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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