Sept. 14, Trois-Rivieres, QC – The University of Quebec at Trois-Rivieres (UQTR) has confirmed the renewal of its Fondation-de-recherche-chiropratique-du-Quebec (FRCQ) Chair in chiropractic research, which has been made possible by the FRCQ’s financial contribution of $150 000 over three years.
This renewed support will permit Dr. Martin Descarreaux, a professor in the UQTR department of chiropractic and the current chair holder, to pursue his activities in basic science and clinical research. These are aimed at achieving better comprehension of the neurophysiologic mechanisms underlying the clinical changes observed in patients undergoing chiropractic treatment.
“The partnership that was established several years ago with the foundation has enabled our university to become well positioned within the chiropractic research sector on the national and international levels,” notes Lucie Guillemette, assistant registrar for graduate studies and research at UQTR. “With the renewal of funding for this Chair, we can progress toward a more indepth understanding of the biological mechanisms related to chiropractic care. We thank the donors from the foundation for this contribution and we congratulate Dr. Descarreaux and his team for achieving this latest grant. The research projects that are made possible by this Chair not only help many students but, moreover, enhance collaboration amongst investigators across several disciplines. This synergy will contribute to the advancement of science within health care, one of the areas of excellence of our university.”
Studying the effects of chiropractic care
In the five years since the Chair was created, Dr. Descarreaux and his colleagues have obtained promising results in their research.
“Our laboratory studies, using various instrumentation for analyzing movement, muscle activity and autonomic function, have improved our comprehension of chiropractic treatment and how it effects pain,” he explains. “Furthermore, we have a better understanding of how these treatments alter muscular activity, autonomic nervous system function and patterns of movement in our patients.”
Over the years, each researcher associated with the Chair has developed their own specialized expertise in various domains of neurosciences and biomechanics. Pooling this expertise has facilitated the development of two areas of research specific to chiropractic. The first deals with strategies of neuromuscular control within the spinal column and the neurologic effects of chiropractic intervention on them. The second is concerned with the study of the autonomic nervous system and the response of visceral function to chiropractic treatments.
“In our work, we benefit from collaboration with many researchers at UQTR, notably in the areas of chiropractic, podiatry, kinesiology and electrical engineering,” adds Dr. Descarreaux. “Partnerships have also been established with chiropractic colleges in Canada, the United States and Europe, as well as with other universities in Quebec. Our research program also attracts many graduate students from as far as France and Switzerland. The future is therefore promising, and obtaining a renewal in funding for this Chair will only strengthen our research activities, permitting us to explore new paths.”
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