Curriculum Vitae
Dr Sharon Abrahams
Department of Psychology, PPLS, 7 George Square, EH38 5YA
0131 650 3339
s.abrahams@ed.ac.uk
Qualifications
1985 – 1988: First Class B.Sc. Honours Degree Psychology,
University of Reading, Whiteknights, Reading.
1989 – 1993: Ph.D. “Cognitive functions in patients with unilateral damage to the
hippocampus and temporal lobes”.
Medical Research Council studentship.
Awarded 15th December 1993. Institute of Psychiatry, London.
Thesis investigated cognitive correlates of temporal lobe damage using
experimental neuropsychological tests and Magnetic Resonance Imaging
techniques.
1995 – 1998
Doctorate of Clinical Psychology. (D Clin Psy).
Wellcome Trust Training Fellowship in Clinical Psychology.
Institute of Psychiatry, London.
Register of Chartered Psychologists: Name entered on 4th March 1999.
2003
Practitioner Full Member of the British Psychological Society, Division of
Neuropsychology
2004
Postgraduate Certificate in Academic Practice at the King’s Institute of Learning
and Teaching.
Employment
1993-1995:
Postdoctoral Research Worker,
Institute of Psychiatry, London, and MRC Cyclotron Unit, Hammersmith
Hospital, London.
Research investigating executive dysfunction in patients with Motor Neurone
Disease, using experimental and standard neuropsychological tests and Positron
Emission Tomography (PET) imaging techniques.
1998 –2001:
Wellcome Trust Research Fellow,
Institute of Psychiatry, London.
Research investigating cerebral degeneration as assessed by functional and
structural Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) and cognitive deterioration in
Motor Neurone Disease.
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2001 – 2004 : Lecturer in Neuropsychology,
Department of Psychology, Institute of Psychiatry
Assistant Programme Leader of the Postgraduate Diploma in Clinical
Neuropsychology and Postgraduate Diploma in Applied Clinical
Neuropsychology
Organiser of Cognitive Neuropsychology for the Intercalated
BSc in Psychology and Intercalated BSc in Neuroscience and
Neuropsychology Guy’s King’s and St.Thomas’ School of Medicine.
Current Post
2004 –
Senior Lecturer in Human Cognitive Neuroscience
Department of Psychology, University of Edinburgh
Programme Director for the MSc in Human Cognitive Neuropsychology.
Research: Main areas include: cognitive, behavioural and cerebral changes in
dementia and in patients with MND using experimental and clinical
neuropsychological tests and MRI.
Clinical Neuropsychologist
Dementia Service, Royal Edinburgh Hospital
Primary and Community Division, NHS Lothian
Journal Publications
Kew. J. J. M., Goldstein, L. H., Leigh, P. N., Abrahams, S., Cosgrave, N., Passingham, R. E.,
Frackowiak, R. S. J., and Brooks, D. J. (1993). The relationship between abnormalities of
cognitive function and cerebral activation in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: A
neuropsychological and positron emission tomography study. Brain, 116, 1399-1423.
Abrahams, S., Goldstein, L.H., Brooks, D.J., and Leigh, P.N. (1995) Cognitive deficits in
nondemented Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis patients: a neuropsychological investigation.
Journal of Neurological Sciences, 129 suppl. 54-55.
Abrahams, S., Kew, J.J.M., Goldstein, L.H., Brooks, D.J., and Leigh, P.N. (1995). A positron
emission tomography investigation of frontal lobe function (verbal fluency) in Amyotrophic
Lateral Sclerosis. Journal of Neurological Sciences, 129 suppl. 44-46.
Morris, R. G., Abrahams, S., Baddeley, A.D. and Polkey, C. E. (1995). Doors and people: visual
and verbal memory following unilateral temporal lobectomy. Neuropsychology, 9, 464-469.
Morris, R. G., Abrahams, S., and Polkey, C. E. (1995). Recognition memory for words and
faces following unilateral temporal lobectomy. British Journal of Clinical Psychology, 34, 571576.
Abrahams, S., Goldstein, LH., Kew JJM., Brooks, DJ., Frith, CD. and Leigh PN. (1996).
