Dr Riccardo Manca
Research Fellow
Gaskell 263
- Email: riccardo.manca@brunel.ac.uk
- Tel: +44 (0)1895 268073
Summary
I obtained by BSc in Psychology from the Università degli Studi di Milano-Bicocca, Italy, in 2013 and later specialised in neuropsychology with an MSc in Cognitive neuroscience and clinical neuropsychology at the Università degli Studi di Padova, Italy, in 2015. Since my postgraduate studies I developed a main research interest in cognitive decline. During my PhD in Neuroscience at the University of Sheffield, UK, (Translational Neuropsychology Group: 2015-2019) I worked with people with multiple sclerosis and used MRI to investigate the neural correlates of processing speed performance and the effects of a network-based cognitive rehabilitation programme.
Subsequently, I started to work as a Postdoc at the Department of Neuroscience - University of Sheffield on a variety of projects, mainly focussing on the biological correlates of neuropsychiatric symptoms in Alzheimer's disease.
In March 2021 I joined Brunel University London as a Research Fellow. At the moment I am conducting research in different areas: 1) neurocognitive decline in sexual minorities; 2) genetic and neural signatures underlying psychotic symptoms in Alzheimer's disease; 3) coordination of the SOLITUDE study - a longitudinal multi-centre observational study on the impact of social isolation due to the COVID-19 pandemic on cognitive performance and mental health of people with dementia and their carers.
Qualifications
PhD in Neuroscience
MSc in Cognitive neuroscience and clinical neuropsychology
BSc in Psychology
BSc in Environmental Architecture
Responsibility
Athena Swan Self-Assessment Team member - Department of Life Sciences
Newest selected publications
Arenare, G., Manca, R., Caffarra, P., Venneri, A. and Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative. (2023) 'Associations between Neuropsychiatric Symptoms and Alzheimer’s Disease Biomarkers in People with Mild Cognitive Impairment'. Brain Sciences, 13 (8). pp. 1 - 11. ISSN: 2076-3425 Open Access Link
Konwar, S., Manca, R., De Marco, M., Soininen, H. and Venneri, A. (2023) 'The effect of physical activity on white matter integrity in aging and prodromal to mild Alzheimer’s disease with vascular comorbidity'. Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience, 15. pp. 1 - 14. ISSN: 1663-4365 Open Access Link
Manca, R., Jones, SA. and Venneri, A. (2022) 'Macrostructural and Microstructural White Matter Alterations Are Associated with Apathy across the Clinical Alzheimer’s Disease Spectrum'. Brain Sciences, 12 (10). pp. 1 - 17. ISSN: 2076-3425 Open Access Link
Manca, R., Correro, AN., Gauthreaux, K. and Flatt, JD. (2022) 'Divergent patterns of cognitive deficits and structural brain alterations between older adults in mixed-sex and same-sex relationships'. Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, 16. pp. 1 - 14. ISSN: 1662-5161 Open Access Link
Pezzoli, S., Manca, R., Cagnin, A. and Venneri, A. (2022) 'A Multimodal Neuroimaging and Neuropsychological Study of Visual Hallucinations in Alzheimer’s Disease'. Journal of Alzheimer's Disease, 89 (1). pp. 133 - 149. ISSN: 1387-2877 Open Access Link