A5063853041- Dementia and Cognitive Impairment Research
- Diet and metabolism studies
- Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation Studies
- Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Research
- Motor Control and Adaptation
- Stroke Rehabilitation and Recovery
- Muscle activation and electromyography studies
- Intensive Care Unit Cognitive Disorders
- Music Therapy and Health
- Schizophrenia research and treatment
- Neuroscience and Neuropharmacology Research
- Epilepsy research and treatment
- Alzheimer's disease research and treatments
- Neurological disorders and treatments
- Family Caregiving in Mental Illness
- Genetic Associations and Epidemiology
- Neurological Disorders and Treatments
- Healthcare Decision-Making and Restraints
- Cerebrovascular and genetic disorders
- Prion Diseases and Protein Misfolding
- Advanced Memory and Neural Computing
- Neuroscience, Education and Cognitive Function
- Bipolar Disorder and Treatment
- Cardiovascular Health and Risk Factors
- Biochemical effects in animals
University Memory and Aging Center
2024-2025
University of California, San Francisco
2024-2025
The Royal Melbourne Hospital
2021-2025
Monash University
2018-2024
The University of Melbourne
2022-2023
Australian Regenerative Medicine Institute
2023
Royal Gwent Hospital
2022
Aneurin Bevan University Health Board
2022
University of Auckland
2016
Abstract Introduction Many patients with cognitive and neuropsychiatric symptoms face diagnostic delay misdiagnosis. We investigated whether cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) neurofilament light (NfL) total‐tau (t‐tau) could assist in the clinical scenario of differentiating neurodegenerative (ND) from psychiatric disorders (PSY), rapidly progressive disorders. Methods Biomarkers were examined specialist services (ND PSY) a national Creutzfeldt‐Jakob registry (Creutzfeldt‐Jakob disease [CJD]...
Healthy aging is associated with changes in motor sequence learning, some studies indicating decline skill learning older age. Acute cardiorespiratory exercise has emerged as a potential intervention to improve however research healthy adults limited. The current study investigated the impact of high-intensity interval (HIIT) on subsequent sequential task. Twenty-four (aged 55-75 years) completed either 20-minutes cycling, or an equivalent period active rest before practicing force grip...
Young-onset neurocognitive symptoms result from a heterogeneous group of neurological and psychiatric disorders which present diagnostic challenge. To identify such factors, we analysed the Biomarkers in Younger-Onset Neurocognitive Disorders cohort, study individuals <65 years old presenting with for diagnosis who have undergone cognitive biomarker analyses. Sixty-five participants (median age at assessment 56 years, 45% female) were recruited during their index presentation to Royal...
Physical activity (PA) is linked to lower dementia risk, but molecular pathways underpinning PA-related risk are poorly understood. We conducted plasma proteomics (SomaScan v4.1) and 30-day Fitbit-based PA monitoring (average daily step count) in 65 cognitively unimpaired older adults from the UCSF BrANCH cohort. Differential regression network analyses identified proteomic signatures tied extracellular matrix (ECM), immune response, lipid metabolism. Protein module M12 ECM/neurodevelopment...
Background : Dementia risk is significantly shaped by cardiovascular health, with elevated blood pressure emerging as a key factor for adverse brain aging. Blood biomarkers such pTau181, Aβ42/40, NfL, and GFAP have improved our understanding of dementia pathophysiology, however, few studies explored how specific metrics relate to biomarker levels, which could inform personalized prevention strategies these move into clinic. We examined different associated molecular markers astrocytic...
Abstract Background Dementia risk is significantly shaped by cardiovascular health, with elevated blood pressure emerging as a key factor for adverse brain aging. Blood biomarkers such pTau181, Aβ42/40, NfL, and GFAP have improved our understanding of dementia pathophysiology, however, few studies explored how specific metrics relate to biomarker levels, which could inform personalized prevention strategies these move into clinic. We examined different associated molecular markers astrocytic...
Abstract INTRODUCTION Sex differences are apparent in neurodegenerative diseases but have not been comprehensively characterized frontotemporal dementia (FTD). METHODS Participants included 337 adults with autosomal dominant FTD enrolled the ALLFTD Consortium. Clinical assessments and plasma were collected annually for up to 6 years. Linear mixed‐effects models investigated how sex disease stage associated longitudinal trajectories of cognition, function, neurofilament light chain (NfL)....
Schizophrenia, a complex psychiatric disorder, is often associated with cognitive, neurological and neuroimaging abnormalities. The processes underlying these abnormalities, whether subset of people schizophrenia have neuroprogressive or neurodegenerative component to schizophrenia, remain largely unknown. Examining fluid biomarkers diverse types neuronal damage could increase our understanding processes, as well potentially provide clinically useful biomarkers, for example assisting...
Regular exercise benefits learning and memory in older adults, but the neural mechanisms mediating these effects remain unclear. Evidence young adults indicates that acute creates a favourable environment for synaptic plasticity by enhancing cortical disinhibition. As such, we investigated whether plasticity-related disinhibition mediated relationship between cardiorespiratory fitness function healthy (n = 16, mean age 66.06). Participants completed graded maximal test assessments of visual...
Psychosocial interventions targeting the specific needs of people affected by younger-onset dementia are lacking. Younger-onset refers to where symptom onset occurs at less than 65 years old. Because its occurrence in middle age, impact on spouses is particularly marked and dyadic-based recommended. Music And Psychology & Social Connections (MAPS) a novel online intervention, informed theory adaptive coping Bannon et al. (2021) for dyads dementia. MAPS combines therapeutic songwriting,...
