VIDEO: Techniques to Enhance Learning and Memory
In this 2016 TEDxHerndon Talk, Dr. Chiaravalloti discusses memory as central to ‘who we are’, and her motivation to discover ways to help individuals with neurological conditions overcome problems with memory.
VIDEO: MS World interview - Dr. Kantor interviews Jeannie Lengenfelder, PhD, about Emotional Processing
VIDEO: MS International Federation - Nancy Chiaravalloti: Addressing cognition in progressive MS
In The Media
Dr. Nancy Chiaravalloti,
Director of Neuropsychology, Neuroscience, and Traumatic Brain Injury Research
Director, Northern New Jersey TBI Model System
Recognizing Disorders of Social Cognition
The scope of cognitive deficits extends beyond learning and memory, and so does our research. People with neurological conditions may lose the ability to recognize the emotions of others, a disorder of social cognition. Deficits of emotional processing cause difficulties in interpersonal relationships at home, in the community and the workplace, and adversely affect quality of life. Recognizing the impact of these disorders on quality of life, Foundation researchers have been in the forefront of efforts to study facial recognition in the MS and TBI populations. These include a collaboration with the University of Bordeaux in France that focuses on individuals with progressive MS.
VIDEO: EverydayHealth.com - Drs. Helen Genova and Jeannie Lengenfelder, 'MS Can Cause ‘Emotional Blindness’
VIDEO: EverydayHealth.com - Dr. Helen Genova...
VIDEO: Helen Genova, PhD, senior research scientist, shares her findings on the association between emotional processing deficits and anxiety and depression in MS
Over the past two decades, Kessler Foundation’s cognitive research has grown in depth and scope. Advances have expanded our knowledge of cognitive deficits that are major contributors to disability. The unique neuroimaging capabilities of the Rocco Ortenzio Neuroimaging Center at Kessler Foundation provide objective evidence that has accelerated the pace of discovery. Under the leadership of director Nancy Chiaravalloti, PhD, developments in neurocognitive rehabilitation are improving care for persons with multiple sclerosis (MS) and traumatic brain injury (TBI) in the U.S. and abroad, and research is extending to new populations. Research activities and postdoctoral training are funded by the National Institutes of Health, National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research (NIDILRR); Department of Veterans Affairs; Department of Defense, the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, Kessler Foundation, the Hearst Foundations, the New Jersey Commission for Brain Injury Research and the New Jersey Commission for Spinal Cord Injury Research.
Dr. Chiaravalloti also heads the Northern New Jersey TBI Model System (NNJTBIS), one of only 16 centers in the federally funded TBI Model System (TBIMS), a national network of care and research that begins with acute care and extends through the lifecycle. NNJTBIS is a collaborative project with Kessler Institute for Rehabilitation and five local trauma centers. Through NNJTBIS, we conduct research that benefits the TBI community, contribute research data to the national TBIMS database, translate findings into clinical care, and provide resources for individuals with TBI and their caregivers.
Here are examples of the impact of our research in neuropsychology, neuroscience and TBI.
Cognition and Traumatic Brain Injury Podcasts
PODCAST: 4th Annual Neuro Trauma Conference - Cognitive Functioning in Individuals with Spinal Cord Injury
Dr. Nancy D. Chiaravalloti, Director of Neuropsychology and Neuroscience and of TBI Research at Kessler Foundation presents at the 4th Annual Neuro Trauma Conference at the Kessler Conference Center, West Orange, New Jersey, December 1, 2016. Her presentation “Cognitive Functioning in Individuals with Spinal Cord Injury” covered the estimated prevalence of cognitive deficits in the SCI population and Identifying types of cognitive changes and causes observed following a spinal cord injury.
View lecture notes: kesslerfoundation.org/sites/default/…CI_01DEC16.pdf
PODCAST: 2016 Kessler Foundation Research Speakers series. Guest speaker Dr. Denise Krch presents: “Development of a virtual-based cognitive rehabilitation treatment”
Dr. Krch is a Research Scientist in the Traumatic Brain Injury Laboratory at Kessler Foundation Research Center, an Assistant Professor in the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at Rutgers - New Jersey Medical School, The State University of New Jersey and is a licensed psychologist in the state of New York.
Dr. Krch has recently been awarded funding from the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research to develop an innovative, virtual reality-based intervention to treat impairments in executive function in individuals with TBI. Dr. Krch also receives funding from the New Jersey Commission on Brain Injury Research to investigate the role of cognitive reserve in TBI.
PODCAST: Dr. Nancy Chiaravalloti spoke on air with CBS Radio’s Dan Raviv on January 8, 2016 about ‘Concussion’, which opened in theaters on Christmas Day. The film, starring Will Smith as Dr. Bennett Omalu, details the challenges the doctor faced in his exploration of the deaths of professional football players who had experienced severe cognitive deterioration. Dr. Chiaravalloti provided her insight into the film, which is provoking much discussion about the risks of contact sports, from professional leagues to youth sports, and the need for further research on the long-term effects of repetitive brain injuries. Dr. Chiaravalloti is Director of Neuropsychology, Neuroscience and Traumatic Brain Injury Research at the New Jersey based Kessler Foundation. She is an expert in the effects of brain trauma and neurological illness on cognitive function – how we think, learn, remember and communicate.
To listen to the entire podcast, go to www.podbean.com/media/share/pb-6jyds-5b99fc
Expanding in New Directions
Recognition of our leadership in cognitive research has enabled us to expand into new areas. Through our collaboration with Children’s Specialized Hospital, we are applying our scientific expertise to improve cognitive rehabilitation for children and adolescents. Working with the clinicians at Children’s Specialized, we are developing evidence-based treatments to help their patients with TBI and autism achieve their full potential. Studies are underway to address problems with learning, attention, and emotional processing that hinder their progress. In this popular podcast, Dr. Cherylynn Marino discusses using mindfulness-based therapy for behavior problems in children and adolescents with TBI.
Improving Memory Deficits
Groundbreaking memory research by Foundation scientists uncovered the underlying mechanisms for deficits that cause disability in MS and TBI. Our scientists then provided the first evidence for an effective treatment for memory retraining, the modified Story Memory Technique (mSMT), a low-cost, noninvasive cognitive intervention being used in eight countries, as well as in centers in the U.S. The mSMT has been translated into Spanish, Italian and Chinese. Using the mSMT’s five-week protocol, professionals are helping individuals achieve lasting benefits, including improvements in their ability to perform everyday activities.
We are also exploring cognitive issues in the population with spinal cord injury. Although cognitive deficits contribute to poor rehabilitation outcomes, little attention has focused on changes in cognition in these individuals. In collaboration with SCI researchers, we are studying cognitive performance and using neuroimaging to look at possible causes. Preliminary findings indicate two factors that may contribute to cognitive difficulties - mild TBI and poor blood flow due to low blood pressure. Ongoing research will help determine optimal ways to improve outcomes.
Dr. Chiaravalloti discussed these findings in this podcast recorded at Kessler’s 4th Annual NeuroTrauma Conference.
Training Research Scientists
Kessler Foundation’s postdoctoral training program is central to preparing scientists to conduct rehabilitation research. Since 2000, we have prepared 30 scientists for careers in research, government, and the medical field. The impact of their training can be measured by their success in obtaining funding, and their many contributions to the field including publications, academic appointments, and subsequent leadership positions.
In this podcast, former fellows Erica Weber, PhD, and Silvana Costa, PhD, share their experiences in the Foundation’s postdoctoral program, and the impact on their careers.
