Active studies
Functional Neuroanatomy of Worry in Older Adults (FINA)
Anxiety and worry can occur at any point in life, including older age. Severe worry is associated with increased risk of progression from mild cognitive impairment to Alzheimer’s disease, as well as increased risk of stroke and other cardiovascular events. Severe worry, defined as intense, uncontrollable worry associated with interruption in functioning and reduced quality of life, is surprisingly prevalent in the community, with 20% of older adults reporting severe worry.
Identifying neural mechanisms for late-life worry is a crucial step for understanding why worry crops up in the latter part of life.
We focus on the roles of brain networks and aging on worry, with the goal of developing more effective interventions in the future.
Neural Mechanisms of Monoaminergic Engagement in Late-Life Depression Treatment Response (NEMO)
Depression can occur at any stage in life, including older age. Depression that occurs in later life can pose distinct challenges, particularly with regard to treatment. Although treatment response to medication can take up to 8 weeks, neuroimaging data during the initiation of medication may help predict who will respond to medication. This research program is designed to identify brain responses to medication and see how they predict remission of depressive symptoms.