Ms. Emily McCann

Email: e.mccann@uq.edu.au

Supervisors

Professor Peter Nestor (primary)

Professor Jason Mattingley

Current research

Dementia is characterised by having an insidious onset, and early neurodegeneration in the posterior (back) part of the brain. This region is involved with visuoperception and should be an early presenting feature. Current tests used to assess visuoperception were originally designed for stroke patients (and immediate cognitive impairment); visuoperceptual deficits in dementia, however, are only reported in late disease stages. My PhD aims to develop and calibrate new tests specifically for dementia, aligning visuoperceptual deficits and posterior neurodegeneration, to identify early cognitive changes. New tests should provide diagnostic and therapeutic utility for future clinical trials.

Research interests

• Visuoperception

• Neurodegeneration

• Neuroimaging