Research

Neuropsychology faculty research

Much of the section's research primarily uses neuropsychological and/or neuroimaging approaches. This includes studies using clinical and experimental neuropsychological measures, fMRI studies (cognition, reward, pain, and motor skills), pharmacologic fMRI (e.g., medications, cannabis), and morphological studies (volume, shape and thickness).  An interest in genetic contributions to variability in cognitive and other outcomes in select patient populations is also present among faculty.  In addition, we have conducted research using EEG, near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS), measure of central auditory processing, and transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) in collaboration with Dartmouth faculty in several departments.  Neuropsychology program faculty, with others at Dartmouth, form the Brain Research Network designed to facilitate and support collaborative research, and led by Dr. Wishart (Neuropsychology faculty).  Neuroimaging research is conducted through the Brain Imaging Laboratory (BIL), directed by Dr. Wishart, and the Advanced Imaging Center at Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center (DHMC), which houses a research-dedicated MRI system.

Current active funded projects include studies of co-occurring schizophrenia and cannabis use, multiple sclerosis, sport-related concussion, epilepsy and epilepsy surgery, Parkinson’s disease, Post-Acute COVID-19 Syndrome, neonatal complications, and postoperative cognitive dysfunction in older adults. Faculty also have a variety of other research interests such as pediatric and adult cancers, traumatic brain injury, schizophrenia, addictions, trauma, autism spectrum disorders, as well as executive functions and motivation.

Neuropsychology Fellow involvement in research

Our program emphasizes the scientist-practitioner model, thus fellows are expected to engage in both clinical activity and research.  The extent of involvement in research is tailored to each fellow’s interests and career goals, though within the two-year fellowship all fellows are expected at minimum to be involved in the development and preparation of at least one manuscript suitable for publication based on their involvement in a research project under the guidance of one of the faculty. This could take the form of being lead or co-author of an empirical or review manuscript or book chapter. 

Fellow involvement in research may take several forms, depending on the interests of the fellow and faculty, available projects and data sets, as well as projects in development.  Some examples of projects in which fellows have been involved and that reflect the diversity of opportunities include:

  • Participating in neuroimaging studies: Fellows become closely involved with an ongoing project including assisting with scanning, and learning about data processing and analysis.  In collaboration with faculty, fellows define a hypothesis that can be addressed by the fellow using existing data. For example, fellows have examined fMRI correlates of pain in MS, and subjective working memory in relation to cortical thickness in amnestic MCI.
  • Using archival data to examine hypotheses of interest: Some examples include a multi-site study on the noose item of the BNT, examining executive functions in epilepsy, exploring embedded test validity indicators in clinical samples, and evaluating the relationship between pain and cognitive in patients with multiple sclerosis.
  • Writing a review paper or book chapter on topics such as the role of the cerebellum in executive functions, and ADHD in emerging adults.
  • Writing systematic reviews on topics such as advanced neuroimaging methods in pediatric concussion.
  • On occasion, fellows with very strong research interests that are in line with those of the neuropsychology faculty have submitted grant proposals to support new pilot projects (with Dartmouth faculty mentoring and consent). For example, a former fellow received an institutional pilot grant to examine the relationship between social performance and cognition in pediatric cancer survivors. 

