Research Summary
How do our brains make us unique? As Canada Research Chair in Neural Dynamics of Brain Systems, Dr. Sylvain Baillet aims to help answer that question. He is working to identify the mechanisms of brain activity that drive our singular thoughts, behaviours and interactions with other people and our environments.
Baillet’s research has shown that brain activity patterns present the brain equivalent of fingerprints, forming a comprehensive neurophysiological profile. He and his research team are now identifying which profile components are heritable and which are more environmentally influenced. They aim to better characterize or assess the risks of brain and mental health conditions from low-dimensional (latent) representations of individual neurophysiological profiles. They are also exploring whether images of brain structures and misfolded protein accumulations can be obtained using a person’s neurophysiological profile rather than through conventional neuroimaging techniques. Their findings have the potential to transform neuroradiology and medical diagnostics.