CITE is a research group within the Academic Unit for Psychiatry of Old Age in the Department of Psychiatry, co-led by Dr Amit Lampit and Dr Alex Bahar-Fuchs. We develop, evaluate, implement and study the mechanisms of cognition-oriented treatments across the lifespan and brain disorders.

Some specific questions underlying our group’s research include:

• How can cognitive treatments best support cognition and function in healthy people and those with cognitive impairments?
• What are the biopsychosocial mechanisms that underpin cognitive treatment gains?
• How can emerging technologies be used to optimise the benefits of cognitive treatments?
• How to effectively combine cognitive and other evidence-based treatments (e.g., physical exercise and behaviour change) for best outcomes?
• What are the most appropriate trial methodologies to advance research on cognitive interventions?
• How can evidence synthesis methods be used to answer key clinical questions regarding the effects of cognitive treatments?

Projects conducted in our lab are multidisciplinary and involve a range of methodologies. We have extensive collaborations with researchers in Melbourne, as well as nationally and internationally. Our projects tend to fall into three broad research themes:

1. Optimising intervention design (including with emerging technologies)
2. Optimising trial design, implementation, and reporting
3. Optimising evidence synthesis methods

Dr Amit Lampit (co-leader)

I am a CR Roper Senior Research Fellow and clinical neuroscientist specialising in cognitive training across the lifespan and brain disorders, clinical trials and research synthesis.
I also hold dual appointments at the Department of Neurology, Charité University Hospital Berlin and the Berlin School of Mind and Brain, Humboldt University. Previously I held a NHMRC-ARC Dementia Research Development Fellowship (2016-2019) as well as a research fellow position at the Brain and Mind Centre & School of Psychology, University of Sydney.

Dr Alex Bahar-Fuchs (co-leader)

I am a researcher and clinician specializing in the field of cognitive ageing. My early work furthered our understanding of olfactory cognitive processes and their relevance to the early detection of Alzheimer’s disease.

More recently, my research interests have broadened and include the development, evaluation and synthesis of non-pharmacological interventions aimed at primary and secondary prevention of cognitive decline and dementia, often using emerging technologies.. I obtained my BA in Psychology, Sociology and Anthropology from Ben-Gurion University in Israel, and completed a Postgraduate Diploma in Psychology here at the University of Melbourne. I then completed a PhD in clinical neuropsychology at Monash University along with all requirements of an MA in clinical neuropsychology. I completed postdoctoral training at the Centre for Research on Ageing, Health, and Wellbeing at the Australian National University. Between July 2014 and December 2016, I was based at the Joseph Sagol Centre for Neuroscience at Sheba Medical Centre, Israel, as part of an NHMRC Overseas-Based Clinical Early Career Fellowship. In 2017, I was awarded a Boosting Dementia Research Leadership Fellowshipfrom the National Health and Medical Research Council. I am a founding member and Chair of CIDER - an International Working Group, focused on the advancement of methodological quality of cognition-focused intervention trials for people at risk of dementia. I am also the Chair (2016-2019) of the Non-Pharmacological Interventions Professional Interest Area (PIA) of the International Society for the Advancement of Alzheimer's Research and Treatment (ISTAART).

Dr Hanna Malmberg Gavelin (postdoctoral fellow)

Hanna Malmberg Gavelin is a post doctoral fellow at the Cognitive Interventions Technologies and Evaluation Research Group at the Academic Unit for Psychiatry of Old Age. She completed her PhD in 2019 at Umeå University, Sweden. Her research has focused on how stress-related illness influences the brain and cognitive function, and how cognitive impairments can be treated in the context of stress rehabilitation. She is also a clinical psychologist with experience from working with older adults with cognitive decline and stress rehabilitation. She is currently working on research projects involving combined cognitive and physical training, as well as evidence synthesis in the field of cognition-oriented treatments for older adults.

Julieta Sabates (PhD student)

I am a PhD candidate at the Academic Unit for Psychiatry of Old Age at The University of Melbourne. Before moving to Australia, I completed a 6-year degree in Psychology at the University of Buenos Aires (UBA), and two postgraduate specialisation clinical degrees in Schizophrenia. I joined the Cognitive Interventions Technologies and Evaluations (CITE) Research Group in 2017 and realised while I was working as a research assistant that I wanted a career in academia. I started my PhD in 2019, where I am focusing on cognitive interventions for neuropsychiatric symptoms of people with young-onset dementia. My main research interests include psychosocial interventions, young-onset dementia, neuropsychiatric symptoms, psychotic disorders and severe mental-illnesses in general.