Frontal lobe dysfunction in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: A PET study. Brain, 119, 2105-2120.
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Morris, RG., Pickering, AD., Abrahams, S., and Feigenbaum, JD. (1996) Space and the
hippocampal formation in humans. Brain Research Bulletin, 40, 487-490.
Gray, NS., Pickering, AD., Gray, JA., Jones, SH., Abrahams, S. and Hemsley, DR. (1997).
Kamin blocking is not disrupted by amphetamine in human subjects. Journal of
Psychopharmacology, 11, 301-311.
Abrahams, S., Pickering, A., Polkey, C. E., and Morris R. G. M. (1997). Spatial memory
deficits in patients with unilateral temporal lobe epilepsy and temporal lobectomy.
Neuropsychologia, 35, 11-24.
Abrahams, S., Goldstein, LH., Al-Chalabi, A., Pickering, A., Morris, RG., Passingham, RE.,
Brooks, DJ. and Leigh PN. (1997). Relation between cognitive dysfunction and pseudobulbar
palsy in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery and Psychiatry, 62,
464-472.
Newsom-Davis, I., Abrahams, S., Goldstein, L.H. & Leigh, P.N. (1999). The emotional lability
questionnaire: a new measure of emotional lability in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Journal of
Neurological Sciences, 169, 22-25.
Abrahams, S., Morris, R.G., Polkey, C.E., Jarosz, J.M., Cox, T.C.J., Graves, A. & Pickering.
(1999). Hippocampal involvement in spatial and working memory: A structural MRI analysis of
patients with unilateral mesial temporal lobe sclerosis. Brain and Cognition, 41, 39-65.
Abrahams, S., Leigh, P.N., Harvey, A., Vythelingum, N., Grisé, D. & Goldstein, L.H. (2000).
Verbal fluency and executive dysfunction in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS).
Neuropsychologia, 38, 734-747.
Abrahams, S., & Udwin, U. (2000). Treatment of post traumatic stress disorder in an elevenyear old boy using imaginal and in vivo exposure. Clinical Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 5
(3), July, 387-401
Leigh, N., Williams, V. & Abrahams, S. (2001). Motor neuron disease. European Journal of
Palliative Care, 8, 10-12.
Abrahams, S. & Udwin, O. (2002). An evaluation of a primary care-based child clinical
psychology service. Child and Adolescent Mental Health, 7, 107-113.
Rahman, Q, Wilson, G.D., & Abrahams, S. (2003). Sexual orientation related differences in
spatial memory. Jounral of the International Neuropsychology Society, 9, 376-383.
Rahman, Q., Abrahams, S., & Wilson, G.D. (2003). Sexual orientation related differences in
verbal fluency. Neuropsychology, 17, 240-246.
Abrahams, S. Goldstein, L.H., Simmons, A., Brammer, M.J., Giampietro, V., Andrew, C.,
Leigh, P.N. and Williams, S.C.R. (2003). Functional magnetic resonance imaging of verbal
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fluency and confrontation naming using compressed image acquisition to permit overt
responses. Human Brain Mapping, 20, (1), 29-40.
Leigh, P. N. Abrahams, S., Al-Chalabi, A., Ampong, M-A., Goldstein, L. H., Johnson, J., Lyall,
R., Moxham, J., Mustfa, N., Rio, A., Shaw, C., Willey, E. and the King’s MND Care and
Research Team. (2003). The management of motor neurone disease. Journal of Neurology,
surgery & Neuropsychiatry, 74, (Suppl I), iv32-iv47.
Rahman, Q., Wilson, G.D. & Abrahams, S. (2004) Performance differences between adult
heterosexual and homosexual men on the Digit-Symbol Substitution sub-test of the WAIS.
Journal of Clinical & Experimental Neuropsychology, 26, (1), 141-148.
Brown, J. S. L., Abrahams, S. and Helbert, M. (2004). An unusual case of a wasp phobic.
Journal of Behavior Therapy and Experimental Psychiatry, 34 (3-4), 219-224.
Rahman, Q., Wilson, G.D., & Abrahams, S. (2004) Developmental instability is associated
with neurocognitive performance in heterosexual and homosexual men, but not in women.