Selected Neuropsychology faculty publications

  • Forcino, R. C., Rotenberg, S., Morrissette, K. J., Godzik, C. M., Lichtenstein, J.D., Schiffelbein, J. E., . . . Lyons, K. D. (2023). Exploring acceptability of employment interventions to support people living with cancer: Qualitative study of cancer survivors, health care providers, and employers. JMIR Form Res, 7, e47263. doi:10.2196/4726
  • Forcino, R., Lichtenstein, J., Rotenberg, S., Godzik, C., Schiffelbein, J., Morrissette, K., & Lyons, K. (2023). Work- and school-related distress among patients with cancer: Single-site retrospective chart review. J Psychosoc Oncol, 41(2), 242-249.
  • Steimel, S. A., Meisenhelter, S., Quon, R. J., Camp, E. J., Tom, R., Bujarski, K. A., Testof S.E., Song, Y., Roth, R.M., & Jobst, B. C. (2023). Accelerated long-term forgetting of recall and recognition memory in people with epilepsy. Epilepsy Behav, 141, 109152. doi:10.1016/j.yebeh.2023.109152
  • Parhoon, K., Aita, S. L., Mohammadi, A., & Roth, R. M. (2023). Do executive functions differentiate Iranian children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder with and without comorbid obesity? Archives of Clinical Neuropsychology. doi:10.1093/arclin/acad053
  • Lichtenstein, J., Niemczak, C., Bowers, C., Magohe, A., Fellows, A., Ealer, C., . . . Buckey, J. (2022). Nonverbal neurocognitive assessment during the coronavirus disease of 2019 pandemic: The effect of personal protective equipment. Archives of Clinical Neuropsychology, 37(7), 1628-1632.
  • Aita, S. L., Moncrief, G. G., Greene, J., Trujillo, S., Carrillo, A., Iwanicki, S., . . . Roth, R. M. (2023). Univariate and Multivariate Base Rates of Score Elevations, Reliable Change, and Inter-Rater Discrepancies in the BRIEF-A Standardization Samples. Assessment, 30(2), 390-401.
  • Aita, S. L., Holding, E. Z., Greene, J., Carrillo, A., Moncrief, G. G., Isquith, P. K., . . . Roth, R. M. (2022). Multivariate base rates of score elevations on the BRIEF2 in children with ADHD, autism spectrum disorder, or specific learning disorder with impairment in reading. Child Neuropsychology, 28(7), 979-996.
  • Merz, Z. C., Lichtenstein, J.D., & Lace, J. W. (2022). Methodological considerations of assessing meaningful/reliable change in computerized neurocognitive testing following sport-related concussion. Appl Neuropsychol Child, 11(4), 725-733.
  • Lichtenstein, J.D., Amato, J.T., Holding, E.Z., Grodner, K.D., Pollock, E.P., Marschall, K.P., & Scull, S. (2022). How we work now: Preliminary review of a pediatric neuropsychology hybrid model in the era of Covid-19 and beyond. Archives of Clinical Neuropsychology, 37(1), 40-49.
  • Parhoon, K., Aita, S. L., Parhoon, H., Moradi, A., & Roth, R. M. (2022). Psychometric properties of the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function, second edition (BRIEF2) self-report form in Iranian adolescents. Applied Neuropsychology: Child, 1-7.
  • Zisman-Ilani, Y., Roth, R.M., & Mistler, L.A. (2021). Time to support extensive implementation of shared decision making in psychiatry. JAMA Psychiatry, 78(11), 1183-1184.
  • Fadul, CE, Mao-Draayer, Y, Ryan, KA, Noelle, RJ, Wishart, HA, Channon, JY, Kasper, IR, Oliver, B, Mielcarz, D, Kasper, LH.  (in press).  Phase I clinical trial of a monoclonal antibody against CD40-ligand in multiple sclerosis.  Neurology: Neuroimmunology and Neuroinflammation.
