Past Research

This study aimed to characterize baseline and longitudinal relationships between aerobic fitness, markers of Alzheimer’s disease pathology (e.g., amyloid and tau), functional brain network connectivity, and cognitive decline, as well as the potential moderating role of neuroinflammation, in a unique group of individuals with autosomal-dominant Alzheimer’s disease due to the Presenilin-1 E280A mutation.

This study examined the dissociation between emotion and declarative memory in patients with probable AD. Patients reported feeling sad or happy for up to 30 minutes, even when they had impaired declarative memory for the event that triggered the feeling. A follow-up study showed that the amygdala is important for regulating and sustaining an emotion independent of hippocampal function and declarative memory for the emotion-inducing event.

This study investigated whether music could modify the emotional state of individuals with AD and whether emotions evoked by music lingered in the absence of a declarative memory for the emotion-inducing event. The brief exposure to music induced strong and lingering emotions in individuals with AD.

In collaboration with Jade Angelica from Healing Moments, this study tested whether a 2-day intervention improved psychological health in caregivers of individuals with dementia. Caregivers reported experiencing significantly less stress for up to 6 months post-intervention and that it was helpful for managing challenging behaviors.