Behavioral Neuroscience, 118 (1), 243 - 247.
Rahman, Q., Wilson, G.D. & Abrahams, S. (2004) Biosocial factors, sexual orientation and
neurocognitive functioning. Hormones & Behaviour or Psychoneuroendocrinology, 29, 867881
Rahman, Q., Wilson, G.D. & Abrahams, S. (2004). Sex, sexual orientation and identification
of positive and negative facial affect. Brain & Cognition, 54, 179-185.
Turner, M., Abrahams, S., Goldstein, L. (2004) Report on the 14th ALS/MND International
Symposium. Progress in Neurology and Psychiatry, 8, 22-23
Abrahams, S., Goldstein, L.H., Simmons, A., Brammer, M. J., Williams, S. C. R. Giampietro,
V. and Leigh, P.N (2004). Word retrieval in amyotrophic lateral sclersosis: a functional
magnetic resonance imaging study. Brain, 127, 1507 – 1517.
Parslow, D.M., Morris, R.G., Fleminger, S., Rahman, Q., Abrahams, S., Recce, M. (2005).
Allocentric spatial memory in humans with hippocampal lesions. Acta Psychologica, 118, 123147.
Abrahams, S., Goldstein, L.H., Suckling, J., Ng, V., Simmons, A., Giampietro, V. Atkins, L.,
Williams, S.C.R. and Leigh, P.N.. (2005) Fronto-temporal white matter changes in patients
with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Journal of Neurology. 252, 321-331.
Papp, B. Abrahams, S., Goldstein, L.H. & Leigh, P.N. (2005) Changes in memory for
emotional material in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Neuropsychologia, 43(8),1107-14.
Abrahams, S., Goldstein, L.H. and Leigh, P.N. (2005) Cognitive change in amyotrophic
lateral sclerosis: a prospective study. Neurology, 64 1222-1226
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Rahman, Q., Fardin, J and Abrahams S. (2005) Sex differences in a human analogue of the
Radial Arm Maze: the "17-Box Maze Test" Brain and Cognition, 58, 312-317.
Wicks, P., Abrahams, S., Leigh, P.N., Willams, T. and Goldstein, L.H. (2006) Absence of
cognitive, behavioural, or emotional dysfunction in progressive muscular atrophy. Neurology,
67, 1718-1719.
Wicks, P., Abrahams, S., Leigh, P.N. et al. (2007). A rapid screening battery to identify
frontal dysfunction in ALS. (comment), Neurology, 69, Published Correspondance
http://www.neurology.org/cgi/eletters/67/11/2070
Wicks, P., Abrahams, S., Masi, D., Hejda-Forde, S. Leigh, N., Goldstein, Laura (2007).
Prevalence of depression in a 12-month consecutive sample of patients with ALS. European
Journal of Neurology, 14, (9), 993-1001.
Wicks, P., Turner, M., Abrahams, S., Hammer, A , Brooks, D., Leigh, N, & Goldstein, L.H.
(2008). Neuronal loss associated with cognitive performance in ALS: An (11-C) Flumazenil
PET study. Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis. 9(1):43-9, 2008 Feb
Holdstock, J.S., Parslow, D.M., Morris, R.G., Fleminger, s., Abrahams, S., Denby, C.,
Montaldi, D., Mayse, A. R. (2008) Two case studies illustrating how relatively selective
hippocampal lesions in humans can have quite different effects on memory, Hippocampus
18:679–691.
Wicks, P., Abrahams, S., Papps, B. Al-Chalabi, A. Shaw, C. E., Leigh, P. N. and
Goldstein, L. H. SOD1 and cognitive dysfunction in familial amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
Journal of Neurology, (in press)
Parra, M., Abrahams, S., Logie, R., Della Sala, S. Age and binding within-dimension features
in visual short term memory, Neuroscience Letters 449 (2009, in press)
Palmieri A, Abrahams S., Sorarù G., Mattiuzzi L., D’Ascenzo C., Pegoraro E., Angelini C.
Emotional lability in MND: Relationship to cognition and psychopathology and impact on
caregiver, Journal of Neurological Sciences, in press.
