The development of Neuropsychology in Malaysia is still in its early stage. Our research group aims to spearhead neuropsychological research in the country to advance the knowledge of both normal and abnormal brain functioning. From basic cognitive functions (e.g., memory, attention, language, perception, executive function) to brain anatomy, currently our studies focus on how the brain mechanisms in relation to any specific cognitive function can change due to the ageing process.
We use various techniques such as quantitative approach, experimental design, saccadic eye movements tracking, brain recordings (e.g., EEG), transcranial electrical stimulation (e.g., tDCS, TMS) to explore the age-related brain functions, from healthy ageing to pathological ageing (e.g., Alzheimer’s disease and dementia). We also investigate how the ageing brain tries to compensate its age-related deterioration by recruiting brain regions that are not normally seen in the young people’s brain, and whether these compensatory mechanisms benefit or worsen the cognitive functions. Moreover, our research group also look into potential ways to detect early signs of age-related cognitive declines and develop therapeutic strategies to combat with these deficits – cognitively, emotionally, and behaviourally.