Dr. Andrea Protzner
Positions
Associate Professor
Full Member
Hotchkiss Brain Institute
Full Member
Mathison Centre for Mental Health Research and Education
Contact information
Background
Educational Background
Doctor of Philosophy Psychology, University of Toronto, 2007
M.A. Psychology, University of Toronto, 1999
Research
Areas of Research
My research examines how brain dynamics are linked to variations in cognitive capacity and how neural networks change using modern neuroimaging techniques. The following two areas of interest give the flavour of this approach:
1 | Neurocognitive aging and plasticity
Imaging and behavioural data generally suggest that the brain is a dynamic organism that works to maintain cognitive resilience throughout adulthood. However, with increasing age, brain structures decrease in volume and white matter density. The brain responds to these insults by engaging in plasticity, but we know little about the ‘best’ types of plasticity, and even less about the specific brain mechanisms that promote this adaptive plasticity. Our research combines learning paradigms, neuropsychological approaches, and neuroimaging to address these questions.
2 | Depression
The holy grail of psychiatry is to identify biomarkers of disease, but individual differences influence disease trajectories and treatment outcomes. We aim to move away from identifying differences between groups, and even from presenting aggregate results across multiple study participants. Instead, our aim is to combine information within-subject across multiple imaging modalities to identify unique biological signatures for predicting treatment responsiveness, and tailoring treatment strategies to individual patients with major depressive disorder.
Participation in university strategic initiatives
Courses
| Course number | Course title | Semester |
|---|---|---|
| PSYC 600 | Professional Development | |
| PSYC 623 | Functional Neuroanatomy | |
| PSYC 591 | Advanced Topics in Cognitive Psychology (Higher Cognitive Functions) |
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