Donaghy C, Pinnock R, Abrahams S, Cardwell C, Hardiman O, Patterson V, McGivern RC,
Gibson JM. Ocular fixation instabilities are a marker of frontal lobe dysfunction in Motor
Neurone Disease, Journal of Neurology, (in press)
Parra, M., Abrahams, S., Fabi, K., Logie, R., Luzzi, S., Della Sala, S. Short-term memory
binding deficits in Alzheimer’s Disease, Brain, (in press).
Book Chapters
Morris, R.G., Nunn, J.A., Abrahams, S., Feigenbaum, J.D. & Reece, M. The hippocampus and
spatial memory in humans. In N. Burgess, K. Jeffrey & J. O’Keefe (Eds), Spatial functions of
the hippocampal formation and parietal cortex. Oxford: Oxford University Press. 1999, pp 259
– 289.
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Abrahams, S. & Goldstein, L.H. Motor Neurone Disease. In J.E. Harrison & A. Owen (Eds),
Cognitive deficits in brain disorders. London, Martin Dunitz. 2002, pp 341-358.
Abrahams, S., Goldstein, L.H., Turner, M., Maekawa, S. & Leigh, P.N. New approaches to
imaging in ALS. In M.J. Strong (Ed), Dementia and Motor Neuron Disease. Abingdon,
Oxfordshire: Informa UK Ltd. 2006, pp 133-146.
Active Research Grants
Januray 2008
December 2010
Motor Neurone Disease Association
Abrahams, S. and Bak, T.
Duration 36 months
The heterogeneity of cognitive impairment in Motor Neurone Disease
Amount £69614
September 2008
August 2011
Scottish Motor Neurone Disease Association,
Bak, T. & Abrahams, S.
Duration 36 months,
The nature of speech production deficits in motor neurone disease,
Amount £63,014
January 2009
December 2011
Sylvia Aitken Charitable Trust
Abrahams, S. Bak, T., Bastin, M., Gillingwater, T., Smith, C.
Duration 36 months
Cognitive and Behaviour Change in MND: Understanding Brain
Dysfunction.
Amount £100,000
Conference Presentations given by Dr S Abrahams
Abrahams, S., Pickering, A., Polkey, C.E. and Morris, R.G. "Spatial memory deficits in patients
with unilateral temporal lobe damage", paper presented at British Neuropsychological Society
Annual Meeting, St. Thomas' Hospital, London, March 1993.
Abrahams, S., Pickering, A., Polkey, C.E. and Morris, R.G. "Spatial and working memory in
patients with unilateral temporal lobe epilepsy and temporal lobe resection", paper presented at
Experimental Psychology Society and Canadian Society for Brain, Behaviour and Cognitive
Science. University of Toronto, Canada, 15 -17 July 1993.
Abrahams, S., Pickering, A., Polkey, C.E. and Morris, R.G. "Spatial and working memory in
patients with unilateral temporal lobe damage", paper presented at British Psychological Society
Annual Conference, Brighton Conference Centre, Brighton, 24 - 27 March 1994.
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Abrahams, S., Pickering, A., Polkey, C.E. and Morris, R.G. "Spatial and working memory in
patients with unilateral temporal lobe epilepsy and temporal lobectomy", paper presented by coauthor, Pickering, A., at the Third Practical Aspects of Memory Conference, University of
Maryland, MD, USA, 31 July - 5 August 1994.
Abrahams, S., Kew, J.J.M., Goldstein, L.H., Brooks, D.J., and Leigh, P.N. "Frontal lobe
function in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: a positron emission tomography study", poster
presented at American Neurological Association and British Neurological Association, San
Francisco, 9 - 12 October 1994.
Abrahams, S., Goldstein, L.H., Brooks, D.J., and Leigh, P.N. "Cognitive Deficits in NonDemented Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Patients: A Neuropsychological Investigation" paper
presented by co-author Goldstein, L.H. at 5th International Symposium on ALS/MND, Holland,
7 - 9 November, 1994
Abrahams, S., Kew, J.J.M., Goldstein, L.H., Brooks, D.J., and Leigh, P.N. "A Positron
Emission Tomography Investigation of Frontal Lobe Function (Verbal Fluency) in Amyotrophic
Lateral Sclerosis" paper presented at 5th International Symposium on ALS/MND, Holland, 7 - 9
November, 1994.
