2025: The year in Review
A look back at the breakthroughs and major advances that have marked the past yearÂ
December 19, 2025
By Sophie Lorenzo
As a leading centre, the Clinical Research Unit at The Neuro (Neuro CRU) contributes to significant advances in the treatment of neurological diseases, which affect more than 30% of Quebecers. This year, we continued to make important headway in understanding and treating devastating neurological conditions.
MAJOR BREAKTHROUGHS
Reversing cognitive decline
A landmark study at the Neuro CRU demonstrated, for the first time, that an intervention could counter cognitive decline. The cognitive training programme (Brain HQ) improved memory and learning in healthy participants after 10 weeks. The results, confirmed by PET imaging, showed an increase in acetylcholine, which is essential for concentration and memory and declines with age.
Find out more: mcgill.ca/newsroom
Tumour detection: a world first
A revolutionary device, developed by neurosurgeon Kevin Petrecca with a team from Polytechnique, is able to detect abnormal cells at the edge of tumours using AI. This innovative tool the size of a pen is set to transform the precision of oncological surgery and improve patient outcomes.
Learn more: http://www.mcgill.ca/neuro/channels
INNOVATIVE TRIALS UNDERWAY
Stroke – unique trial in Quebec
The Neuro is conducting the only provincial trial on cerebral amyloid angiopathy (CAA), the leading cause of intracerebral haemorrhages. This treatment aims to prevent the accumulation of amyloid, which can build up and weaken blood vessels. This could be a promising path to reduce recurrences, for which no medication currently exists.
Ataxia – First RNA trial for SCA2
A promising trial for SCA2, a form of ataxia overrepresented in Quebec, hopes that a small interfering RNA (siRNA) molecule can reduce the overproduction of ataxin-2, which becomes toxic and cause worsening coordination problems in people with the disease.
Learn more: cru.mcgill.ca/sca2/
MS – Beating an MRI at detection
A trial is exploring whether eye tracking via an iPad can measure motor changes invisible to MRI scans, thereby detecting disease progression faster and enabling more personalised care.
Learn more: cru.mcgill.ca/advances-ms/
ALS – a made-in-Quebec collaboration
The Neuro CRU’s Investigator-Initiated Trials team has facilitated a collaboration with a researcher at the Université de Montréal. The study is testing whether a drug approved for overactive bladder may also be effective in blocking the hyperactive cells responsible for nerve-muscle breakdown.
Learn more: cru.mcgill.ca/sca2-rna
INVESTIGATORS DRIVING RESEARCH
More than one type of Parkinson’s
A study published in Nature NPJ by Ziv Gan-Or, co-director of the Neuro CRU, reveals a distinct genetic subtype of Parkinson’s linked to REM sleep behaviour disorder (RSBD). This subtype progresses more rapidly and presents non-motor symptoms such as depression and cognitive decline.
Learn more: nature.com
Lewy body dementia – early detection
Research led by Ziv Gan-Or and Dr Ron Postuma, a clinician-researcher specialising in movement disorders at The Neuro, shows that blood biomarkers used for Alzheimer’s disease (tau and beta-amyloid) can also detect the early stages of Lewy body dementia in people with REM sleep behaviour disorder (RSBD), a disorder that often precedes Parkinson’s disease.
Learn more: nature.com
The CRU accelerating translational research
The new Platform for Advanced Clinical Therapies (PACT) at the Neuro CRU will accelerate the transition of promising therapies from academic researchers’ preclinical studies to clinical trials. The PACT also aims to increase the number of trials involving advanced therapies, such as gene and RNA therapies, which are among the most revolutionary treatments for neurological diseases.
Learn more:cru.mcgill.ca/pact