Dr Mario Parra Rodriguez

Professor

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

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Publications

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Publications

Brain clocks capture diversity and disparity in aging and dementia: Moguilner Sebastian, Di Caterina Gaetano, Clark Ruaridh A, Parra Mario A, Ibanez Agustin; Nature Medicine (2024)
Brain health in diverse settings : how age, demographics and cognition shape brain function: Hernandez Hernan, Baez Sandra, Medel Vicente, Moguilner Sebastian, Cuadros Jhosmary, Santamaria-Garcia Hernando, Tagliazucchi Enzo, Valdes-Sosa Pedro A, Lopera Francisco, OchoaGómez John Fredy, González Hernández Alfredis, Bonilla-Santos Jasmin, González-Montealegre Rodrigo A, Aktürk Tuba, Yıldırım Ebru, Anghinah Renato, Legaz Agustina, Fittipaldi Sol, Yener Görsev G, Escudero Javier, Babiloni Claudio, Lopez Susanna, Whelan Robert, Fernández Lucas Alberto A, García Adolfo M, Huepe David, Di Caterina Gaetano, Soto-Añari Marcio, Birba Agustina, Sainz-Ballesteros Agustín, Coronel Carlos, Herrera Eduar, Abasolo Daniel, Kilborn Kerry, Rubido Nicolás, Clark Ruaridh, Herzog Ruben, Yerlikaya Deniz, Güntekin Bahar, Parra Mario A, Prado Pavel, Ibanez Agustin; NeuroImage Vol 295 (2024); https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuroimage.2024.120636
Advancements in dementia research, diagnostics and care in Latin America : highlights from the 2023 Alzheimer's association international conference satellite symposium in Mexico City: Sosa Ana Luisa, Brucki Sonia MD, Crivelli Lucia, Lopera Francisco Javier, Acosta Daisy M, Acosta-Uribe Juliana, Aguilar Diego, Aguilar-Navarro Sara G, Allegri Ricardo F, Bertolucci Paulo HF, Calandri Ismael L, Carrillo Maria C, Mendez Patricio Alexis Chrem, Cornejo-Olivas Mario, Custodio Nilton, Damian Andrés, Cruz de Souza Leonardo, Duran-Aniotz Claudia, Garcia Adolfo M, García-Peña Carmen, Gonzales Mitzi M, Grinberg Lea T, Ibanez Agustin M, Illanes-Manrique Maryenela Zaida, Jack Jr Clifford R, Leon-Salas Jorge Mario, Llibre-Guerra Jorge J, Luna-Muñoz José, Matallana Diana, Miller Bruce L, Naci Lorina, Parra Mario A, Pericak-Vance Margaret, Piña-Escudero Steganie D, de Paula França Resende Elisa, Ringman John M, Sevlever Gustavo, Slachevsky Andrea, Suemoto Claudia Kimie, Valcour Victor, Villegas-Lanau Andres, Yassuda Mônica S, Mahinrad Simin, Sexton Claire; Alzheimer's & Dementia: The Journal of the Alzheimer's Association Vol 20, pp. 5009-5026 (2024); https://doi.org/10.1002/alz.13850
Development and validation of an AI-generated real-world stimulus set for visual working memory research.: Campbell Gerard, Nicholls Graeme, Hart Rebecca, Allen Richard J, von Bastian Claudia, Burke Melanie R, Parra Rodriguez Mario, Nicholls Louise A B; The 4th International Conference on Working Memory (2024)
A multidimensional, person-centered framework for functional assessment in dementia : insights from the 'What', 'How', 'To Whom', and 'How Much' questions: Slachevsky Andrea, Grandi Fabrissio, Thumala Daniela, Baez Sandra, Santamaria-García Hernando, Schmitter- Edgecombe Maureen, Parra Mario A; Journal of Alzheimer's Disease Vol 99, pp. 1187-1205 (2024); https://doi.org/10.3233/JAD-230376
Screening tools for dementia assessment in UK based ethnic minorities: Calia Clara, Parra Rodriguez Mario; Exploration of Medicine Vol 5, pp. 401-415 (2024); https://doi.org/10.37349/emed.2024.00227

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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
National and International Congress Neurosciences and Neuropsychology: Rehabilitation + Technology: Organiser; 11/8/2022
Virtual Reality in the Assessment and Intervention of Dementia: Speaker; 11/8/2022

More professional activities

Projects

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 - 30-Jan-2026
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
Virtual Reality Assessment and Intervention Systems: Parra Rodriguez, Mario (Principal Investigator); Health informatics tools for the assessment and rehabilitation of dementias have grown steeply over the last decade both in number and robustness. Particular emphasis has been put on the development of virtual reality (VR) applications due to their scope for patient immersion in naturalistic environments. However, available systems still face important challenges. They still lack the desire ecological validity and flexibility needed to achieve patient adherence to treatment and sustained improvements post-intervention. To achieve ecological validity, such systems should be meaningful to the individual, that is, they should follow a naturalistic approach through which cognitive abilities can be enhanced in contexts and with tasks familiar to the affected person. The flexibility component should allow tailoring the demands of the intervention plan in an intelligent and theory-driven manner reducing the need for therapist-centred interventions and consequently health care costs. This project tackles these challenges by merging VR interactive systems and artificial intelligence (AI). It pursues the following aims:

it will operate in a theory-driven manner
it will enhance cognition by linking, in a meaningful way, virtual and real experiences in daily living settings
it will monitor the physical impact of cognitive enhancement
it will integrate different sources of information to tailor advice that highlights the links across virtual and real environments (intelligent advisor) and to generate digital case notes which will be submitted to the health care team via telecare platforms; 24-Jan-2023