Dr Mario Parra Rodriguez

Head Of Department

Psychology

Personal statement

Research interests: Mechanisms underlying normal and abnormal cognitive ageing. Cognitive and behavioural changes in neurodegenerative diseases, with emphasis on Alzheimer’s Disease. The investigation of functional brain changes (fMRI, EEG, ERP, Brain Connectivity) in the course of dementing illnesses and other brain disorders. Development of cognitive tests for the early detection of dementia with emphasis on Alzheimer’s disease. Development of technology-based intervention procedures to enhance functions of everyday life in older people who are experiencing cognitive decline. I also have an interest in the biopsychosocial mechanisms of abnormal behaviours (e.g., violence) in the context of social conflicts.

Biography: I graduated as a Medical Doctor in 1993 and as a Clinical Neurophysiologist in 1997. I worked at the Cuban Neuroscience Centre and at different University Hospitals in Cuba and in Colombia. During my clinical work I focused on neuropsychological and neurophysiological aspects of dementia syndromes and other neurological disorders. I taught neuroscience related subjects in the field of medicine and psychology. My motivation for teaching and research led me to a major career change into academia. This started with my PhD in 2005 at the University of Edinburgh and continued with three Postdoctoral Fellowships and a position as a Clinical Studies Officer within the NHS Scotland. I was as an Assistant Professor in Psychology at Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh from 2015 until 2018. I am currently a Lecturer in Psychology at the University of Strathclyde, Glasgow.

Expertise

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Prize And Awards

Invited Professor Brain Health CPD courses in Latin America: Recipient; 26/1/2022
Neuroscientific Officer for ViewMind: Recipient; 2022
Member of the Executive Committee Scottish Dementia Research Consrtium: Recipient; 26/2/2021
Invited Professor MSc in Clinical Neuropsychology, University Surcolombiana: Recipient; 2021
Honorary Fellowship with the School of Philosophy, Psychology and Language Sciences, University of Edinburgh: Recipient; 9/9/2020
Nuffield Council on Bioethics, New in-depth inquiry: the future of ageing: Recipient; 29/7/2020

More prizes and awards

Publications

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Publications

Electrophysiological correlates of Visual Short-Term Memory Binding deficits in community-dwelling seniors at risk of dementia: Gonzalez-Montealegre Rodrigo A, Hernandez Alfredis Gonzalez, Bonilla- Santos Jasmin, Cala-Martínez Dorian Yisela, Parra Rodriguez Mario; Clinical Neurophysiology (2025)
Case study in choosing a graphical character to support reminiscence therapy for those living with dementia: Aylett Matthew, Pappa Katerina, Lim Mei Yii, Aylett Ruth, Wilson Bruce, Parra Mario; IVA '24 24th ACM International Conference on Intelligent Virtual Agents Proceedings of the ACM International Conference on Intelligent Virtual Agents (2024); https://doi.org/10.1145/3652988.3673964
Demonstration of the AMPER system for individuals with Alzheimer’s disease: Wilson Bruce W, Lim Mei Yii, Pappa Katerina, Aylett Matthew, Parra Rodriguez Mario, Aylett Ruth S; IVA '24 24th ACM International Conference on Intelligent Virtual Agents Proceedings of the ACM International Conference on Intelligent Virtual Agents (2024); https://doi.org/10.1145/3652988.3696201
FAST functional connectivity implicates P300 connectivity in working memory deficits in Alzheimer’s disease: Roy Om, Moshfeghi Yashar, Ibanez Agustin, Lopera Francisco, Parra Mario A, Smith Keith; Network Neuroscience Vol 8, pp. 1467-1490 (2024); https://doi.org/10.1162/netn_a_00411
Investigating subtypes : a study on the heterogeneous nature of ataxic dysarthria: Kahraman Suleyman, Lowit Anja, Parra Rodriguez Mario, Hadjivassiliou Marios; American Speech and Hearing Association Convention 2024 (2024)
Using a novel cognitive screening test to identify dementia risk amongst community‐dwelling cognitively unimpaired older adults from underserved populations: Parra‐Rodriguez Mario A, Gonzalez‐Hernandez Alfredis, Bonilla‐Santos Jasmin, Cala Dorian, Gomez Duvan, Forero Eduardo A; Alzheimer's & Dementia: The Journal of the Alzheimer's Association Vol 20 (2024); https://doi.org/10.1002/alz.091680

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Research

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Professional Activities

Health and Care Futures: thematic areas workshop: Participant; 30/5/2024
Preclinical detection of Alzheimer’s disease: are we asking the right questions and using the right tools?: Speaker; 17/10/2023
Alignments in functional connectivity networks: Contributor; 8/11/2022
Advanced Online & Onsite Course & Symposium on Artificial Intelligence & Neuroscience: Participant; 18/9/2022
Virtual Reality in the Assessment and Intervention of Dementia: Speaker; 11/8/2022
National and International Congress Neurosciences and Neuropsychology: Rehabilitation + Technology: Organiser; 11/8/2022

More professional activities

Projects

ViewMind Dementia and Alzheimer's Project Continuation: Parra Rodriguez, Mario (Principal Investigator); 01-Jan-2025 - 30-Jan-2025
ViewMind Dementia and Alzheimer's Project: Parra Rodriguez, Mario (Principal Investigator); 01-Jan-2024 - 30-Jan-2024
Strategy training to support healthy cognitive ageing: behavioural, neuroimaging, and real-world investigations: Brown Nicholls, Louise (Principal Investigator) Parra Rodriguez, Mario (Co-investigator); 01-Jan-2023 - 31-Jan-2027
A mixed-methods investigation of young and older adults’ strategies during age-sensitive visual working memory: co-developing a novel strategy training intervention: Hart, Rebecca (Post Grad Student) Brown Nicholls, Louise (Principal Investigator) Parra Rodriguez, Mario (Co-investigator); SGSSS ESRC student-led studentship awarded to R. Hart; 01-Jan-2023 - 30-Jan-2026
Mental Health Futures Collaborative: Cogan, Nicola (Principal Investigator) Parra Rodriguez, Mario (Principal Investigator) Fleming, Leanne (Principal Investigator) Quinn, Neil (Principal Investigator) Tse, Dwight (Principal Investigator) Knifton, Lee (Principal Investigator) McCann, Lisa (Principal Investigator) Maguire, Roma (Principal Investigator) Smith, Matthew (Principal Investigator) Graham, Christopher Darryl (Principal Investigator) Grealy, Madeleine (Principal Investigator) Stephen, Susan (Principal Investigator) Weir, Natalie Mcfadyen (Principal Investigator) Donnachie, Craig (Principal Investigator) Cameron, Julie (Principal Investigator) Kane, Tony (Co-investigator) Lakey, Trevor (Academic) Donovan, Kevin (Fellow); This Engage with Strathclyde event is aimed at all those with an interest in mental health including people with lived experience, NHS and social care personnel and staff, occupational health and human resource management staff, student support services, university student and staff, academics, private and public sector and other personnel interested in mental health research and knowledge exchange.; 12-Jan-2023 - 12-Jan-2023
Biosemi electroencephalography (EEG) amplifier: McGeown, William (Principal Investigator) Parra Rodriguez, Mario (Co-investigator) Sakata, Shuzo (Co-investigator); 01-Jan-2023 - 30-Jan-2024