Sheena Baratono, MD, PhD

2023 MCKNIGHT CLINICAL TRANSLATIONAL RESEARCH SCHOLARSHIP IN COGNITIVE AGING AND AGE-RELATED MEMORY LOSS

Title/Institution: Postdoctoral Researcher and Clinical Fellow, Beth Israel Deaconess Harvard Medical Center

Project Title: “Visuospatial network mapping in cognitive aging”

While many elderly patients present with memory loss, visuospatial dysfunction is also common and contributes to falls, car accidents, loss of independence, and increased caregiver and socioeconomic burden. 

However, visuospatial dysfunction improves with practice in patients with early diagnosis. If we can predict which patients will develop visuospatial dysfunction based on routine clinical MRI scans, we might be able to intervene before the patient becomes symptomatic. Dr. Baratono’s goal is to use atrophy patterns to predict dysfunction and ultimately identify targets for neuromodulation.