Kaori Mitsui (PhD student)

I’m a Ph.D. student (with degrees in psychology and gerontology, and years of experiences in helping clinical studies) currently working on my project, virtual reality based cognitive training for older adults.  Besides my current project, my other interests are: mild cognitive impairment, physical exercise, successful aging, and so on.  I enjoy chatting over a cup of coffee or two, watching sports games, and doing my walking exercise.

Ruth Minkov (research assistant)

I’m a current student of the Master of Psychology (Clinical Neuropsychology) program at the University of Melbourne. I worked as a research assistant before completing my undergraduate Honours degree at the University of New England. I subsequently relocated to Melbourne and completed a post-graduate certificate in International Business. I am passionate about contributing to the body of knowledge in neuropsychological research. My research interests include: neuropsychological assessment and intervention in ADHD; the role of sex and gender in the presentation and diagnosis of neuropsychological disorders; and understanding neuropsychological symptoms resulting from medications and physical illnesses.

Group alumni

Dr Anna Wolf (postdoctoral fellow)

Dr Mary Castellani (research assistant)

Christopher Dong (Honours student)

Benjamin Hodge (Honours student)

In press

Malmberg Gavelin H, Lampit A, Hallock H, Sabatés J, Bahar-Fuchs A. Cognition-oriented treatments for older adults: A systematic overview of systematic reviews. Neuropsychology Review [Preprint]

Vlisides PE, Keage HAD, Lampit A. Can Cognitive Training Improve Perioperative Brain Health? Anesthesia & Analgesia

2020

Bartlett D, Dominguez J, Lazar A, Kordsachia C, Rankin T, Lo J, Govus A, Power B, Lampit A, Eastwood P, Ziman M, Cruickshank T (2020). Multidisciplinary Rehabilitation Reduces Hypothalamic Grey Matter Volume Loss in Individuals with Preclinical Huntington’s Disease: A Nine-Month Pilot Study. Journal of the Neurological Sciences 408:116522. doi: 10.1016/j.jns.2019.116522

Bartlett DM, Poudel G, Maddison KJ, Lampit A, Dann L, Eastwood PR, Lazar AS, Ziman MR, Cruickshank TM (2020). Effect of multidisciplinary rehabilitation on sleep outcomes in individuals with preclinical Huntington disease: An exploratory study. Annals of Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine. doi: 10.1016/j.rehab.2019.11.003

Greaves  D, Psaltis PJ, Lampit A, Davis D, Smith AE, Bourke A, Worthington MG, Valenzuela MJ, Keage HAD (2020). Computerised cognitive training to improve cognition including delirium following coronary artery bypass grafting surgery: protocol for a blinded randomised controlled trial. BMJ Open 10:e034551. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2019-034551

Javelle F, Lampit A, Bloch W, Häussermann P, Johnson S, Zimmer P (2020). A systematic review and meta-analysis of the effects of 5-hydroxytryptophan on distinct types of depression: Current evidence and future perspectives. Nutrition Reviews 78(1):77-88. doi: 10.1093/nutrit/nuz039

2019

Babulal GM, Quiroz YT, Albensi BC, Arenaza-Urquijo E, Astell AJ, Babiloni C, Bahar-Fuchs A, et al (2019). Perspectives on ethnic and racial disparities in Alzheimer's disease and related dementias: Update and areas of immediate need. Alzheimer's & Dementia 15(2):292-312 [Open access]

Bahar-Fuchs A, Barendse MEA, Bloom R, Ravona-Springer R, Heymann A, Dabush H, Bar L, Slater-Barkan S, Rassovsky Y, Schnaider Beeri M (2019). Computerized Cognitive Training for Older Adults at Higher Dementia Risk due to Diabetes: Findings From a Randomized Controlled Trial, The Journals of Gerontology: Series A glz073 [Article]

Bahar‐Fuchs A, Martyr A, Goh AMY, Sabates J, Clare L (2019). Cognitive training for people with mild to moderate dementia. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2019 3:CD013069 [Open access]

Eschke RCKR, Lampit A, Schenk A, Javelle F, Steindorf K, Diel P, Bloch W, Zimmer P (2019). Impact of physical exercise on growth and progression of cancer in rodents: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Frontiers in Oncology 9:35 [Open access]

Hallock H, Lampit A, Kuchling J, Finke C (2019). Brain Rehabilitation Assessment and InterventioN (BRAIN): Delivering Efficacious Training at Home. In WG Wright, S Subramanian, G Fluet, M Agmon, RM Proffitt, M Roberts (Eds), Proceedings of the 13^th International Conference on Virtual Rehabilitation (ICVR), Tel Aviv, online ahead of print [Open access]