  • Randolph, JJ, Randolph, JS, Wishart, H.A. (2022). Subgroup analysis of individuals with MS showing cognitive resilience.  Archives of Clinical Neuropsychology, 37(2):302-308.
  • Lichtenstein, J., Bowers, C., Amato, J., Niemczak, C., Fellows, A., Magohe, A., Haile, H., White-Schwoch, T., Kraus, N., Massawe, E., Moshi, N., & Buckey, J. (2022). Nonverbal cognitive assessment of children in Tanzania with and without HIV. Child Neuropsychology, 28(1), 107-119.
  • Eloi, J., Lee, J., Pollock, E., Holcomb, M., Tayim, F., Hirst, R., Tocco, C., Towns, S., Lichtenstein, J., & Roth, R.M. (2021). Boston Naming Test: Lose the noose. Archives of Clinical Neuropsychology, 36(8), 1465-1472.
  • Yerrabothala, S., Gourley, B. L., Ford, J. C., Ahmed, S. R., Guerin, S. J., Porter, M., Wishart, H.A.,... Ornstein, D. L. (2021). Systemic coagulation is activated in patients with meningioma and glioblastoma. Journal of Neurooncology, 155(2), 173-180.
  • Moncrief, G.G., Aita, S.L., Tyson, B.T., Abecassis, M., Roth, R.M., Caller, T.A., Schmidt, S.S., & Jobst, B.C. (in press). Self-rated executive dysfunction in adults with epilepsy and effects of a cognitive-behavioral intervention (HOBSCOTCH). Epilepsy and Behavior
  • Sabell, A., Messa-Hamidi, I., Gromini, L., Lichtenstein, J.D., May, N., & Erdodi, L.A. (in press). Symptom versus performance validity in patients with mild TBI: independent sources of non-credible responding. Psychological Injury and Law.
  • Ahmed, S., Roth, R. M., Stanciu, C. N., & Brunette, M. F. (2021). The Impact of THC and CBD in Schizophrenia: A Systematic Review. Front Psychiatry, 12, 694394.
  • Huckans, M., Boyd, S., Moncrief, G., Hantke, N., Winters, B., Shirley, K., . . . Loftis, J. M. (2021). Cognition during active methamphetamine use versus remission. Journal of Clinical and Experimental Neuropsychology, 43(6), 599-610.
  • Mohammadnia, S., Bigdeli, I., Mashhadi, A., Ghanaei Chamanabad, A., & Roth, R. M. (2022). Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function - adult version (BRIEF-A) in Iranian University students: Factor structure and relationship to depressive symptom severity. Applied Neuropsychology: Adult, 29(4), 786-792.
  • Niemczak, C., Fellows, A., Lichtenstein, J.D., … Buckey, J.C. (in press). Central auditory tests track cognitive function in those with HIV. JMIR Formative Research.
  • Niemczak, C.E., Lichtenstein, J.D., Magohe, A., Amato, J.T., Fellows, A. M., Gui, J., . . . Buckey, J. C. (2021). The relationship between central auditory tests and neurocognitive domains in adults living with HIV. Frontiers in Neuroscience, 15, 696513. doi:10.3389/fnins.2021.696513
  • Quon, R.J., Mazanec, M.T., Schmidt, S.S., Angeline, A.S., Roth, R.M., MacKenzie, T.A., Sajatovic, M., Spruill, T., & Jobst, B.C. (2020). Anti-epileptic drug effects on subjective and objective cognition. Epilepsy & Behavior, 104(Pt A):106906. doi: 10.1016/j.yebeh.2020.106906.
  • Lichtenstein, J.D., Flaro, L., Baldwin, F.S., Rai, J., Erdodi, L.A. (2019). Further Evidence for Embedded Performance Validity Tests in Children within the Conners' Continuous Performance Test - Second Edition. Developmental Neuropsychology, 44(2), 159-171. doi: 10.1080/87565641.2019.1565535
  • McLaren, J.L., & Lichtenstein, J.D. (2019). The pursuit of the magic pill: the overuse of psychotropic medications in children with intellectual and developmental disabilities in the USA. Epidemiol Psychiatr Sci., 28(4):365-368. doi: 10.1017/S2045796018000604
