CRIR-JRH Scientific Conference – October 15, 2026 | Madhura Lotlikar, PhD candidate : Protecting episodic memory after sleep loss: Similar benefits of exercise and naps via distinct neural contributions
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When: 15 October 2026 12:00 to 15 October 2026 13:00
Where:
Conference offered in English, in hybrid mode, upon registration:
◼️ In person: Jewish Rehabilitation Hospital, Room D 1004
Please confirm your presence: Mireia.Carrillo.cissslav@ssss.gouv.qc.ca
or
◼️ Virtual: On Zoom. Please register: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/diWbzrjSS8WpcoP7OpZiJw#/registration
Scientific conference presented by the CRIR-Jewish Rehabilitation Hospital (JRH), Santé Québec Laval as part of the HJR’S “Talking Research” Series.
Presentations by researchers or postdoctoral fellows or clinicians on the findings of their research projects.
Protecting episodic memory after sleep loss: Similar benefits of exercise and naps via distinct neural contributions
- Thursday, October 15, 2026 | 12:00 PM to 1:00 PM
- Conference offered in English, in hybrid mode, registration required
- View the poster (PDF format) via this link: Conference_october 15, 2026 Madhura Lotlikar _TalkingResearch
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SPEAKER
Madhura Lotlikar
PhD candidate in neurosciences, McGill University.
Madhura Lotlikar is a Neuroscience PhD candidate at McGill University working under the supervision of Dr. Marc Roig. For her PhD, she investigates various ways to protect against memory detriments after sleep loss. She is leading three research projects spanning from investigating individual-level interventions such as exercise and naps to identifying systems-level barriers preventing clinicians from implementing sleep evidence in their rehabilitation practice. Beyond her research, Madhura is passionate about science communication and outreach. She has written for popular science publications, participated in various science outreach initiatives and worked on a podcast. She is also a founder of Share Your Sleep Story, an initiative that connects with people living with sleep disorders and brings their experiences into conversations about sleep health and policy. In her past life, Madhura did her MS in Molecular Biology at the University of Southern California and worked at Harvard Medical School, where she investigated the molecular mechanisms underlying memory deficits in Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease using cellular and animal models.
Conference description
Insufficient sleep is a public health concern experienced by one-third of the global population. It affects cognitive health, neuronal plasticity and robs global economies of billions of dollars annually. Sleep loss is commonly experienced by people in safety-critical occupations such as healthcare, shift work, mining, and transportation, where implementing sleep hygiene recommendations to counteract sleep loss is not effective or practical, but preserving brain and cognitive health is of global importance.
This presentation will examine the benefits of 20 minutes of exercise and a 90 minutes naps for protecting memory from the effects of sleep loss. The underlying brain mechanisms supporting this protection will also be explored using electroencephalography (EEG).
The conclusion will place sleep within its broader social and environmental context, highlighting how it is possible to move from individual-level interventions to improving sleep health in both clinical practice and society.
So, while you are counting sheep, which would you choose: 20 minutes of exercise or a 90-minute nap? (Hint: Read our paper, Lotlikar et al., 2026, PNAS.)
