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Profile – Dr Naiara Demnitz

Dr Naiara Demnitz

Name:

Dr Naiara Demnitz

Job title:

Postdoctoral Researcher

Place of work / study:

Danish Research Centre for Magnetic Resonance (DRCMR)

Area of Research:

Healthy Brain Ageing

How is your work funded?

Global Excellence grant awarded to DRCMR from the Capital Region of Denmark

Tell us a little about yourself:

I did my PhD at the University of Oxford with Klaus Ebmeier, Heidi Johansen-Berg and Claire Sexton, studying the role of physical function and physical activity in promoting healthy brain ageing. After spending a year at the Global Brain Health Institute [1] at Trinity College Dublin, I’m now based at the Danish Research Centre for Magnetic Resonance. I am interested in better understanding how modifiable lifestyle factors impact the structure and function of the ageing brain.

Tell us a fun fact about yourself:

I have around 40 first cousins.

Why did you choose to work in dementia?

I always found the idea that our behaviour affects brain structure – and not just the other way around – fascinating. During my MSc, learning about how our lifestyle choices can affect how we age got me interested in what physical activity could do for the ageing brain. I believe that while we don’t have any disease-modifying treatments for dementia, prevention is key. For this, I’m drawn to the challenge of figuring out how, and when, we can best use lifestyle factors to promote healthy brain ageing.

Can we find you on Twitter?

Follow @naiarademnitz [2]