PhD studentship: Developing novel cognitive and neural markers of healthy ageing and dementia

The Aston Brain Health Cohort Study is a PhD studentship that explores how to predict dementia risk early. 

The successful applicant will work together with other PhD students to develop simple tests that can be administered as part of an eye test, hearing test, GP health screening visit or even in the home. These methods will span psychology, neuroscience, optometry, biology, and medicine, bringing a multifaceted approach to the early detection of dementia.

The study revolves around the idea of a Brain Health Index that is this difference between chronological age and ‘brain age’. Brain age will itself be predicted by a suite of tests that are known to correlate with chronological age but also get worse in dementia, mild cognitive impairment, and similar conditions. Thus, if a person’s predicted brain age exceeds their chronological age they may be at risk of dementia even when no outward symptoms are present. 

Candidates should have been awarded, or expect to achieve, EITHER:

• A Bachelors degree in a relevant subject with an award of First Class or 2.1.

OR 

• A Bachelors degree in a relevant subject with an award of First Class or 2.1, and a Masters degree in a relevant subject with an award of Merit or higher.

Qualifications from other countries which are considered by Aston University to be equivalent to that described above will be eligible to apply.

Degree subjects should be in Psychology, Neuroscience or a cognate discipline, and experience with EEG is desirable.