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
Moreno, JA., Manca, R., Albrechet-Souza, L., Nel, JA., Spantidakis, I., Venter, Z. and et al. (2024) 'A brief historic overview of sexual and gender diversity in neuroscience: past, present, and future'. Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, 18. pp. 1 - 11. ISSN: 1662-5161 Open Access Link
Mitolo, M., Lombardi, G., Manca, R., Nacmias, B. and Venneri, A. (2024) 'Association between blood-based protein biomarkers and brain MRI in the Alzheimer’s disease continuum: a systematic review'. Journal of Neurology, 0 (ahead of print). pp. 1 - 21. ISSN: 0340-5354 Open Access Link
Caminiti, SP., Bernini, S., Bottiroli, S., Mitolo, M., Manca, R., Grillo, V., et al. (2024) 'