Barbeau, André

André Antonio Barbeau was born on May 27, 1931, in Montreal, Quebec.

He was a French-Canadian neurologist known for his contributions to the study of Parkinson's disease, Huntington's chorea, and Friedreich's ataxia. He received a B.A. degree from Collège Stanislas and his medical degree from the Université de Montréal and the University of Chicago. Upon his return to Montreal in 1961, he joined the neurology department of Hôtel-Dieu and established the neurology laboratory at the University of Montreal (Institut de recherches cliniques de Montréal - Montreal Clinical Research Institute), which he then led for six years. Between 1964 and 1966, his work focused mainly on oculo-pharyngeal muscular dystrophy, sometimes called “Barbeau’s disease” in Canada. Barbeau is the author of over thirty works and four hundred scientific articles. In 1980, he was made an Officer of the Order of Canada. In 1985, he was awarded the Quebec government's Prix Marie-Victorin, and in 1986, he received the Royal Society of Canada's McLaughlin Medal.

He died on March 9, 1986, in Montreal, Quebec.