MNI

Disease causing mutation found in French-Canadians

shawn.hayward@mcgill.ca — Wed, 26 Sep 2018 16:47:53 +0000

Carriers at higher risk of developing neurodegenerative disease

A team of Canadian scientists, including researchers at the Montreal Neurological Institute and Hospital (The Neuro) has discovered the first French-Canadian founder mutation gene linked to synucleinopathies, a group of neurodegenerative diseases that includes Parkinson’s disease (PD), dementia with Lewy-Bodies (DLB) and multiple system atrophy (MSA).

Human instruction with artificial intelligence guidance provided best results in neurosurgical training

shawn.hayward@mcgill.ca — Wed, 06 Aug 2025 15:14:02 +0000

Study has implications beyond medical education, suggesting other fields could benefit from AI-enhanced training

Artificial intelligence (AI) is becoming a powerful new tool in training and education, including in the field of neurosurgery. Yet a new study suggests that AI tutoring provides better results when paired with human instruction.

Scientists reveal how the brain uses objects to find direction

shawn.hayward@mcgill.ca — Thu, 11 Sep 2025 13:53:56 +0000

Study shows how visual landmarks tune the brain’s internal compass

We take our understanding of where we are for granted, until we lose it. When we get lost in nature or a new city, our eyes and brains kick into gear, seeking familiar objects that tell us where we are.

How our brains distinguish objects from background when finding direction, however, was largely a mystery. A new study provides valuable insight into this process, with possible implications for disorientation-causing conditions such as Alzheimer’s.

$203.9 million raised to impact the lives of people with neurological disease

shawn.hayward@mcgill.ca — Tue, 11 Nov 2025 15:06:13 +0000

Brains Need Open Minds campaign, the largest in The Neuro’s history, has fueled innovative brain research

An initiative to reduce wait times for spinal cord surgery, research that is testing ways to inhibit brain cancer cells, an open database for multiple sclerosis and an app that tracks Alzheimer’s progression and aids diagnosis. All these projects and more were made possible by a campaign that has raised $203.9 million for groundbreaking neuroscience research and patient care.

Friends, parks and brain wiring predict whether people exercise after a cardiovascular diagnosis

shawn.hayward@mcgill.ca — Tue, 21 Oct 2025 14:32:32 +0000

Findings could help tailor interventions to encourage physical activity in older people with heart and blood flow conditions

A diagnosis is often a cue for people to change the way they live. For people diagnosed with cardiovascular conditions such as heart disease or diabetes, it is often a motivator to get more physical exercise, which can improve long-term health. However, the rate of physical activity increase after diagnosis varies widely depending on the individual.

Sylvain Baillet inducted into the Royal Society of Canada

shawn.hayward@mcgill.ca — Thu, 04 Sep 2025 14:34:57 +0000

Society recognizes distinguished Canadians who have made remarkable contributions to their academic fields and public life

Sylvain Baillet, PhD, a global leader in brain imaging and systems neuroscience, has been inducted into the Royal Society of Canada, one of the nation’s highest academic honours.

Two Neuro projects funded by international partnership

shawn.hayward@mcgill.ca — Fri, 14 Jun 2024 13:20:05 +0000

Researchers will study how hormones affect brain cancer and the role of neural circuits in social skills

The Paris Brain Institute and the Institut Pasteur have partnered with The Neuro to fund two groundbreaking studies, each receiving more than $440,000. These projects are part of an international collaboration to address future challenges in neuroscience.

Alan Evans elected Fellow of the Royal Society

madhumitha.murugavelsangeetha@mail.mcgill.ca — Mon, 17 Jun 2024 19:34:32 +0000

Honour is recognition for a lifetime of leading research

Alan Evans, a researcher at The Neuro, James �� Professor of Neurology and Neurosurgery and co-director of the Ludmer Centre for Neuroinformatics and Mental Health, has been elected to the Fellowship of the Royal Society, joining a class of scientists that includes a Nobel laureate and a former Chief Medical Advisor to the US President.

Bilingualism makes the brain more efficient, especially when learned at a young age

shawn.hayward@mcgill.ca — Fri, 11 Oct 2024 13:44:32 +0000

MRI data from large sample shows increased whole-brain connectivity in people with a second language

Neuroplasticity is the brain’s ability to build connections within itself, adapting to the surrounding environment. The brain is most plastic in childhood, forming new pathways in reaction to stimuli such as language.

Recreating a hallmark of Parkinson's disease in human neurons

shawn.hayward@mcgill.ca — Tue, 08 Oct 2024 14:47:43 +0000

Scientists use stem cells to follow development of protein bodies characteristic of neurological disease

Making AI a partner in neuroscientific discovery

gallage.peiris@mail.mcgill.ca — Fri, 09 Feb 2024 14:54:36 +0000

New paper argues that Large Language Models can reveal breakthroughs humans alone cannot

New digital consent platform streamlines consent process

shawn.hayward@mcgill.ca — Tue, 13 Jun 2023 13:24:21 +0000

Partnership with Novartis Pharmaceuticals Canada Inc. has created a faster, easier way for patients to contribute to research

Patients can now digitally consent to be included in The Neuro’s Open Biobank (Clinical Biospecimen Imaging and Genetic Repository) and patient registry, providing a more efficient and easier way to help patients accelerate neurological disorder research and participate in clinical trials. The new platform is financially supported by Novartis Pharmaceuticals Canada Inc.

A sweet solution to hard brain implants

shawn.hayward@mcgill.ca — Tue, 04 May 2021 13:34:26 +0000

Study uses sugar to make and deliver pudding-like brain implants that reduce foreign body response

Brain implants are used to treat neurological dysfunction, and their use for enhancing cognitive abilities is a promising field of research. Implants can be used to monitor brain activity or stimulate parts of the brain using electrical pulses. In epilepsy, for example, brain implants can determine where in the brain seizures are happening.

Saving patients an unnecessary procedure

shawn.hayward@mcgill.ca — Fri, 03 Dec 2021 15:08:33 +0000

The “5-SENSE” score can predict who will not benefit from stereo-electroencephalography

A new study from The Neuro (Montreal Neurological Institute-Hospital) and eight collaborating international epilepsy centers has developed a simple web-based application clinicians can use to predict which patients will not benefit from an invasive diagnostic work-up, preventing unnecessary, invasive procedures, saving time for patients and the clinical team, and freeing up overburdened health resources.

Neuro Genomics Partnership aims to drive neurological disease research

shawn.hayward@mcgill.ca — Thu, 03 Feb 2022 13:17:30 +0000

Academia and industry collaborate to find new targets for neurological disease treatment

A new research collaboration between The Neuro (Montreal Neurological Institute-Hospital), Takeda Development Center Americas, Inc. and Roche will enable large-scale analysis of patient data to potentially find promising targets for drug development in neurological diseases.