Cyril SchneiderPh.D.

Dr. Cyril Schneider is a full professor at the rehabilitation department of faculty of medicine at Laval University and a regular researcher of the neuroscience division of the Centre de recherche du CHU de Québec-Université Laval (CHUL site). His studies focus on brain adaptation (cerebral plasticity) in physiopathology and on neurostimulation as an approach to improve quality of life. In addition to his prize for teaching excellence, Dr Schneider contributed to scientific programs on television following the media coverage of his work (Radio-Canada personality in July 2010, etc.) on post-trauma amnesia and post-stroke motor disorder, cerebral adaptation in prematurity and the influence of early care. He is one of the 15 principal researchers (sole in Québec) of the pan-Canadian chronic pain research network (24,9M$ funded by CIHR and partners).

Neurostimulation, biomarkers, quality of life

Magnetic neurostimulation (over brain or over muscles) is noninvasive and painless. It allows a regulation of neural networks spared and therefore available for rehabilitation. Dr. Schneider’s studies demonstrate that, indeed, neurostimulation can influence brain plasticity and improve motor (movement, balance) and cognitive function (memory, attention, language), or reduce chronic pain in people living with neurological or musculoskeletal disorder (stroke, traumatic brain injury, cerebral palsy, Parkinson’s or other neurodegenerative disease, CRPS, fibromyalgia, chronic low back pain, etc.)

Laboratory of neurostimulation and clinical neuroscience of CHUL

Dr. Schneider’s lab is equipped with a unique multidisciplinary infrastructure (funded by the Canadian Foundation for Innovation) which gathers concepts, advanced technologies and methods from neurophysiology, motor physiology, biomechanics and clinics (standardized measures and scales). Studies are conducted in collaboration with clinicians (students or seniors) engaged in the patients’ care (occupational and physical therapists, speech therapists, neuropsychologists, etc.). Such expertise and the neurophysiological measurements make it possible to refine the diagnosis, prognosis of improvement, stimulation parameters, and to identify the factors predicting the success of the approach.