Minding your Brain: a day for patients and anyone curious about neurology

Minding your Brain: A day-long event showcasing the best strategies and the latest science for patients, caregivers and anyone curious about neurology

Saturday, October 14

10:00am to 4:30pm

Palais des congrès,

5th floor, Rooms 520 AD and BE

The top experts in the province will share their best advice about maintaining brain health, facing challenges with resilience, and how groundbreaking treatments on the horizon will change the neurological care. Talks presented consecutively in English and French.

Patient support organizations will be on site to answer questions.

FREE event. Registration is required.

Schedule

MINDING YOUR BRAIN – ENGLISH SCHEDULE

Talks are presented consecutively in English and French in two separate rooms.

To consult the French schedule, click here.

To see the list of patient support organizations attending, click here.

10:00 - 10:05

Welcome English host

10:05 - 10:35

Gene therapy: a game changer for neurological treatment Recently Zolgensma made news as the world’s most expensive drug. Those headlines missed the most groundbreaking fact – it is a one-time treatment that works by replacing missing genetic code. It is also the first gene therapy approved for a neurological condition, a rare hereditary disease called spinal muscular atrophy affecting children and young adults. This talk will discuss how gene therapy works, and why it may offer hope for other neurological conditions.

Dr. Maryam Oskoui, Researcher, McGill University

10:45 - 11:15

Brain health 101: expert tips on keeping your brain fit

Surprisingly, brain performance starts to decline soon after it peaks in our 30s. But significant brain changes are still possible throughout the course of our life. Research has shown that simple lifestyle choices may influence the trajectory of our brain function at mid-life, when we are most concerned about it. We’ll discuss evidence-based strategies that may be helpful in keeping the brain healthy.

Dr. De Villers-Sidani, Neurologist, The Neuro

COFFEE BREAK

11:35 - 12:25

Cultivating resilience: simple strategies for patients and loved ones This talk will focus on how to better manage stress in patients and family when a neurological condition is present. This talk will address the four mental states most frequently encountered in facing stress along with simple, low-cost strategies to establish a healthy balance between them. Rachel Thibeault, Occupational Therapist, University of Ottawa

LUNCH

13:30 - 13:35

Welcome back English host

13:35 - 14:05

Plugged in: How AI and implants will improve care for neurological disorders

Brain implants that deliver electrical stimulation to the nervous system have been used to treat neurological disorders, including deep-brain stimulation for Parkinson's disease and spinal cord stimulation for chronic pain. A new generation of implants is using artificial intelligence (AI) to decode brain activity in real-time and pinpoint stimulation more accurately. This talk will focus on the potential and limits of this new technology.

Dr. David Bergeron, Researcher, Université de Montréal

14:15 - 14:45

Beyond adapting: defining your path after a stroke at 22

Ten years on, a patient who had a stroke as a young adult reunites with the neurologist who took part in her care while still a resident. An intimate discussion on how a neurological condition can give shape to the course of a life and how one patient can impact a doctor’s journey. Charlotte Jacob Maguire in conversation with Dr. Karine Garneau, CHUM

COFFEE BREAK

15:05 - 15:35

Boogie on the brain: Recovering joy and mobility after a stroke through adapted dance   After a stroke, it's important to be active to stimulate brain plasticity and foster recovery. All forms of stimulation are important -- physical, cognitive, emotional. Using adapted dance as a rehabilitation tool stimulates different parts of the brain, and adds a playful element enjoyed by patients. We will discuss how this works and practice a few moves from our seats! Dr Céline Odier, CHUM presenting with UQAM dance professor, Lucie Beaudry

15:45 - 16:30

More than meditation: Mindfulness skills to navigate change

The need to readjust and reinvent ourselves is a constant as we age. This is particularly true for those facing neurological conditions, like ALS, Parkinson’s and MS. This session will demystify mindfulness and look at the ways that mind openness can provide a greater sense of control and acceptance in the face of loss and grief of all kinds.   Lana McGeary, Spiritual Care Counsellor, ALS Clinic, The Neuro