Individuals over the age of 65 years represent the fastest growing segment of the general population. This rise is accompanied by an increase in dementia cases. Dementia is a major cause of dependency, increased health care costs and early death.
Identification of individuals at risk of dementia early in the course of the disease is critical. The overarching objective of this research is to characterise the changes in cognition that represent early indicators of progressive neurodegenerative brain disorders, such as Alzheimer’s disease or frontotemporal dementia, and to define their biological correlates with the aims to improve early diagnosis, diagnosis accuracy and improve care and management of patients.
Greater diagnostic specificity across these disorders and improved discrimination from changes that reflect age-related (or “healthy”) ageing will lead to comprehensive biological-cognitive models of disease presentation and progression.
This research is achieved by using a convergence of clinical and experimental cognitive tests combined with structural and functional neuroimaging approaches.
Dr Olivier Piguet trained in psychology in Geneva and obtained a Master's degree in clinical neuropsychology at the University of Melbourne and a PhD at the University of Sydney.
He undertook postdoctoral training at MIT before establishing his research group at the Prince of Wales Medical Research Institute. He is also a clinical neuropsychologist with 18 years clinical experience, 12 of which dedicated to ageing and neurodegeneration.
He has a growing international reputation in the field of cognitive changes associated with healthy and pathological brain ageing and has published over 25 peer-reviewed journal articles on this topic.
More recently, his research has focused on the biological correlates underlying changes in emotion processing and memory in frontotemporal dementia.
At the Institute, Dr Piguet collaborates closely with Prof Hodges and Prof Halliday.
Brain imaging in frontotemporal dementiaFrontotemporal dementia predominantly affects two regions of the brain: the frontal and temporal lobes. |
Deficits in emotion processing and autobiographical memory and their impact on carersHow is the processing of emotion impaired in frontotemporal dementia? How does it affect the ability to remember meaningful and important information from one’s life? |
Phenotypic presentations in Australian families with early-onset dementia syndromesIn Australia, at least 25 families present with an autosomally inherited dementia syndrome. |
