Eva Periche Tomas
Research student, School of Psychology
- perichetomase@cardiff.ac.uk
- Cardiff University Brain Research Imaging Centre, Maindy Road, Cardiff, CF24 4HQ
Overview
Why older individuals seem to be more susceptible to the cognitive and motivationally impairing effects of inflammation?
We know that in older adults, infection can lead to coginitive disturbance and when severe or chronic it can cause irreversible cognitive impairment and accelerate the progression of neurodegenerative diseases such Alzheimer's. However, little is understood about the mechanisms driving this susceptibility.
I aim to identify these mechanisms by using a combination of an experimental model of inflammation (Interferon-alfa) with a range of neuroimaging techniques (DCE, MR spectroscopy, rsfMRI and PET) to quantify how inflammation affects human brain function at the level of: BBB function, microglia morphometry, neuronal function (dopamine turnover) and functional connectivity.
Research
Thesis
Towards a mechanistic understanding of how age increases susceptibility to inflammation-induced cognitive disturbance
Funding source
School of Psychology and Hodge Centre for Neuropsychiatric Immunology (School of Medicine)
Supervisors
Professor Simon Jones
Dean of Research; Co-Director of Systems Immunity Research Institute; Research Theme Lead - Infection, Inflammation & Immunity