Neuropsychology and biological psychology
Researchers in La Trobe's Department of Psychology and Counselling are world leaders in innovative neuropsychology and biological psychology research with real-world impact. We:
- investigate the cognitive, emotional and behavioural sequelae of a wide range of clinical conditions including alcohol and substance use disorders, stroke, traumatic brain injury, learning difficulties, anxiety, depression, schizophrenia, and cancer
- conduct clinical trials evaluating neuropsychological interventions for people affected by acquired brain injury, in collaboration with multidisciplinary neurorehabilitation researchers and clinicians across Australia
- make ground-breaking discoveries about the biological mechanisms underpinning neurological and psychiatric disorders
Our clinical neuropsychology researchers are all scientist-practitioners who focus on clinically relevant research questions, including methods for enhancing evidence-based practice and clinician competencies.
Neuropsychology and biological psychology research topics currently available for research students include:
| Research topic | Researchers |
|---|---|
| Cognition in preclinical Alzheimer's disease; Subjective memory decline in older adults as a risk factor for future dementia; Neuropsychological interventions for older adults; Neuropsychological interventions for people with cancer-related cognitive impairment; Better understanding of cancer-related cognitive impairment; Consumer and clinician experiences of neuropsychological interventions | Kerryn Pike |
|
Neuropsychological rehabilitation after acquired brain injury (e.g., stroke, traumatic brain injury)
Competencies in neuropsychology practice; clinical implementation of evidence-based neuropsychological assessment techniques and interventions | Dana Wong (eNACT research group) |
| Role of neurotransmitters in anxiety and depression | Matthew Hale |
| Psychoneuroimmunology; Behavioural and physiological consequences of calorie restriction and of breast cancer | Stephen Kent |
| Atypical hemispheric lateralisation and interhemispheric communication in clinical disorders and sub clinical syndromes (ASD, AQ traits, depression, schizotypy, dyslexia) | Annukka Lindell |
| Pattern of cognitive decline-comparison between two different neurodegenerative disorders: Parkinson's disease and Fragile X Associated Tremor/Ataxia Syndrome (FXTAS); Relationships between motor dysfunctions and specific cognitive impairments in Parkinson's Disease; Identification of specific cognitive/behavioural changes in the carriers of small CGG repeat expansions in the FMR1 gene within the 'grey zone' range affected with parkinsonism which distinguish them from the idiopathic Parkinson's disease; Are subtle motor dysfunctions and/or cognitive deficits related to the regional brain white matter microstructure assessed by diffusion-weighted imaging in the non-FXTAS carriers of premutation in the FMR1 gene? | Danuta Loesch-Mdzewska |
| Learning disorders in children, adolescents and young adults | Alexia Pavlis |
| Relationships between employment, cognition, social support, exercise and stress levels on physiological and health outcomes | Brad Wright |
Research group pages
eNACT research group
The eNACT Clinic brings together researchers and clinicians who work with people with acquired brain injury (ABI).