Cognitive Aging

The cognitive aging group focuses on understanding interindividual differences in cognitive functioning across the adult lifespan as well as in pathological aging. For this, we try delineate behavioural and imaging correlates of different cognitive profiles, and link them to the concept of cognitive reserve (CR). At the behavioural level, we focus on understanding the role of different CR proxies (e.g., education, intelligence estimates) and the presumed underlying role of strategy use in differences in cognition in aging individuals. In line, we study the use of strategy training to enhance memory performance in aging. Moreover, we try to identify how aging-associated changes in brain structures influence cognition and how this is moderated by the level of CR and strategy use. We also aim to understand how CR can be translated to the structural and functional organization of the brain. Finally, we study how lifestyle interventions can be employed to optimize cognitive aging, identifying underlying neurobiocognitive correlates, as well as eHealth methodology to optimize these interventions.

Within the cognitive aging perspective, part of the work is focused on the question of which neurocognitive functions are associated with experimental pain experience and clinical pain report. This is studied using experimental approaches combined with MRI and EEG in healthy younger and older volunteers, together with clinical pain studies in chronic pain patients and in older people with dementia.

Key grants and prizes:

• 2013 – 2017 Research grant (PI) provided by Fonds NutsOhra. Title: The effectiveness of memory-strategy training in older adults with subjective memory complaints. An RCT.
• 2013 – 2014 IASP Early Career Research Grant. Title: An Inhibition Approach to Chronic Pain.
• 2011 – 2015 COST Action TD1005 (co-applicant)
  

Info on projects

• 2013 – 2017 Memory strategy training in elderly with a disproportionate decline in memory functioning: an RCT (funded by Fonds NutsOhra). In this project, we compare strategy with restorative memory training in adults with subjective memory complaints. This project in conducted in collaboration with the Geriatrics Department of the Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, and the memory clinical of Gelre Ziekenhuizen, Zutphen.
  
  
• 2011 – 2015 COST Action TD1005: This COST Action brings together leading researchers from a wide range of scientific disciplines. The major aim is the development of a comprehensive and internationally agreed-on assessment toolkit for older adults targeting the various subtypes of dementia and various aspects of pain, including pain diagnostics, cognitive examination and guidelines for proper assessment. Validation of this toolkit requires joint action of both basic and clinical sciences. Only hereby, the urgently needed improvement of pain management in dementia can start.
  
  
• 2013-2014 An inhibition approach to chronic pain (funded by the International Association for the Study on Pain). Here we examine to which extent inhibitory functions predict future postoperative pain. This project in conducted in collaboration with the Department of Surgery, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen.