Dr Magdalena Ietswaart

Senior Lecturer

Psychology University of Stirling, Stirling, FK9 4LA

Dr Magdalena Ietswaart

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About me

About me

I did my first degree in The Netherlands and I gained my PhD in the Neuropsychology of Action at Aberdeen University (Scotland) in 2001. I have worked as a researcher at the Universities of St Andrews, Aberdeen, and Durham. I held an academic post at Northumbria University at Newcastle from 2006 and joined Stirling in the summer of 2013.

Research

My research is in the area of neuropsychology and cognitive neuroscience. The research investigates how action is represented in the brain and how this knowledge can be applied clinically. Neurological patient research is at the heart of the work in my lab, but we use a further range of techniques including 7T MR multimodal neuroimaging, (mobile) EEG, brain stimulation, motion tracking kinematic analysis, eye-tracking, simple dexterity / cognitive testing, reaction time experiments, and an integrated multi-method approach to brain imaging with normal aged and brain injured participants.

Heading up the mobile cognition initiative, I work multidisciplinary using advanced multi-methods to investigate brain processes and brain changes in the real world. This includes integrated approaches to recording brain activity during everyday movements of, for example, Parkinson's patients. I also lead on documenting brain changes following sport-related head impact, including football heading.

I have held/hold grants as Principal Investigator (PI) from a.o. the UK’s National Institute for Health Research, Medical Research Scotland, and Chief Scientist Office of the Scottish Executive Health Department.

PROJECTS

Football and Dementia: Understanding the brain health consequences of heading the ball (multimodal neuroimaging and experimental multi-method approaches to examining brain changes)

2022-2026

Project: Medical Research Scotland (PhD candidate Ali Muqtadir)

PI: M Ietswaart; co-I: L Wilson, Colin Moran, A Hodges (Magstim), D Porter (Glasgow), F Binkofski (Aachen, Germany), NJ Shah (Julich, Germany), S Mondelo (Messina, Italy)

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Mobile Cognition Innovation

2020-2022

Project: SINAPSE/Scottish Funding Council endowment

PI: M Ietswaart

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Football heading: Consequences for brain health and potential protection through shock-absorbing technology

2020-2024

Project: match-funded PhD studentship (PhD candidate Liivia-Marie Lember)

PI: M Ietswaart; co-I: A Hunter, T di Virgilio

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Diagnosing and understanding brain health consequences of routine football heading

2018-2022

Project: match-funded PhD studentship (completed PhD Michail Ntikas)

PI: M Ietswaart; co-I: L Wilson, D Kourtis, DI Donaldson (St Andrews)

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Neural correlates of action representations in real-world environments

2018-2022

Project: university funded PhD studentship (completed PhD Magda Mustile)

PI: M Ietswaart; co-I: D Kourtis, Martin Edwards (Louvain, Belgium), DI Donaldson (St Andrews)

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Action observation, action understanding and Autism

2017

Project: Wellcome Trust (researcher Ellie Ward)

PI: M Ietswaart

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Neural markers of real-world successful sporting performance in elite athletes

2017-2021

Project: SINAPSE & Sportscotland PhD studentship (completed PhD Georgia Alexandrou)

PI: DI Donaldson; co-I: M Ietswaart, D Kourtis

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Avian cognition and tool-use in the wild

2015- [leave of absence]

Project: self-funded PhD studentship (Bruce)

PI: M Ietswaart; co-I: C Caldwell

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On the head: the true impact of routine head strikes in sport

2015-2018

Project: university funded PhD studentship (completed PhD Thomas Di Virgilio)

PI: M Ietswaart; co-I: A Hunter, L Wilson, W Stewart (Glasgow), DI Donaldson (St Andrews)

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Development of a novel technology-based biomarker for identification of mild traumatic brain injury

2015

Project: National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) project grant

PI: M Ietswaart; co-I: A Hunter, L Wilson, Howatson (Northumbria), DI Donaldson (St Andrews)

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Neural correlates of human cognition in real-world environments

