This text is part of the special Acfas awards
For 30 years, Sylvie Belleville has sought to better understand the brain and memory in the elderly. Today, the Acfas Léo-Pariseau Prize recognizes the work of this pioneer in the neuropsychology of aging and dementia.
Young Sylvie Belleville was marked by her father’s stroke. At 40, he suffered cognitive impairment with which he had to live the rest of his life. At the time, it was believed that only children’s brains were plastic. “We had no idea what was going on,” she says.
This event unconsciously colored the career of the one who is now a full professor in the Department of Psychology at the University of Montreal. “It clicked,” she adds. The belief that he could have benefited from cognitive intervention has remained with me ever since. “
From psychology to neuropsychology
Sylvie Belleville was first trained in psychology at the University of Quebec at Trois-Rivières, to become a clinical psychologist. There she discovered neuropsychology, a science that combines psychology and biology. Several recognized neuropsychological researchers were working there at the time. “I was fascinated by the issue of brain plasticity,” she recalls.
She then decided to do a doctorate in neuropsychology at McGill University, then a postdoctoral fellowship, before practicing for a few years as a clinician, more particularly at the Côte-des-Neiges hospital, a geriatric establishment.
“This is where I made another great discovery: that of working with the elderly. It’s an extraordinarily stimulating environment, ”adds M.me Beautiful city. She discovers the importance of the dialogue between research and practice. “For me, clinical research is an essential tool to get things done,” she argues.
Early detection, early intervention
For 30 years, the professor has pursued her clinical research with the elderly, focusing on cognitive disorders associated with aging and Alzheimer’s disease. His research interests revolve around two main axes: the early diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease as well as early intervention to compensate for cognitive losses. In recent years, specialists have been busy trying to diagnose Alzheimer’s earlier, to act in prevention and before reaching the final stages. “We understand better and better that we can do several things to protect the brain, to help it defend itself and to ensure that there is less cognitive impairment,” says Sylvie Belleville.
Even at an advanced age, the brain therefore still has the capacity to reorganize itself. The researcher has developed a series of non-pharmacological interventions to exercise it: mnemonic tricks, strategies to make the act of memorizing more active, strategies for memorizing text, attention control. “These are relatively simple things, but it’s important when you get older, because you tend to have a passive attitude to memorize,” she notes.
Why do some people age better than others? We are beginning to understand that it is not only a question of genetics, but also of lifestyle.
To understand thought processes, the researcher uses brain imaging. She thus observes how the brain performs a task, and which regions are activated, before and after these cognitive trainings. “You see huge changes, even when the person is in the early stages of Alzheimer’s disease,” she explains.
These changes also appear to continue. The researcher notes that these are maintained after five years in people who have benefited from an intervention. “It’s spectacular”, underlines Mme Beautiful city. Its results will be published soon.
Keep exploring
Winning this Acfas award is an important milestone in the professor’s career. “It’s a great source of pride. But it’s not just me, Sylvie Belleville, who is recognized, it’s also my field. It recognizes the importance of doing research on cognitive aging, ”she believes.
The Acfas Léo-Pariseau prize highlights the excellence of work and actions in the field of biological sciences or health sciences, an important detail for the researcher. This is indeed the first time that this prize has been awarded to a neuropsychologist.
Mme Belleville therefore continues on its way. She would like to explore the question of cognitive reserve in the future: “Why do some people age better than others? We’re starting to understand that it’s not just a question of genetics, but also of lifestyle, ”she explains.
Above all, the researcher wants to improve the lives of patients. She is currently working on the development of a Web platform that will provide information on protective factors against cognitive aging and on prevention approaches.
“I want to provide access to these innovations and implement this knowledge in real life”, concludes Sylvie Belleville.