Heffernan M, Andrews G, Fiatarone Singh M, Valenzuela M, Anstey K, Maeder A, McNeil J, Jorm L, Lautenschlager N, Sachdev P, Chau T, Ginige A, Hobbs M, Walton C, Lampit A, Kochan N, Mavros Y, Noble Y, Maintain Your Brain Collaborative Team, Henry Brodaty (2019). Maintain Your Brain: protocol of a 3-year randomised controlled trial of an individualised multi-modal eHealth intervention to prevent cognitive decline and incident dementia amongst community dwelling 55-77 year olds. Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease 70: S221-S237 [Open access]

Kudlicka A, Martyr A, Bahar‐Fuchs A, Woods B, Clare L (2019). Cognitive rehabilitation for people with mild to moderate dementia (protocol). Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2019 8:CD013388 [Open access]

Lampit A, Heine J, Finke C, Barnett MH, Valenzuela M, Wolf A, Leung I, Hill NTM (2019). Computerized Cognitive Training in Multiple Sclerosis: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Neurorehabilitation and Neural Repair 33:695–706 [Article]

Sturnieks DL, Menant J, Valenzuela M, Delbaere K, Sherrington C, Herbert RD, Lampit A, Broadhouse K, Turner J, Schoene D, Lord SR (2019). Effect of cognitive-only and cognitive-motor training on preventing falls in community-dwelling older people: protocol for the smart±step randomised controlled trial. BMJ Open e029409. [Open access]

Walton CC, Lampit A, Boulamatsis C, Hallock H, Barr P, Ginige JA, Brodaty H, Chau T, Heffernan M, Sachdev PS, Fiatarone Singh MA, Valenzuela M (2019). Design and Development of the Brain Training System for the Digital “Maintain Your Brain” Dementia Prevention Trial. JMIR Aging 2:1 [Open access]

2018

Baker KS, Georgiou-Karistianis N, Lampit A, Valenzuela M, Gibson SJ, Giummarra MJ (2018). Computerised Training Improves Cognitive Performance in Chronic Pain: A Participant-Blinded Randomised Active-Controlled Trial with Remote Supervision. Pain 159:644-655 [Article]

Demetriou E, Lampit A, Quintana D, Naismith S, Song Y, Pye J, Hickie I, Guastella A (2018). Autism Spectrum Disorders: A meta-analysis of executive function. Molecular Psychiatry 23:1198-1204 [Open access]

Doniger GM, Schnaider Beeri M, Bahar-Fuchs A, Gottlieb A, Tkachov A, Kenan H, Livny A, Bahat Y, Sharon H, Ben-Gal O, Cohen M, Zeilig G, Plotnik M (2018). Virtual reality-based cognitive-motor training for middle-aged adults at high Alzheimer's disease risk: A randomized controlled trial. Alzheimer's & Dementia: Translational Research & Clinical Interventions 4 118-129 [Open access]

Malmberg Gavelin H, Eskilsson T, Boraxbekk CJ, Josefsson M, Stigsdotter Neely A, Järvholm LS (2018). Rehabilitation for improved cognition in patients with stress-related exhaustion disorder: RECO – a randomized clinical trial. Stress 21(4):279-291 [Open access]

Webb SL, Loh V, Lampit A, Bateman J, Birney DP (2018). Meta-analysis of the effects of computerized cognitive training on executive functions: A cross-disciplinary taxonomy for classifying outcome cognitive factors. Neuropsychology Review 28:232-250 [Article]

2017

Bahar-Fuchs A, Webb SL, Bartsch L, Clare L, Rebok G, Cherbuin N, Anstey KJ (2017). Tailored and adaptive computerised cognitive training in older adults at risk of dementia: A randomised controlled trial. Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease 60(3):889-911 [Article]

Bloom R, Schnaider-Beeri M, Ravona R, Heymann A, Dabush H, Bar L, Slater S, Rassovsky Y, Bahar-Fuchs A (2017). Computerized cognitive training for older diabetic adults at risk of dementia: study protocol for a double-blind randomized controlled trial. Alzheimer’s & Dementia: Translational Research and Clinical Interventions 3(4):636-650 [Open access]

Cross N, Lampit A, Pye J, Grunstein R, Marshall N, Naismith SL (2017). Is obstructive sleep apnoea related to neuropsychological function in healthy older adults? A systematic review and meta-analysis. Neuropsychology Review 27:389-402 [Article]

