0 Item(s)
How Can Cognitive Reserve Promote Cognitive and Neurobehavioral Health?
Non Member ($30.00) Member ($20.00)
Buy Now

Chief, Cognitive Neuroscience Division, Department of Neurology
Professor of Neuropsychology (in Neurology, Psychiatry, the Gertrude H. Sergievsky
Center and the Taub Institute) at Columbia University Irving Medical Center
Credit
CE:1.0

Description
Research indicates that lifestyle factors such as achieving educational and work milestones and participating in leisure and social activities, as well as IQ, are all associated with reduced risk of cognitive decline in normal aging and of developing dementia. Many of these lifestyle factors have also been associated with lower rates of better cognition in other psychiatric and neurological conditions. The cognitive reserve hypothesis posits that these lifestyle factors result in individual differences in the flexibility and adaptability of brain networks that may allow some people to cope better than others with age- or dementia-related brain changes. Recent evidence also supports the idea that specific genetic and lifestyle factors may help preserve a healthy brain or enhance brain reserve, a process that has been called brain maintenance. The complementary concept of brain reserve posits that the status of structural brain features can guard against dementia and related conditions. This talk will review these theoretical concepts, their research bases, and their clinical applications.
Dr. Stern earned his B.A. in Psychology from Touro College, and his Ph.D. from the Experimental Cognition program of City University of New York.
Dr. Stern’s research focuses on cognition in normal aging and in diseases of aging, particularly Alzheimer’s disease. One strong focus of his current research program is investigating the neural basis of cognitive reserve. Dr. Stern’s work was crucial to identifying and clarifying the nature of cognitive reserve, which is a theory that explains individual differences in the susceptibility to age-and disease-related brain changes. Dr. Stern also leads a large scale imaging study to identify unique neural networks underlying the major cognitive abilities affected by aging, and another long-term study that models the natural history of Alzheimer’s disease.
Dr. Stern’s research approach includes classic neuropsychological and cognitive experimental techniques, with a strong focus on functional imaging. He has published over 600 peer-reviewed papers, numerous chapters, and edited a book on cognitive reserve.
After the session, participants will be able to:
- Summarize basic theory underlying cognitive reserve and related concepts.
- Assess the evidence for these concepts.
- Apply these concepts to research and clinical practice.
Target Audience: Neuropsychologists and trainees
Instructional Level: Intermediate
Yaakov Stern is Professor of Neuropsychology in the Departments of Neurology and Psychiatry, as well as the Taub Institute for the Research on Alzheimer’s Disease and the Aging Brain and the Gertrude H. Sergievsky Center, at Columbia University Irving College of Physicians and Surgeons. He is chief of the Cognitive Neuroscience Division of the Department of Neurology.
Dr. Stern earned his B.A. in Psychology from Touro College, and his Ph.D. from the Experimental Cognition program of City University of New York.
Dr. Stern’s research focuses on cognition in normal aging and in diseases of aging, particularly Alzheimer’s disease. One strong focus of his current research program is investigating the neural basis of cognitive reserve. Dr. Stern’s work was crucial to identifying and clarifying the nature of cognitive reserve, which is a theory that explains individual differences in the susceptibility to age-and disease-related brain changes. Dr. Stern also leads a large scale imaging study to identify unique neural networks underlying the major cognitive abilities affected by aging, and another long-term study that models the natural history of Alzheimer’s disease.
Dr. Stern’s research approach includes classic neuropsychological and cognitive experimental techniques, with a strong focus on functional imaging. He has published over 600 peer-reviewed papers, numerous chapters, and edited a book on cognitive reserve.