Posts by Heidi I.L. Jacobs, PhD
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Radiology Research in a Rapidly Changing World
As the world changes rapidly, the Department of Radiology at Mass General continues to explore the impact on human health of a variety of concerns — including the aging population in the U.S., the epidemic of loneliness, the climate crisis, and more — and how imaging can mitigate the detrimental effects of the changes.
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Brain Pathology Adds to Evidence of Link Between Social Activity and Preserved Cognition in Older Adults
Heidi I. L. Jacobs, PhD, and colleagues determined the greater density of tau tangles in the locus coeruleus may degrade cognition and social function independently of Alzheimer's disease pathology and before the onset of cognitive impairment. And that the amount of social activity can partially explain this.
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Functional MRI of Locus Coeruleus Might Detect Risk of Alzheimer's Disease
Massachusetts General Hospital researchers have associated lower novelty-related locus coeruleus (LC) function with steeper amyloid-related cognitive decline in clinically normal older adults, suggesting functional MRI of the LC might distinguish between individuals at risk of vs. resistant to Alzheimer's disease.
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MRI Feature Is Marker of Disease Progression in Preclinical Autosomal Dominant Alzheimer's Disease
Massachusetts General Hospital researchers found an MRI measure of locus coeruleus (LC) integrity starts declining about 12 years before symptom onset in autosomal dominant Alzheimer's disease. This and related findings suggest LC integrity is a promising prognostic indicator in the preclinical stage of the disease.
Biography
Dr. Jacobs's current main interests are focused on understanding the disease mechanisms of Alzheimer’s disease by investigating the interaction of biomarkers and other brain changes, such as structural and functional connectivity, and how these mechanisms relate to cognitive changes.
She also has a strong interest in understanding the modulatory effect of brainstem nuclei, in particular the locus coeruleus, on cognition and brain integrity within the context of aging and dementia.
Neuroscience Care at Mass General
Through a combination of unmatched expertise, creativity and compassion, Mass General Neuroscience relentlessly advances the fields of Neurosurgery, Neurology and Psychiatry to unleash our patients’ potential.