André Parent

André Parent has not only laid the groundwork for a new chemical neuroanatomy and markedly influenced current thinking in neuroscience, he has also greatly advanced our knowledge of neurodegenerative diseases. A leading expert, he is among the world's most cited scientists in his field.

A neurobiology pioneer and leader

André Parent's research has chiefly centred on basal ganglia, which are often involved in neurodegenerative and psychiatric diseases. After exploring the phylogenetic development of these nerve structures (work that led him to propose a new and now widely accepted theory on the evolution of brain hemispheres in vertebrates), he began to question the functional model of basal ganglia that serves as the foundation for neurosurgical procedures to alleviate motor symptoms and mood disorders. From there, he began to examine changes that take place in the neurochemical organization of the brain during neurodegenerative processes. To this end, the human brain bank established by Professor Parent in 1996 (and that now contains more than 600 specimens) enabled him to demonstrate postnatal neurogenesis (i.e., the production of neurons throughout adulthood) in human beings. This human brain bank is an invaluable legacy for the study of pathological mechanisms of neurodegenerative, neurological, and psychiatric diseases.

During his career, Professor Parent has held numerous strategic administrative positions. He was scientific director of the neurobiology research centre at Hôpital de l'Enfant Jésus and director of the systems neurobiology research branch of the CERVO Brain Research Centre. In 1999, he founded Centre de recherche sur le cerveau, le comportement et la neuropsychiatrie, known today as the Neuroscience Thematic Research Center, where more than 90 researchers currently work.

It has trained 47 graduate students and more than 20 postdoctoral fellows.

A prolific and oft-cited author

André Parent is a prolific scientist, having published nearly 300 articles, more than 50 book chapters, and five books, including Histoire du cerveau, de l'Antiquité aux neurosciences, a review of the major scientific breakthroughs concerning the human brain over the centuries. He also took on the daunting role of lead author for the 9th edition of Human Neuroanatomy, a 1,000-page treatise considered as the authoritative work in the field. Taken as a whole, his published work constitutes an essential reference. The U.S. Institute for Scientific Information has recognized him as one of the world's most-cited neuroscientists.  

André Parent's exceptional achievements have already earned him many honours and awards. He is a member of the Royal Society of Canada, an officer of Ordre national du Québec, a member of the World Federation of Neurology and the Canadian Academy of Health Sciences, and a fellow of the American Association of Anatomists. He has also won numerous awards, including the prestigious Prix du Québec, the Wilder-Penfield – Biomedical Research prize.

Few people have had as lasting an impact in a field of research as Professor Parent has. His well-known work on the pathophysiological basis of neurodegenerative diseases has brought him widespread international recognition.