Eskilsson T, Slunga Järvholm L, Malmberg Gavelin H, Stigsdotter Neely A, Boraxbekk CJ (2017). Aerobic training for improved memory in patients with stress-related exhaustion: a randomized controlled trial. BMC Psychiatry 17(1):322 [Open access]

Hill N, Mowszowski L, Naismith S, Chadwick V, Valenzuela M, Lampit A (2017). Computerized Cognitive Training in Older Adults with Mild Cognitive Impairment or Dementia: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. The American Journal of Psychiatry 174:329-340 [Open access]

Malmberg Gavelin H,  Stigsdotter Neely A, Andersson M, Eskilsson T, Järvholm LS, Boraxbekk CJ (2017). Neural activation in stress-related exhaustion: Cross-sectional observations and interventional effects. Psychiatry Research: Neuroimaging 269:17-25 [Article]

Masi A, Lampit A, DeMayo M, Glozier N, Hickie I, Guastella A (2017) A comprehensive systematic review and meta-analysis of pharmacological and dietary supplement interventions in pediatric autism: Moderators of treatment response and recommendations for future research. Psychological Medicine 47:1322-1344 [Article]

Stratton E, Lampit A, Choi I, Calvo RA, Harvey SB, Glozier N (2017). Effectiveness of eHealth interventions for reducing mental health conditions in employees: A systematic review and meta-analysis. PLoS One 12:e0189904 [Open access]

Walton C, Naismith S, Lampit A, Mowszowski L, Lewis S (2017). Cognitive Training in Parkinson’s Disease: A Theoretical Perspective. Neurorehabilitation and Neural Repair 31:207-216 [Open access]

2016

Hallock H, Collins D, Lampit A, Deol K, Fleming J, Valenzuela M (2016). Cognitive Training for Post-Acute Traumatic Brain Injury: A Meta-Analysis. Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, 10:537 [Open access]

Lampit A, Duffy S, Valenzuela M. (2016). Translating physical activity into a therapy for the mind: How does it work? In LC Lam & M Riba (Eds.), Physical Exercise Interventions for Mental Health (pp. 147-163). Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press [Chapter]

Mowszowski L, Lampit A, Walton C, Naismith SL (2016). Strategy-Based Cognitive Training for Improving Executive Functions in Older Adults: A Systematic Review. Neuropsychology Review, 26:252-270 [Article]

Suo C, Fiatarone Singh M, Gates N, Wen W, Sachdev P, Brodaty H, Saigal N, Wilson G, Meiklejohn J, Singh N, Baune B, Baker M, Foroughi N, Wang Y, Mavros Y, Lampit A, Leung I, Valenzuela M (2016). Therapeutically Relevant Structural and Functional Mechanisms Triggered by Physical and Cognitive Exercise. Molecular Psychiatry 21:1633-1642 [Open access]

2015

Anstey KJ, Bahar-Fuchs A, Herath P, Kim S, Burns R, Rebok G, Cherbuin N (2015). Body Brain Life: a randomized controlled trial of an online dementia risk reduction intervention in middle-aged adults at risk of Alzheimer's disease. Alzheimer's & Dementia: Translational Research & Clinical Interventions 1(1):72-80 [Open access]

Barnett J, Bahar-Fuchs A, Cherbuin N, Herath P, Anstey K (2015). Interventions to prevent cognitive decline and dementia in adults without cognitive impairment: A systematic review. Journal of Prevention of Alzheimer's Disease 2(1):38-45 [Article]

Lampit A, Hallock H, Suo C., Naismith S, Brodaty H, Valenzuela M. (2015) Cognitive training-induced short-term functional and long-term structural plastic change is related to gains in global cognition in healthy older adults. Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience 7:14 [Open access]

Lampit A, Valenzuela M (2015). Pointing the FINGER at multimodal dementia prevention. The Lancet 386, 1625-6 [Open access]

Lampit A, Valenzuela M, Gates N (2015). Computerized cognitive training is beneficial for older adults. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society 63:2610-2 [Article]

Lampit A, Valenzuela M, Gates N (2015). Response to Dr. Edward Ratner et al. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society 63:2615 [Article]

Leung I, Walton C, Hallock M, Lewis S, Valenzuela M, Lampit A (2015). Cognitive training in Parkinson’s disease: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Neurology 85:1843–1851 [Open access]

Malmberg Gavelin H, Boraxbekk CJ, Stenlund T, Järvholm LS, Stigsdotter Neely A (2015). Effects of a process-based cognitive training intervention for patients with stress-related exhaustion. Stress 18(5):578-88 [Article]

