Poor sleep costs Canadians $21.4 billions annually

Poor sleep reduces physical activity, increases the risk of cognitive decline and dementia, stroke, obesity, cardiovascular disease, mortality. Maintaining an optimal sleep quality is essential to maintain cognitive functions such as memory.

In the Memory Lab we study mechanistic interactions between sleep, lack of sleep, neuroplasticity and memory. We also explore how exercise can improve sleep quality and architecture.

OUR RESEARCH ON SLEEP

Exercise, neuroplasticity and sleep architecture in Parkinson’s disease

This project explores mechanistic interactions between exercise, neuroplasticity and sleep architecture in people with Parkinson’s…

Exercise protects memory from sleep deprivation

This project explores the potential role of exercise as a countermeasure to protect neuroplasticity and memory from the effects of…

THE MEMORY LAB is looking for research participants

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OUR PARTNERS

NON-INVASIVE BRAIN STIMULATION

We use transcranial magnetic stimulation to measure the excitability and modulate the activity of different regions of the brain that are involved in various aspects of cognition.

NEURONAVIGATION

We use neuronavigation to visualize the brain in vivo and improve the accuracy and repeatability of our brain stimulation and neuroimaging protocols.

NEUROIMAGING

We use electroencephalography to assess changes in the activity of different areas of the brain at rest, during sleep and during different motor and cognitive tasks.

CARDIORESPIRATORY FITNESS

We use exercise tests to assess the physiological response to exercise of our patients and participants. During these tests we measure cardiac activity, blood pressure, oxygen consumption, and biomarkers.

MOTOR BEHAVIOR

We use different motor learning paradigms, including serial reaction time, visuomotor-tracking and ballistic tasks involving both upper and lower limb, to study the capacity to learn and retain motor skills.

BLOOD BIOMARKERS

We measure the concentration of proteins such as Brain Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF), which are related to brain plasticity processes required for motor recovery.

GENOTYPING

We use genotyping to explore how specific genes determine the recovery after brain injury or the response to different rehabilitation strategies such as cardiovascular exercise.