  • Mustafi SM, Harezlak J, Kodiweera C, Randolph JS, Ford JC, Wishart HA, Wu YC (2019). Detecting white matter alterations in multiple sclerosis using advanced diffusion magnetic resonance imaging. Neural Regeneration Research, 14(1), 114-123. doi: 10.4103/1673-5374.243716
  • Whitton, A.E., Green, A.I., Pizzagalli, D.A., Roth, R.M., Williams, J., & Brunette, M.F. (2019). Potent dopamine D2 antagonists block the reward-enhancing effects of nicotine in smokers with schizophrenia. Schizophrenia Bulletin, 45(6), 1300-1308. doi: 10.1093/schbul/sby185.
  • Whitfield-Gabrieli, S., Fischer, A.S., Henricks, A.M., Khokhar, J.H., Roth, R.M., Brunette, M.F., & Green, A.I. (2018). Understanding marijuana’s effects on functional connectivity of the default mode network in patients with schizophrenia and co-occurring cannabis use disorder: A pilot investigation.  Schizophrenia Research, 194, 70-77. doi: 10.1016/j.schres.2017.07.029
  • Lichtenstein, J.D., Linnea, K.S., & Maerlender, A.C. (2018). Patterns of referral in high school concussion management programs: A pilot study of consultants from different disciplines. Applied Neuropsychology: Child, 7(4), 334-341. doi: 10.1080/21622965.2017.1340158
  • McLaren, J.L., Barnett, E.R., Concepcion Zayas, M.T., Lichtenstein, J.D., Acquilano, S.C., Schwartz, L.M., Woloshin, S., & Drake, R.E. (2018). Psychotropic medications for highly vulnerable children. Expert Opinion on Pharmacotherapy, 19(6), 547-560. doi: 10.1080/14656566.2018.1445720
  • Chamard, E. & Lichtenstein, J.D. (2018). A systematic review of neuroimaging findings in children and adolescents with sports-related concussion. Brain Injury, 19, 816-831. DOI: 10.1080/02699052.2018.1463106.
  • Lazar, D.J., Lichtenstein, J.D., & Tybor, D. (2018). A first look at concussion prevalence in competitive ultimate Frisbee players. Orthopaedic Journal of Sports Medicine, 6(3), DOI: 10.1177/2325967118759051.
  • Lichtenstein, J.D., Erdodi, L., Rai, J., Mazur-Mosiewicz, A., & Flaro, L. (2018). Wisconsin Card Sorting Test embedded validity indicators developed for adults can be extended to children. Child Neuropsychology, 24(2), 247-260. DOI:10.1080/09297049.2016.1259402
  • Erdodi, L.A., & Lichtenstein, J.D. (2017). Invalid before impaired: an emerging paradox of embedded validity indicators. The Clinical Neuropsychologist, 31(6-7), 1029-1046.
  • Donnelly, K.Z., Linnea, K.S., Grant, D.A., & Lichtenstein, J.D. (2017). The impact of a yoga and meditation pilot programme on the quality of life of adults with acquired brain injury. Brain Injury 31(2):208-214.
  • Lichtenstein, J.D., Linnea, K.S., & Maerlender, A.C. (2017). Patterns of referral in high school concussion management programs: A pilot study of consultants from different disciplines. Applied Neuropsychology: Child, 28,1-8
  • Erdodi, L., Tyson, B., Shahein, A., Lichtenstein, J., Abeare, C., Pelletier, C., Zuccato, B., Kurcharski, B., & Roth, R. (2017). The power of timing: adding a time-to-completion cutoff to the Word Choice Test and Recognition Memory Test improves classification accuracy. The Journal of Clinical and Experimental Neuropsychology, 39(4):369-383.
  • Randolph, J.J., Randolph, J.S., Wishart HA. (2017). Association between cognitive complaints and vulnerability to environmental distraction in multiple sclerosis. Archives of Clinical Neuropsychology, 32(1), 21-28.
