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Senior scientist, director of neuropsychopharmacology research group
Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre
2075 Bayview Ave., Room FG 21
Toronto, ON
M4N 3M5
Administrative Assistant: Diane Dwarka
Email: diane.dwarka@sunnybrook.ca
Phone: 416-480-4098
Fax: 416-480-6818
Education:
- PhD, 1998, pharmacology, University of Toronto, Canada
Appointments and Affiliations:
- Senior scientist, Evaluative Clinical Sciences, Hurvitz Brain Sciences Research Program, Sunnybrook Research Institute
- Professor, departments of psychiatry, and pharmacology and toxicology, U of T
Research Focus:
- Neuropsychiatric symptoms secondary to central nervous system pathology
- Neuroimaging, serum protein, lipid and metabolite biomarkers
- Medical, dietary and exercise interventions
Research Summary:
Neuropsychiatric symptoms associated with illness include mood changes, apathy, aggression and cognitive changes. These are common sequelae of many central nervous system disorders such as dementia, traumatic brain injury, cerebrovascular disease and stroke. Dr. Lanctôt's goal is to optimize treatment of these neuropsychiatric symptoms.
Her research addresses this goal by determining the underlying neurobiology of neuropsychiatric symptoms, examining predictors of treatment response, using novel pharmacological agents and carefully considering adverse drug events. Dr. Lanctôt's early focus was on the neurobiology of behavioural disorders associated with dementia. The goal of this research was to determine if behavioural subtypes can be linked to underlying neurochemical or neuropathologic dysfunction. A variety of tools including neuroimaging, serum biomarkers and pharmacologic challenges are used in combination with pharmacotherapeutic trials. Her group also identifies and assesses novel pharmacologic, exercise and dietary interventions for neuropsychiatric symptoms.
This research will contribute to our understanding of the link between dysfunction in various neurotransmitters, proteins, lipids and metabolites and neuropsychiatric symptoms. As such, it may provide the background for novel therapies and allow Dr. Lanctôt's team to predict response to interventions based on neurobiological subtypes.
A second focus of her research evaluates the impact of pharmacologic treatments at a population level, which includes measuring relevant health outcomes and quality of life, and modelling cost-benefit, cost-effectiveness and cost-utility of pharmacotherapies.
Selected Publications:
See current publications list at PubMed.
Related News and Stories:
- SRI scientists top the national average in successful CIHR project grants: Over a dozen projects approved (June 2, 2017)
- All for one: Portrait of a lab family (SRI Magazine, 2016)
- Take three sardines and call me in the morning: Could fish oil help treat cognitive impairment? (SRI Magazine, 2013)
- Treatment improves Alzheimer's symptoms (March 28, 2013)
- Exercise can reduce inflammation in heart disease patients (Your Health Matters, June 2012)
- A shining moment: Trainee recognized with country's highest academic honour (June 7, 2012)
- Researchers studying emotional issues in Alzheimer's patients: Apathy and depression can be difficult to identify in Alzheimer's patients (Jan. 13, 2012)
- Poorer memory heightens drop out risk in cardiac rehab (Aug. 5, 2011)
- Boom, baby, boom!: Aging, dementia and the cost to family caregivers (SRI Magazine, 2011)
- Depression and heart disease: New link found (July 29, 2009)
- Spring up: Eleven SRI researchers are recognized by a quartet of funding bodies (June 3, 2008)
- Caring enough: Two SRI neuroscientists investigate the link between Alzheimer's disease and apathy (Feb. 19, 2008)
- The skeptics: Two SRI docs question new findings on a drug: A feature from SRI's Research Report 2004–2006
- A stroke of despair: A Sunnybrook scientist investigates the depths some older patients sink to after a stroke and their curious resistance to treatment (Nov. 8, 2006)
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