Abrahams, S., Leigh, P.N., Harvey, A. & Goldstein, L.H. Verbal fluency and executive
dysfunction in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Paper presented at the 10th International
Symposium on ALS/MND, Vancouver, November 1999.
Abrahams, S., Morris, R.G., Polkey, C.E. & Pickering, A. The role of the hippocampus and
parahippocampal gyrus in spatial memory: A structural MRI analysis of patients with unilateral
temporal lobe epilepsy. Poster presented at The Nature of Hippocampal-Cortical Interaction:
Theoretical and Experimental Perspectives, Dublin, March 2000.
Abrahams, S., Brammer, M., Simmons, A., Goldtstein, L.H., Andrew, C.N., Curtis, V.A.,
Leigh, P.N. & Williams, S.C.R. Overt verbal fluency and confrontation naming in fMRI. Poster
presented at the 6th International Conference on the Functional Mapping of the Human Brain,
San Antonio, June, 2000.
Abrahams, S., Morris, R.G., Polkey, C.E. & Pickering, A. Spatial memory and the hippocampal
region: A structural MRI analysis of patients with unilateral mesial temporal lobe sclerosis.
Paper presented in a symposium entitled “The neuropsychology of human long-term spatial
memory” at the joint meeting of the Experimental Psychology Society and the Canadian Society
for Brain, Behaviour and Cognitive Science, Cambridge, July 2000.
Abrahams, S., Goldstein, L.H., Williams, S.C.R., Simmons, A., Suckling, J., Brammer, M. &
Leigh, P.N. Cognitive and extra-motor cerebral dysfunction as assessed by functional and
structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in ALS. Paper presented at the 11th International
Symposium on ALS/MND, Arhus, Denmark, December 2000.
Abrahams, S., Goldstein, L.H., Simmons, A., Suckling, J., Brammer, M., Leigh, P.N.,
Andrew, C.N., Atkins, L. & Williams, S.C.R. Executive dysfunction in amyotrophic lateral
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sclerosis (ALS): a functional and structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) study. Poster
presented at the 7th International Conference on the Functional Mapping of the Human Brain,
Brighton, June 2001.
Abrahams, S., Morris, R.G., Polkey, C.E. & Pickering, A. Hippocampal involvement in spatial
memory: A structural MRI study of patients with unilateral temporal lobe epilepsy. Paper
presented in a symposium entitled. “Spatial Memory”. International Conference on Memory 3.
Valencia, July 2001.
Abrahams, S., Goldstein, L.H., Williams, S.C.R., Simmons, A., Suckling, J., & Leigh, P.N.
Structural Magnetic Resonance Imaging Abnormalities in ALS Patients with Cognitive
Impairment. Poster presented at the 12th International Symposium on ALS/MND, San
Francisco, December 2001.
Abrahams, S., Goldstein, L.H., Leigh, P.N., Brammer, M., Simmons, A., Andrew, C.N., &
Williams, S.C.R. Verbal fluency deficits in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: a functional
magnetic resonance imaging study. Poster presented at Ninth Annual Meeting of the
Cognitive Neuroscience Society, San Francisco, April 2002.
Abrahams, S., Leigh, P.N. Brammer, M., Simmons A, Andrew, C.N. & Williams, S.C.R.
Verbal fluency dysfunction in ALS: a fMRI study. Paper presented by co-author Leigh, P.N.,
at 13th International Symposium on ALS/MND, Melbourne, Australia. November 2002
Abrahams, S., Leigh, P.N. & Goldstein, L.H. A prospective study of cognitive change in
ALS. Paper presented at the 14th International Symposium on ALS/MND, Milan, November
2003.
Abrahams, S. Chatterjee, D, Mead, K., and Johnston, H. Word Retrieval Deficits in MND,
Federation of Societies of Neuropsychology, 1st meeting Edinburgh, August, 2008.
