FEATURING
Dr. Suzanne Segerstrom, JoAnne Leonard Petersen Chair in Gerontology and Family Studies at Oregon State University.
TITLE
Aging, Immunity, and Cognition.
Abstract and bio are below the RSVP form.
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ABSTRACT
The aging immune system undergoes changes that have important implications for the brain and cognition. Although many questions in psychoneuroimmunology treat immune function as an outcome, when it comes to cognitive aging, immunosenescence may be a key predictor. Several models describe how biological risk including immunosenescence can affect cognition, among them, the main-effects predisposition model and the moderated pathoplastic model (e.g., by gender or personality). In the longitudinal Thought, Stress, and Immunity study of healthy older adults, we have examined the interactions between immunological parameters – such as the anti-inflammatory hormone cortisol, the pro-inflammatory cytokine interleukin-6, and latent infection – and cognitive parameters such as episodic memory, executive functioning, and self-regulation. Our findings show how immunological and cognitive aging may go hand in hand, suggesting shared pathways of aging.
BIO
Dr. Suzanne C. Segerstrom, PhD, MPH, is the JoAnne Leonard Petersen Chair in Gerontology and Family Studies at Oregon State University. She received her doctorate in clinical psychology from UCLA, completed her clinical internship at Vancouver Hospital-UBC, and later earned a master’s in public health (biostatistics) degree from University of Kentucky. She is known for her work on personality, self-regulation, and health as well as methodological contributions on reliable measurement and the consequences of mismeasurement in biomarkers such as cortisol. Her current research focuses on interactions among psychological, cognitive, and immunological health in older adults.
This talk will be hosted in-person and when the recording is available it will be posted on this page
Annually the Department of Psychology hosts a Colloquia Series throughout the academic year. This exciting program brings us together outside of the classroom to have conversations with the speakers we’ve invited to our campus to share their ideas. You’ll have the chance to hear from international speakers on a wide range of psychology research.
