Welcome to the Villeneuve Lab
The Villeneuve Lab is interested in how the brain ages, with a specific focus on factors that modify the association between brain lesions and cognitive performance. Our research is motivated by the fact that more than 25% of older adults are considered cognitively normal despite the presence of beta-amyloid in their brain, a hallmark of Alzheimer’s disease. This fact suggests that other factors interact with beta-amyloid to trigger cognitive deficits in Alzheimer’s disease. It also suggests that actions can be taken to prevent or postpone disease-related symptoms. The main focus of the Villeneuve Lab’s research is therefore to examine the factors that protect against, or worsen, the development of cognitive deficits in age-related neurodegenerative diseases.
We use a multi-tier approach that includes molecular PET imaging, MRI imaging, neuropsychological testing and genetics, combined with analytic tools such as deep learning, lasso regression and partial least squares regression.
Visit our research page to learn more about our ongoing projects.
Recent News
New Article from the Villeneuve Lab February 2021 Theresa Köbe’s latest paper was just published in NeuroImage. In this study of the PREVENT-AD cohort, we found associations between changes in default-mode network connectivity and vascular risk factors. [Papers] |
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Alexa Pichet Binette defends her PhD thesis December 2020 Alexa successfully defended her PhD thesis “Brain and behavioural factors across the lifespan and Alzheimer’s disease” virtually. Congratulations! |
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New Article from the Villeneuve Lab August 2020 Julie Gonneaud’s paper “Association of education with Aβ burden in preclinical familial and sporadic Alzheimer disease” has been published in Neurology. [Papers] |
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Dr. Villeneuve invited speaker at Nilearn Dev Days May 2020 Dr. Sylvia Villeneuve was invited to Nilearn Dev Days 2020, where she spoke about using machine learning to predict brain age in preclinical Alzheimer’s disease. Her talk is available here. |
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More lab news here. |