Abrahams, S Social and Emotional Cognition and Behaviour: Evidence of subclinical
frontotemporal dementia in ALS. 19th Symposium of ALS/MND, Birmingham, November
2008.
Abrahams, S., Chatterjee, D., and Johnston, H. Word Retrieval Deficits in MND, poster
presented at the European Workshop in Cognitive Neuropsychology, Bressanone, Italy,
January 2009.
Invited Conference Presentations
Cognition in MND. Inaugral Symposium of the Euan MacDonald Centre for Motor Neurone
Disease Research, Royal Society Edinburgh, August 2007.
Word retrieval difficulties in MND. British Aphasiology Society Conference, invited lecture
– September 2007, Edinburgh.
Cognitive Change in ALS. Eighteenth Meeting of the European Neurological Society Nice,
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France, June 2008 Workshop on Dementia and Motor Neurone Disease
Cognition and Neuroimaging in MND: World Federation of Neurology, Special Interest Group
in Aphasia: August 30th 2008. The University of Edinburgh
Executive, language and behaviour change in non-demented ALS. Symposium on MND and
Cognition. Cognitive IV, Marmaris Turkey, April 2009
Social Cognition in ALS,. Third International Research Workshop on Frontotemporal
Dementia in ALS. Ontario, Canada, June 2009
Conference Organisation
Chair of session on Cognitive and Psychological Change at the 10th International Symposium on
ALS/MND, Vancouver, November 1999.
Invited to join steering committee for the Second international Conference on ALS and
Dementia held in London, Ontario, Canada May 2007.
Organising Committee, Federation of Societies of Neuropsychology, 1st meeting Edinburgh,
August, 2008.
Invited Lectures
“Frontal Lobe Dysfunction in Motor Neurone Disease” Chaucer Club talk at MRC Applied
Psychology Unit, Cambridge, 6 March 1997.
“The role of neuropsychology in Motor Neurone Disease, Community Link Meeting. King’s
College Hospital, 15 February 1999. Audience of multidisciplinary health care professionals
“Cognitive change in Motor Neurone Disease” MNDA Regional Conference at Bufford
Bridge Hotel, Boxhill Dorking, 9 May 1999. Audience of health care professionals, carers
and patients with MND.
Organiser of the Human Neuropsychology Symposium, and platform presentation on
“Hippocampal involvement in spatial and working memory: a structural MRI analysis of
patients with mesial temporal lobe sclerosis”, Institute of Psychiatry, 30 June 1999.
“Care and management of cognitive dysfunction in Motor Neurone Disease”. MNDA
Training Day for volunteer visitors, Pilgrim’s House, Rochester, 26 January 2000.
"Cognitive change in Motor Neurone Disease". MNDA Training Day for volunteer visitors,
Royal Surrey Hospital, Guildford, 6th April 2000.
“Cognitive changes in Motor Neurone Disease”. Motor Neurone Disease Association (MNDA)
one day conference for Health and Social Care Professionals, Royal Surrey County Hospital,
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Guildford, November 2000.
“Cognitive change in motor Motor Neurone Disease; Neuropsychological and brain imaging
studies” Research seminar at the School of Psychology, University of Exeter, 6 February 2001.
“Care and management of cognitive problems in motor neurone disease”. Motor Neurone
Disease Association (MNDA) training day for regional care advisors. May, 2002.
“Memory Assessment” Clinical Neuropsychology Course for Older People, Salomons, Kent,
March 2003.
“Executive dysfunction and word retrieval deficits in Motor Neurone Disease” Scottish
Neuropsychology Network, December 2004
“Cognitive and cerebral change in MND” Neurology specialist training day in MND,
Ninewells Hospital, Dundee, January 2005.
“Cognitive change in motor neurone disease” British Association for Neuroscience Nurses,
MaDonald Holyrood Hotel, Edinburgh, October 2005.
“Executive dysfunction in MND” Neuropsychiatry Research Programme, Jardine Clinic,
Royal Edinburgh Hospital, January 2006.
“Cognitive dysfunction in Motor Neurone Disease” Department of Neurology, Southern
General Hospital Glasgow, February 2006.
