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.
We currently have one funded Postdoctoral position available.
Recent News
| QBIN Scientific Day 7 February 2020 Villeneuve lab members Alexa, Frédéric and Hazal presented their recent work at the 12th Annual Québec Bio-imaging Network (QBIN) Scientific Day. [Posters] [Photos]
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| New Article from the Villeneuve Lab 7 February 2020 Theresa Köbe’s article “Association of Vascular Risk Factors With ß-Amyloid Peptide and Tau Burdens in Cognitively Unimpaired Individuals and Its Interaction With Vascular Medication Use” has been published in JAMA Network Open. In this cohort study of older adults at higher risk of Alzheimer’s disease, we show that vascular medication use moderates the association between vascular risk factors and amyloid burden. [Papers]
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| New Article from the Villeneuve Lab 6 February 2020 Melissa McSweeney and Alexa Pichet Binette’s article “Intermediate Flortaucipir Uptake is Associated With Aβ-PET and CSF-tau in Asymptomatic Adults” has been published in Neurology. In this cohort study of cognitively normal older adults at risk of Alzheimer’s disease, we find that relatively low tau (flortaucipir) values measured by positron emission tomography are associated with markers of preclinical Alzheimer’s disease. [Papers] |
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| Alexa presents Cerebral Imaging Centre Lecture 22 January 2020 Alexa Pichet Binette gave a talk entitled “Brain and behavioral factors across lifespan and Alzheimer’s disease continuum” as part of the CIC Lecture Series at the Douglas Research Centre. |
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| New Article from the Villeneuve Lab 21 January 2020 Pierre-François Meyer’s article “Characterization of Alzheimer Disease Biomarker Discrepancies Using Cerebrospinal Fluid Phosphorylated Tau and AV1451 Positron Emission Tomography” has been published in JAMA Neurology. In this cohort study, we find that Alzheimer’s disease-related tau abnormality may be detected earlier in cerebrospinal fluid than by positron emission tomography, before apparent cognitive decline. [Papers] |
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| Human Amyloid Imaging conference 2020 15-17 January 2020 Dr. Villeneuve, along with Alexa Pichet Binette, Hazal Ozlen, and Pierre-François Meyer, attended this year’s Human Amyloid Imaging conference (HAI 2020) in Miami. Dr. Villeneuve presided over a didactic session; Pierre gave a talk; Alexa, Hazal and Pierre presented posters of their recent work. [Presentations] [Photos] |
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| More lab news here. |
