Primary supervisor: Prof Sharon Abrahams
Other supervisors: Dr Caroline McHutchison
Location: University of Edinburgh
Project description
It is well established that there is a spectrum of cognitive and behavioural impairment in MND/ALS, with up to 50% of people suffering from either mild cognitive (ALSci) or behavioural impairment (ALSbi) or a type of dementia, frontotemporal dementia (ALS-FTD) (1). The most prominent changes comprise problems with executive and language functions, social cognition and apathy (2).
A standardised and well validated method for assessing these impairments is the Edinburgh Cognitive and behavioural ALS screen (ECAS) (3). This assessment is available in multiple languages and data is being collected internationally. There is heterogeneity in the individual profiles of MND patients with for example, some showing cognitive and/or behaviour changes, but also more specifically in language and/or executive dysfunction. However there has been little work in determining these intra individual profiles and their impact which may be useful to guide clinicians. In particular we have recently shown that cognitive and behaviour changes affect decision making and this in turn will affect everyday life.
The aims of this project are to determine whether we can identify intra individual profiles of cognitive and behavioural impairment, from a large international dataset, how these affect decision making, and whether we can identify mediating factors such as cognitive bias.
References
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Strong, M. J., S. Abrahams, L. H. Goldstein, S. Woolley, P. McLaughlin, J. Snowden, E. Mioshi, A. Roberts-South, M. Benatar, T. HortobaGyi, J. Rosenfeld, V. Silani, P. G. Ince and M. R. Turner (2017). "Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis - frontotemporal spectrum disorder (ALS-FTSD): Revised diagnostic criteria." Amyotroph Lateral Scler Frontotemporal Degener18(3-4): 153-174.
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Abrahams, S. (2023). "Neuropsychological impairment in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis-frontotemporal spectrum disorder." Nat Rev Neurol 19(11): 655-667.
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Abrahams, S. "Edinburgh Cognitive and Behavioural ALS Screen (ECAS) ", from https://ecas.psy.ed.ac.uk/.
Suitable first degree subjects
Psychology
Essential/desirable skills and experience
- Masters in a relevant field (desirable)
- Statistics with knowledge of mixed methods approaches
- Knowledge of clinical neuropsychological assessment
- Understanding of working with a vulnerable group
- Understanding of cognitive aspects of decision making