Masi A, Lampit A, Glozier N, Hickie I, Gustella A (2015). Predictors of placebo response in pharmaceutical and dietary supplement treatment trials in pediatric autism spectrum disorder: A meta-analysis. Translational Psychiatry 5:e640 [Open access]

Ong K, Villemagne V, Bahar-Fuchs A, Reininger C, Putz B, Rohde B, Masters C, Rowe C (2015). Aβ Imaging with 18F-Florbetaben in Prodromal Alzheimer’s Disease: A Prospective Outcome Study. Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery & Psychiatry 86(4):431-6 [Article]

2014

Anstey K, Bahar-Fuchs A, Sargent-Cox K. (2014). Longitudinal studies in clinical geropsychology. In Pachana NA & Laidlaw K (Eds). The Oxford Handbook of Clinical Geropsychology: International Perspectives (pp. 20-61). UK: Oxford University Press [Abstract]

Lampit A, Ebster C, Valenzuela M (2014). Multi-domain computerized cognitive training program improves performance of bookkeeping tasks:  A matched-sampling, active-controlled trial. Frontiers in Psychology 5:794 [Open access]

Lampit A, Hallock H, Moss R, Kwok S, Kohn A, Lukjanunko M, Rosser M, Naismith S, Brodaty H, Valenzuela M. (2014). The timecourse of global cognitive gains from supervised computer-assisted cognitive training: A randomised, active-controlled trial in elderly with multiple risk factors. Journal of Prevention of Alzheimer’s Disease 1:33-9 [Article]

Lampit A, Hallock H, Valenzuela M. (2014). Computerized cognitive training in cognitively healthy older adults: A systematic review and meta-analysis of effect modifiers. PLoS Medicine 11: e1001756 [Open access]

2013

Anstey K, Bahar-Fuchs A, Cherbuin N, Herath M (2013). A 12-week multi-domain intervention versus active control to reduce risk of Alzheimer’s disease: Study protocol for a randomised controlled trial. Trials 14:60 [Open access]

Bahar-Fuchs A, Ong K, Villemagne V, Chetelat G, Lamb F, Woodward M, Rowe C (2013). Prediction of amyloid-β pathology in amnestic mild cognitive impairment with neuropsychological tests.  Journal of Alzheimer's Disease 33(2):451-462 [Article]

Bahar-Fuchs, A, Woods RT, Clare, L (2013). Cognitive training and cognitive rehabilitation for mild to moderate Alzheimer's disease and vascular dementia. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 6:CD003260 [Open access]

Bahar-Fuchs, A, Woods RT, Clare, L (2013). Cognitive training and cognitive rehabilitation for persons with mild to moderate dementia of the Alzheimer's or vascular type: A review. Alzheimer’s Research & Therapy 5(4):35 [Open access]

Ong K, Villemagne V, Bahar-Fuchs A, Reininger C, Putz B, Rohde B, Masters C, Rowe C (2013). ¹⁸F-florbetaben Ab imaging in mild cognitive impairment. Alzheimer’s Research & Therapy 5:4 [Open access]

2011

Bahar-Fuchs A, Moss S, Rowe C, Savage G (2011). Awareness of olfactory deficits in healthy ageing, amnestic mild cognitive impairment, and Alzheimer’s disease. International Psychogeriatrics 23(7):1097-1106 [Article]

2010

Bahar-Fuchs A, Chételat G, Moss S, Pike K, Villemgne V, Masters C, Rowe C, Savage G (2010). Olfactory deficits and amyloid-β burden in Alzheimer's disease, mild cognitive impairment, and healthy aging: a PiB PET study. Journal of Alzheimer's Disease 22(4):1081-1087 [Article]

Bahar-Fuchs A, Moss S, Rowe C, Savage G (2010). Can I smell gas (or is it lilac)? Olfactory semantic deficits in Mild Cognitive Impairment and Alzheimer's disease. Chemosensory Perception 3(2):118-128 [Article]

Bahar-Fuchs A, Moss S, Rowe C, Savage G (2010). Olfactory performance in AD, aMCI, and healthy ageing: a unirhinal approach. Chemical Senses 35(9):855-862 [Open access]

2008

Ponsford J, Hill B, Karamitsios M, Bahar-Fuchs A (2008). Factors influencing outcome after orthopedic trauma. The Journal of Trauma: Injury, Infection, and Critical Care 64(4):1001-1009 [Article]

2007

Ponsford J, Whelan R, Bahar-Fuchs A (2007) Alcohol and Drug Use Following Traumatic Brain Injury: A Prospective Study. Brain Injury 21(13-14):1385-1392 [Article]