“Neuropsychological and Neuroimaging studies of ALS” Department of Clinical
Neurosciences, Western General Hospital, March 2006.
“Cognitive change in Motor Neurone Disease” Edinburgh Neuroscience Day, Royal Society
for Physicians, Edinburgh, March 2006.
“The relevance of neuropsychology in the study of MND” MND Colloquium, The University
of Edinburgh, Edinburgh Zoo, April 2006.
“Cognitive Impairment in MND”. MND Care and Mangagement Conference organised by the
MNDA, Birmingham, June, 2008.
“Cognitive and Behaviour change in MND: evidence of subclinical FTD?” Two talks given to
a) Neurological meeting at the Beaumont Hospital Dublin and b) Special Interest Group in
Neuropsychology at Trinity College, Dublin. December 2008
Post Graduate Doctoral Supervision
PhD “Sexual Orientation Effects on Neuropsychological Functions” October 1999 to
November 2002, awarded 1st January 2003.
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D.Clin.Psy “Orbitofrontal and amygdala functions in motor neurone disease”. August 2002 to
October 2003. Completed.
PhD “Neuropsychological correlates of cerebral abnormalities in sporadic and familial
amyotrophic lateral sclerosis October 2002 to November 2005, awarded February 2006.
PhD “Retroactive Interference in Amnesia” January 2005 to 2007, Phd awarded. May 2007.
PhD “Memory binding in Alzheimer’s Disease” September 2005 to present.
PhD “The Neuropsychology of False Memory” April 2006 to present. ESRC funded
studentship.
PhD External Co-adviser, University of Padua, Italy.
Phd – “The Heterogeneity of Cognitive Impairment in MND”. January 2008 to present.
Clinical Neuropsychology
Practitioner Full Member of the British Psychological Society’s Division of Neuropsychology.
2 sessions per week specialist clinical neuropsychology service attached to an old age psychiatry
team. Referrals from around the Lothian region of patients for neuropsychological assessment.
including possible dementia (Alzheimer’s disease, vascular dementia, subcortical dementias,
frontotemporal dementia) and mild cognitive impairment.
Previous clinical experience focuses on adults with a range of neurological disorders e.g.
epilepsy (pre and post surgery) traumatic brain injury, motor system disorders, vascular disease,
neoplastic disease.
Teaching
Postgraduate Certificate in Academic Practice at the King’s Institute of Learning and Teaching.
Awarded October 2004.
MSc Human Cognitive Neuropsychology, The University of Edinburgh. I am Programme
Director of this course, which began in September 2006.
MA Psychology: As a Senior Lecturer in Human Cognitive Neuroscience at the University of
Edinburgh, I have organised and taught the Methodology and Statistics course for second year
students and an option “Clinical Neuropsychology: a cognitive perspective” for fourth year
students and now jointly run a course “Advanced Behavioural Neuroscience” with Professor
Della Sala.
Previous Courses
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Intercalated BSc in Psychology and Intercalated BSc in Neuroscience and Neuropsychology,
Guy’s King’s and St. Thomas’ School of Medicine: Cognitive Neuropsychology.
Postgraduate Diploma in Clinical Neuropsychology, Institute of Psychiatry, King’s College
London: Assistant Leader
Postgraduate Diploma in Applied Clinical Neuropsychology, Institute of Psychiatry, King’s
College London. Assistant Leader
Membership of Professional Organisations
Scottish Neuropsychology Network, committee member (co-opted)
Euan MacDonald MND Research Centre, member and deputy for acting director (January to
December 2008)
British Psychological Society: Member of Division of Clinical Psychology.
British Psychological Society: Practitioner Full member of the Division of Neuropsychology
British Neuropsychological Society.
British Neuropsychiatry Association.
Experimental Psychology Society.
Centre for Cognitive Ageing and Epidemiology, The University of Edinburgh
Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences, The University of Edinburgh
Reviewer
I am a reviewer for the following journals
Brain
Neuropsychology
Neuropsychologia
Hippocampus
Journal of Neurology
The British Journal of Psychology
Cognitive Brain Research
Epilepsia
The Journal of Neurosciences
Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis.
Human Brain Mapping
Neuroimage
Cortex
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