  • McLaren, J., Lichtenstein, J.D., Lynch, D., Becker, D., & Drake, R. (2017). Individual placement and support for people with autism spectrum disorders: a pilot program. Administration and Policy in Mental Health and Mental Health Services Research. DOI: 10.1007/s10488-017-0792-3
  • Rai, J., Abecassis, M., Casey, J.E., Flaro, L., Erdodi, L., & Roth, R.M. (2017). Parent rating of executive function in fetal alcohol spectrum disorder: A review of the literature and new data in aboriginal Canadian children. Child Neuropsychology, 23(6), 713–732.
  • Fogarty, J., Almklov, E., Borrie, M., Wells, J., & Roth, R.M. (2017).  Subjective rating of executive functions in mild Alzheimer’s disease. Aging and Mental Health, 21(11), 1184-1191.
  • Schwartz, E.B., Erdodi, L., Ghosh, J.J., Curtain, J.R., Flashman, L. A., & Roth, R.M. (2016). The CVLT-II forced choice recognition trial as an embedded validity indicator: A review of the evidence. Journal of the International Neuropsychological Society, 22(8):851-8.
  • Bujarski, K.A., Flashman, L.A., Zhongze, L., Jobst, B.C., & Roth, R.M. (2016). Investigating social cognition in epilepsy using a naturalistic task. Epilepsia, 57(9), 1515-20.
  • Kahn P.V., Wishart H.A., Randolph J.S., & Santulli (2016). Caregiver stigma and burden in memory disorders: An evaluation of the effects of caregiver type and gender. Current Gerontology and Geriatrics Research. doi: 10.1155/2016/8316045.
  • Lichtenstein, J.D., Erdodi, L., & Linnea, K. (2017). Introducing a forced-choice recognition task to the California Verbal Learning Test – Children’s version. Child Neuropsychology, 23(3):284-299.
  • Erdodi, L.A., Lichtenstein, J.D., Rai, J.K., & Flaro, L. (2016). Embedded validity indicators in Conners’ CPT-II: Do adult cutoffs work the same way in children? Applied Neuropsychology: Child, DOI: 10.1080/21622965.2016.1198908.
  • Roth, R.M., Garlinghouse, M.A., Flashman, L.A., Koven, N.S., Pendergrass, J.C., Ford, J.C., McAllister, T.W., & Saykin, A.J. (2016). Apathy is associated with ventral striatum volume in schizophrenia-spectrum disorder. Journal of Neuropsychiatry and Clinical Neurosciences, 28, 191–194.
  • Moser, R.S., Schatz, P., & Lichtenstein, J.D. (2015). The importance of proper administration and interpretation of neuropsychological baseline and post-concussion computerized testing. Applied Neuropsychology: Child, 4(1), 41-48.
  • Maerlender, A.C., Lichtenstein, J.D., Rieman, W., & Condiracci, C. (2015). Programmed physical exertion in recovery from sport-related concussion. Developmental Psychology. 40(5), 273-8.
  • Fischer, A.S., Whitfield-Gabrieli, S., Roth, R.M., Brunette, M.F., & Green, A.I. (2014). Impaired functional connectivity of brain reward circuitry in patients with schizophrenia and cannabis use disorder: Effects of cannabis and THC. Schizophrenia Research, 158, 176-182.
  • Risacher, S.L., Wang, Y., Wishart, H.A., Rabin, L.A., Flashman, L.A., McDonald, B.C., West, J.D., Santulli, R.B., & Saykin, A.J.  (2013). Cholinergic enhancement of brain activation in Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) during episodic memory encoding. Frontiers in Neuropharmacology, 4, 1-20.
  • Bujarski, K.A., Hirashima, F., Roberts, D.W., Jobst, B.C., Gilbert, K.L., Roth, R.M., Flashman L.A., McDonald, B.C. Saykin, A.J., Scott, R.C., Dinnerstein, E., Preston, J., Williamson, P.D., & Thadani, V.M. (2013). Long-term seizure, cognitive, and psychiatric outcome following trans-middle-temporal gyrus amygdalohippocampectomy and standard temporal lobectomy. Journal of Neurosurgery, 119(1):16-23.