with polysomnography-confirmed REM sleep behavior disorder. Sleep 2019;11:42(6). PMID: 30854555. Https://doi.org/10.1093/sleep/zsz062.

Rahayel S, Postuma RB, Montplaisir J, Génier Marchand D, Escudier F, Gaubert M, Bourgouin PA, Carrier J, Monchi O, Joubert S, Blanc F & GAGNON JF. Cortical and subcortical gray matter bases of cognitive deficits in REM sleep behavior disorder. Neurology 2018;90:e1759-e1770. PMID: 29669906. Https://doi:10.1212/WNL.0000000000005523.

Génier Marchand D, Postuma RB, Escudier F, De Roy J, Pelletier A, Montplaisir J & GAGNON JF. How does dementia with Lewy bodies start? Prodromal cognitive changes in REM sleep behavior disorder. Annals of Neurology 2018;83:1016-1026. PMID: 29665124. Https://doi.org/10.1002/ana.25239.

Projects

Cognitive decline in pathological aging

One of the major impacts of an aging population is a marked increase in the prevalence of neurodegenerative or respiratory diseases which are often associated with cognitive decline. Several neurodegenerative or respiratory diseases are characterized by cognitive disturbances of varying severity. The characteristics and timing of onset of this cognitive decline vary greatly between individuals. In addition, our tools are still very limited to act on this cognitive decline. The team of Jean-François Gagnon, holder of the Canada Research Chair in Cognitive Decline in Pathological Aging, seeks to 1) identify risk factors and markers of cognitive decline in pathological aging; 2) predict who are the most at risk for cognitive decline; and 3) prevent cognitive decline through different interventions. His laboratory uses different techniques such as the study of sleep and brain electrical activity, assessment of cognitive functions and brain imaging to better understand cognitive decline and brain function in mild cognitive impairment, disease. Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, certain sleep disorders and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. His work also aims to test the effectiveness of exercise, administration of neuroprotective agents and cognitive training to slow or prevent cognitive decline in individuals with these diseases. With his colleagues, they have been following cohorts of individuals suffering from these diseases for several years. His work will allow the implementation of a multidisciplinary approach to better understand the complexity of cognitive decline linked to certain neurodegenerative or respiratory diseases. We hope to be able to offer tools to prevent cognitive decline in populations at risk.