2014-2018

Project: university funded PhD studentship (completed PhD Simon Ladouce)

PI: M Ietswaart; co-I: DI Donaldson (St Andrews), P Dudchenko,

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Action representations in stroke: the neural correlates of tool-use and object perception

2011-2015

Project: university funded PhD studentship (completed PhD Carys Evans)

PI: M Ietswaart; co-I: Martin Edwards (Louvain, Belgium)

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Brain action representations

2008-2011

Project: Capacity Building grant held at Newcastle Magnetic Resonance Centre Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

PI: M Ietswaart

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Hand meets tool: the neural correlates of hand-tool interaction

2007-2011

Project: university funded PhD studentship (completed PhD Stefania Bracci)

PI: M Ietswaart; co-I: Christiana Cavina Pratesi (Durham), Marius Peeling (Trento, Italy, at that time), Alfonso Caramazza (Harvard, USA)

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Evaluation of functional redistribution following motor imagery training in stroke

2006

Project: NHS Endowment research grant (researcher: Clare Cooper)

PI: M Ietswaart; co-I: G Waiter, M MonWilliams, M Johnston, S Hamilton

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Can motor imagery enhance recovery of hand function after stroke? Evaluation of motor imagery training

2004-2007

Project: Chief Scientist Office, Scottish Government Health Department, project grant CZH/4/153 (researchers: multi-disciplinary team of postdocs and assistants)

PI: M Ietswaart; co-I: Chris Dijkerman (Utrecht, NL), Marie Johnston (Aberdeen)

Outputs (40)

Outputs

Article

Mustile M, Kourtis D, Ladouce S, Learmonth G, Donaldson DI, Edwards MG & Ietswaart M (2021) Mobile EEG reveals functionally dissociable dynamic processes supporting real-world ambulatory obstacle avoidance: Evidence for early proactive control. European Journal of Neuroscience, 54 (12), pp. 8106-8119. https://doi.org/10.1111/ejn.15120


Article

Di Virgilio TG, Ietswaart M, Wilson L, Donaldson DI & Hunter AM (2019) Understanding the Consequences of Repetitive Subconcussive Head Impacts in Sport: Brain Changes and Dampened Motor Control Are Seen After Boxing Practice. Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, 13, Art. No.: 294. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnhum.2019.00294


Edited Book

Ietswaart M, Butler A, Jackson PL & Edwards MG (eds.) (2016) Mental Practice: Clinical and Experimental Research is Imagery and Action Observation [Mental Practice, State of Play]. Frontiers in Human Neuroscience. Lausanne, Switzerland: Frontiers Media. http://journal.frontiersin.org/researchtopic/1229/mental-practice-clinical-and-experimental-research-in-imagery-and-action-observation


Other

Ietswaart M (Editor), Butler A (Editor), Jackson PL (Editor) & Edwards MG (Editor) (2013) Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, Research Topic: Mental Practice: clinical and experimental research is imagery and action observation. Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, 7. http://www.frontiersin.org/human_neuroscience/researchtopics/mental_practice_clinical_and_e/1229


Book Chapter

Dijkerman HC, Ietswaart M & Johnston M (2010) Motor imagery and the rehabilitation of movement disorders: an overview. In: Guillot A & Collet C (eds.) The Neurophysiological foundations of mental and motor imagery. Oxford: Oxford University Press, pp. 127-144. http://ukcatalogue.oup.com/product/9780199546251.do


Book Chapter

Ietswaart M & Milner AD (2009) Apraxia. In: Bayne T, Cleeremans A & Wilken P (eds.) The Oxford Companion to Consciousness. Oxford: Oxford University Press, pp. 57-58. http://ukcatalogue.oup.com/product/9780198569510.do


Article

Milders M, Ietswaart M, Crawford JR & Currie D (2008) Social behavior following traumatic brain injury and its association with emotion recognition, understanding of intentions, and cognitive flexibility. Journal of the International Neuropsychological Society, 14 (2), pp. 318-326. https://doi.org/10.1017/S1355617708080351