Abstract Long-term potentiation (LTP) is a form of neuroplasticity commonly implicated in mechanistic models learning and memory. Acute exercise can boost LTP the motor cortex, associated with shift excitation/inhibition (E:I) balance, but whether this extends to other regions such as visual cortex unknown. We investigated effect preceding bout on induction E:I balance using electroencephalography (EEG). Young adults (N = 20, mean age 24.20) engaged 20 min high-intensity interval training...
Cardiorespiratory exercise is known to modulate motor cortical plasticity in young adults, but the influence of ageing on this relationship unknown. Here, we compared effects a single session cardiorespiratory and older adults. We acquired measures excitatory inhibitory activity primary cortex using transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) from 20 (mean ± SD = 25.30 4.00 years, 14 females) 64.10 6.50 11 healthy Single- paired-pulse TMS measurements were collected before after min bout...
Abstract The largest risk factor for dementia is age. Heterochronic blood exchange studies have uncovered age-related factors that demonstrate ‘pro-aging’ or ‘pro-youthful’ effects on the mouse brain. clinical relevance and combined of these humans unclear. We examined five previously identified brain rejuvenation in cerebrospinal fluid adults with autosomal dominant forms frontotemporal sporadic Alzheimer’s disease. Our cohort included 100 observationally followed carrying mutations (Mage =...
Behaviour changes (BCs) are common in young-onset dementia (YOD). Access to knowledgeable and age-appropriate support services is needed assist with the appropriate management of BCs. We sought investigate types YOD-related BCs that most commonly require support, formal being accessed for experiences those seeking Australia. employed a cross-sectional online questionnaire individuals living YOD as well providing informal or care someone YOD. Thirty-six responses were recorded. Of total...
ABSTRACT Background Younger-onset dementia (YOD) can be challenging to diagnose due its younger age of onset, heterogeneous aetiologies and broad range presentations. Misdiagnosis is common with psychiatric conditions often diagnosed initially diagnostic delay five years common. More information needed better understand YOD, including the nature symptom progression disease, relationship between cognition functional outcomes for patients carers, imaging changes novel biomarkers. This paper...
Abstract Background Distinguishing behavioural variant frontotemporal dementia (bvFTD) from non-neurodegenerative ‘non-progressor’, ‘phenocopy’ mimics of frontal lobe dysfunction, can be one the most challenging clinical dilemmas. A biomarker neuronal injury, neurofilament light chain (NfL), could reduce misdiagnosis and delay. Methods Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) NfL, amyloid beta 1-42 (AB42), total phosphorylated tau (T-tau, P-tau) levels were examined in patients with an initial diagnosis...
People living with young-onset dementia and their care-partners are at risk of a range adverse mental health outcomes social isolation. There few interventions aimed supporting couples affected by dementia, which poses unique psychosocial challenges for younger people.
Abstract INTRODUCTION Young-onset neurocognitive symptoms result from a heterogeneous group of neurological and psychiatric disorders which present diagnostic challenge. To identify such factors, we analysed the BeYOND (Biomarkers in Younger-Onset Neurocognitive Disorders) cohort, study individuals less than 65 years old presenting with for diagnosis who have undergone cognitive biomarker analyses. METHODS Sixty-five participants (median age at assessment 56 years, 45% female) were recruited...
INTRODUCTION: Sex differences are apparent in neurodegenerative diseases, but have not been comprehensively characterized frontotemporal dementia (FTD). METHODS: Participants included 337 adults with autosomal dominant FTD enrolled the ALLFTD Consortium. Clinical assessments and plasma were collected annually for up to six years. Linear mixed-effects models investigated how sex disease stage associated longitudinal trajectories of cognition, function, neurofilament light chain (NfL)....
Abstract Background Sex differences in neurodegenerative diseases can impact accurate diagnosis and management. Emerging data suggest there may be sex frontotemporal dementia (FTD) prevalence clinical manifestation. However, prior studies lacked longitudinal assessment were limited capturing earliest stages of disease (e.g., preclinical). We evaluated how impacts outcomes individuals carrying autosomal dominant variants for FTD. Method 337 participants pathogenic MAPT , GRN or C9orf72...
Abstract Background Frontotemporal dementia (FTD) is a common young‐onset dementia. Challenges to in‐person FTD evaluations (e.g., behavioral symptoms, disease rarity), highlight the need develop remote, low‐burden assessment techniques. A growing literature supports passive digital phenotyping for monitoring neurobehavioral change. Thus, we examined utility of passively collected data from smartphones detect prodromal or symptomatic compared that Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA),...
Abstract Background Physical activity (PA) is associated with lower dementia risk; however, underlying molecular pathways are poorly understood. We leveraged large‐scale plasma proteomics to identify biological signatures of objectively‐monitored PA in cognitively unimpaired (CU) older adults and cross‐validated independent exercise intervention Alzheimer’s disease (AD) cohorts. Method Discovery cohort included 65 CU (mean age = 76.6; 60% female; 34% PET Ab+) from the UCSF Memory Aging...
Abstract Background Osteoarthritis (OA) is a degenerative disorder of bone aging and risk factor for cognitive decline. Bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs) are growth that regulate skeletal neural development, circulating BMPs may mediate molecular cross‐talk between brain. The present study examined plasma BMP levels in relation to OA neurobehavioral outcomes cognitively unimpaired (CU) older adults. Methods Participants included 65 CU adults (mean age= 76.45, 60% female) enrolled the UCSF...