Brain Research Team

Professor Stephen Cunnane

Principal Investigator

Professor at the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences in University of Sherbrooke, Stephen Cunnane has a Ph. D. in physiology. Through his clinical research, he has worked for years to understand the link between nutrition, brain energy metabolism and cognitive functions during aging. Pr. Cunnane has published over 350 peer-reviewed research articles and 5 books. Pr. Cunnane was elected to the French National Academy of Medicine in 2009. In October 2017, he received the Chevreul Medal from the French Society for the Study of Lipids for his exceptional contributions in the field of omega fatty acid metabolism and the role of ketones in optimal brain function during aging.

Highlights:

– Roy M, et al. (2022). A ketogenic intervention improves dorsal attention network functional and structural connectivity in mild cognitive impairment. Neurobiol Aging. 115, 77-87 [read]
– Roy M, et al. (2021). A ketogenic supplement improves white matter energy supply and processing speed in mild cognitive impairment. Alzheimer’s Dement. 7(1): e12217. [read]
– Myette-Côté É, et al. (2021). The effect of a 6-month ketogenic medium-chain triglyceride supplement on plasma cardiometabolic and inflammatory markers in mild cognitive impairment. PLEFA. 169(June): 102236. [read]
– Munawara U, et al. (2021). Hyperactivation of monocytes and macrophages in MCI patients contributes to the progression of Alzheimer’s disease. Immun Ageing. 18(1): 29. [read]
– Fortier M, et al. (2021). A ketogenic drink improves cognition in mild cognitive impairment: Results of a 6-month RCT. Alzheimer Dement. 17(3): 543-552. [read]
– Roy M, et al. (2020). Fascicle- and glucose- specific deterioration in white matter energy supply in Alzheimer’s disease. J Alzheimer’s Dis. 76(3): 863-881. [read]
– Vandenberghe C, et al. (2020). Medium chain triglycerides modulate the ketogenic effect of a metabolic switch. Front Nutr. (7): 3. doi: 10.3389/fnut.2020.00003 [read]
– Cunnane SC, et al. (2020). Brain energy rescue: an emerging therapeutic concept for neurodegenerative disorders of ageing. Nat Rev Drug Discovery. 19(9): 609-633. Impact factor 112; 17,000 accesses; 353 Citations; 172 Altmetric; top 2% of all papers published in 2020. [read]
– Neth BJ, et al. (2020). Modified ketogenic diet is associated with improved cerebrosphinal fluid biomarker profike, cerebral perfusion, and cerebral ketone body uptake in older adults at-risk for Alzheimer’s disease: a pilot study. Neurobiol Aging. 86, 54-63. [read]
– Cuenoud B, et al. (2020). Metabolism of exogenous D-beta-hydroxybutyrate, an energy substrate avidly consumed by the heart and kidney. Front Nutr. 7: 13. [read]
– Castellano, CA, et al. (2019). Links between metabolic and structural changes in the brain of cognitively normal older adults: a four-year longitudinal follow-up. Front Aging Neurosci. 11(15): 1-11. [read]
– St-Pierre V, et al. (2019). Plasma ketone and medium chain fatty acid response in humans consuming different medium chain triglycerides during a metabolic study day. Front Nutr. 6(46): 1-8. [read]
– Fortier M, et al. (2019). A ketogenic drink improves brain energy and some measures of cognition in mild cognitive impairment. Alzheimers Dement. 15(5): 625-634. [read]
– Vandenberghe C, et al. (2019). A short-term intervention combining aerobic exercise with medium-chain triglyceride (MCT) is more ketogenic than either MCT or aerobic exercise alone: a comparison of normoglycemic and pre-diabetic older women. Appl Physiol Nutr Metab. 44(1): 66-73. [read]
– Croteau E, et al. (2018). A cross-sectional comparison of brain glucose and ketone metabolism in cognitively healthy older adults, mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer’s disease. Exper Gerontol. 107(1): 18-26. [read]
– Croteau E, et al. (2018). Ketogenic medium chain triglycerides increase brain energy metabolism in Alzheimer’s disease. J Alzheimer’s Dis. 64(2): 551-561. [read]
– Castellano CA, et al. (2017). A 3-Month Aerobic Training Program Improves Brain Energy Metabolism in Mild Alzheimer’s Disease: Preliminary Results from a Neuroimaging Study. J Alzheimer Dis. 56(4): 1459-1468. [read]
– Courchesne-Loyer A, et al. (2017). Inverse relationship between brain glucose and ketone metabolism in adults during short-term moderate dietary ketosis: A dual tracer quantitative positron emission tomography study. J Cereb Blood Flow Metab. 37(7): 2458-2493. [read]
– St-Pierre V, et al. (2017). Butyrate is more ketogenic than leucine or octonoate-monoacylglycerol in healthy adult humans. J Funct Foods. 32(5): 170-175. [read]
– Bernier M, et al. (2017). Spatial distribution of resting- state BOLD regional homogeneity as a predictor of brain glucose uptake: A study in healthy aging. NeuroImage. 4(15): 14-22. [read]
– Courchesne-Loyer A, et al. (2017). Emulsification increases the acute ketogenic effect and bioavailability of mediumchain triglycerides in humans. Curr Dev Nutr. 7(1): 1-32. [read]
– Vandenberghe C, et al. (2017). Caffeine intake increases plasma ketones: an acute metabolic study in humans. Can J Physiol Pharmacol. 95(4): 455-458. [read]
– Vandenberghe C, et al. (2017). Tricaprylin alone increases plasma ketone response more than coconut oil or other medium chain triglycerides: an acute crossover study in healthy adults. Curr Dev Nutr. 1(4): e000257. [read]