Spatial Cognition and Healthy Aging (ZhaoM U22PSY)

Spatial cognition is fundamental to many aspects of our everyday life, from understanding STEM concepts to finding our way around. Deficits in this crucial function not only affect the quality of life but may also signal a high risk for unhealthy ageing (e.g., development of neurodegenerative diseases). The goal of this PhD project is to investigate what neural and cognitive processes may underlie our spatial cognition capacity and which of these neural and cognitive processes are sensitive to the risk for unhealthy ageing. The PhD candidate will design and conduct the research to quantify the contribution of different cognitive processes to spatial navigation ability and to identify core spatial cognitive differences between people with and without genetic risk to unhealthy ageing. This project may involve studies using behavioural psychophysics, virtual reality techniques, brain imaging, and related training will be offered. The outcome of the project will help our understanding of how the spatial cognition system works and changes during ageing, as well as help detect preclinical neurodegenerative diseases in an early ageing stage. Co-supervisors of this PhD study include Professor Kenny Coventry, Professor Michael Hornberger, and Dr Mintao Zhao.

For more information on the supervisor for this project, please visit the UEA website www.uea.ac.uk

The start date is 1 October 2022

Entry Requirements: Acceptable first degree 2:1 in Psychology or cognate subject. Research Methods Masters in Psychology, or equivalent qualification.