Lab Introduction & Major Research Interests
Dr. Chang’s research interest focuses on neuropsychology and neuroimaging across aging spectrum (healthy aging, older adults at increased risk for developing Alzheimer’s disease (AD), and dementia). Her current study focuses on prospectively identifying reliable patterns of cognitive changes, and altered brain structure and function in individuals at high risk for AD (e.g., those with mild cognitive impairment, those at increased genetic or vascular risk for AD), with the goal of better detecting and characterizing its incipient stages. Additionally, her research examines brain and cognitive plasticity as well as intraindividual variability in both healthy and pathological aging. Her research methods include structural (i.e., volumetric MRI and DTI/DSI) and functional (fMRI) neuroimaging, and experimental neuropsychology. Her research goals are aligned with the clinical goal of developing and implementing new cognitive/imaging paradigms for clinical use. She is also involved in research applying artificial intelligence techniques to improve clinical diagnosis of AD, as well as neuroimaging and neuropsychological research in patients with cerebrovascular burden, epilepsy, and Parkinson’s disease.
Recent Representative Publication ( * corresponding author)
1. Chi, C.H., Chiu, Y.S., & Chang*, Y.L. (2020). Apolipoprotein e ε4 allele is associated with reduced retention of the “where” memory component in cognitively intact older adults. Archives of Clinical Neuropsychology. 35(2), 143-154.
2. Luo, D.H., Tseng, W.Y. & Chang*, Y.L.(2019). White matter microstructure disruptions mediate the adverse relationships between hypertension and multiple cognitive functions in cognitively intact older adults. NeuroImage, 197, 109-119.
3. Chen, P.C. & Chang*, Y.L. (2016). Associative memory and underlying brain correlates in older adults with mild cognitive impairment. Neuropsychologia,85, 216-225.
4. Chang*, Y.L., Yen, Y.S., Chen, T.F., Yan, S.H., & Tseng, W.Y.I. (2016). Clinical dementia rating scale detects white matter changes in older adults at risk for Alzheimer’s disease. Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease, 50, 411-423.
5. Chang*, Y.L., Chen, T.F., Shih, Y.C., Chiu, M.J., Yan, S.H., & Tseng, W.Y.I. (2015). Regional cingulum disruption, not gray matter atrophy, detects cognitive changes in amnestic mild cognitive impairment subtypes. Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease, 44(1), 125-138.
6. Chang, Y.L., Fennema-Notestine, C., Holland, D., McEvoy, L.K., Stricker, N.H.,Salmon,D.P., Dale, A.M., Bondi*, M.W., for the Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (2014). APOE interacts with age to modify rate of decline in cognitive and brain changes in Alzheimer’s disease. Alzheimer’s & Dementia, 10(3), 336-348.