Sylvie Belleville is Full professor at the Psychology Department of the University of Montreal and researcher at the Research Center of the Institut Universitaire de Gériatrie de Montréal (CRIUGM).
She is recognized for her work on cognitive training for seniors as well as the prevention of age-related cognitive decline and dementia. She identified processes of compensation and plasticity in aging using brain imaging techniques. She also developed an important research program on the neuropsychology aging and dementia and has contributed to a better understanding of the neuropsychological deficits found in persons with very early signs of Alzheimer’s disease and mild cognitive impairment. She developed a cohort of well-characterized older adults with suspected prodromal Alzheimer’s disease. She published 256 peer-reviewed articles and holds a Tier 1 Canada Research Chair on the Cognitive Neuroscience of Aging and Brain Plasticity.
She was co-president of the Advisory board of Canadian Institute of Health Research Institute of Aging and Director of the CRIUGM. She leads the Québec Consortium Québécois for early identification of Alzheimer’s disease and the national “Cognitive Intervention, Cognitive Reserve and Brain Plasticity” and “Brain Health Support Program” for the Canadian Consortium on Neurodegeneration in Aging.
She received many prizes in recognition of her work including the Adrien Pinard Prize of the Quebec Psychology Research Society, Professional Prize of the Quebec Psychologist Association, ACFAS Léo-Pariseau prize, honoris causa doctorate from Mons University and member of the Canadian Academy of Health Sciences.