Current Projects

Generally, our lab focuses on neuropsychological assessment and psychometric properties in older adults. We often integrate technology into our work and work to expand use of neuropsychological services broadly for underserved community members.     

Cognition and Everyday Functioning in Older Adults

We are exploring predictors of cognitive change in cognitively healthy older adults and individuals with mild cognitive impairment. An additional focus of study pertains to ethnoracial disparities in cognition. We currently partner with Dr. Robert Newton and Dr. Owen Carmichael at Pennington Biomedical Research Center. Examples of current projects include:

  • Exploring associations between depression, cognition, and everyday functioning in healthy older adults and those with mild cognitive impairment or dementia.
  • Evaluating shared norms, beliefs, and values around everyday functioning in Black older adults.

  • Developing and exploring the feasibility of providing cost-free neuropsychological evaluations through a community clinic for

    underserved populations.

Cognition and Social Determinants of Health

Our lab examines how social and structural factors influence cognitive and brain health among diverse older adult populations. We focus particularly on understanding how disparities in education, income, healthcare access, and neighborhood context contribute to cognitive aging outcomes. Ongoing work includes:

  • Exploring how social and structural determinants of health shape cognitive and brain health trajectories in Black and Latino older adults.
  • Evaluating associations between sociocultural factors, blood-based biomarkers, and cognition in a multi-ethnic cohort of older adults.
  • Investigating how experiences of discrimination, social support, and health literacy may contribute to ethnoracial disparities in cognitive functioning and biomarker profiles.

Technology and Psychometrics

We conduct studies to both examine the psychometric properties of existing neuropsychological tests as well as to examine these properties for newly developed measures. An emphasis on this work is on using technology in assessment. Examples of current projects include:

  • Examining the psychometric properties of established neuropsychological assessment batteries such as the NAB.
  • Developing and examining the clinical utility of symptom validity measures for neurodevelopmental disorders.
  • Examining the effect of re-assessment among neuropsychological measures of attention.
  • Validating a new iPad-administered auditory measure of cognitive processing speed.
  • Examining practice effects and other psychometric properties of Smartwatch-based measures of neuropsychological functioning.
  • Investigating the feasibility of videoconferencing. tele-neuropsychological assessment with older adults in the community.
  • Examining the feasibility of using artificial intelligence to streamline the development, scoring, and automated reporting of neuropsychological assessments, enhancing access to evaluation across settings.