Martin ParentView profile
Professor
Martin Parent is a Full Professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Neuroscience at the Faculty of Medicine, Laval University. His research focuses on neural circuits within the basal ganglia and their alterations in Parkinson's and Huntington's diseases. Based at the CERVO Brain Research Centre, he leads a research team that utilizes both animal models and post-mortem human brain tissue to understand neurodegenerative processes and develop potential treatments, with particular emphasis on deep brain stimulation and L-Dopa therapy mechanisms. Dr. Parent's research interests center around the anatomical and functional organization of the basal ganglia in rodents, humans, and non-human primates. His team investigates alterations in neuronal circuits that occur in Parkinson's disease and Huntington's chorea, employing a wide array of methodological approaches including in vivo electrophysiological recordings, tracer injections, three-dimensional neuron reconstructions, electron microscopy, neurotransmitter localization, and analysis of post-mortem human brain tissue. A key focus of his work is understanding how the brain adapts to the loss of dopamine neurons in Parkinson's disease, which explains the onset of dyskinesias following L-Dopa treatment. His research has highlighted the remarkable adaptability of the brain in response to neurodegeneration. Analysis of Dr. Parent's recent publications (2024-2025) reveals a strong focus on developing and applying advanced imaging techniques for deep brain stimulation surgery and neurodegenerative disease research. His work spans multiple disciplines including neuroscience, medical imaging, and biomedical engineering, with particular emphasis on Parkinson's disease mechanisms and treatments. Key trends include the application of optical imaging techniques (polarimetric imaging, Raman spectroscopy, optical coherence tomography) for brain tissue identification during neurosurgery, investigation of serotonin and other neurotransmitter systems in parkinsonian models, and exploration of neuroplasticity and cellular stress responses in neurodegenerative conditions. Dr. Parent leads the Parent Lab (http://www.parentlab.ca/), which maintains a strong collaborative network with researchers specializing in optical imaging, neurosurgery, and neurodegenerative diseases. His lab works closely with the CERVO Brain Research Centre's brain bank, an exceptional resource for studying post-mortem human brain tissue from individuals who suffered from neurodegenerative diseases. The lab's interdisciplinary approach combines expertise in neuroanatomy, electrophysiology, molecular biology, and advanced imaging techniques to address fundamental questions about basal ganglia function and dysfunction, with direct applications to improving neurosurgical procedures and developing better treatments for movement disorders.
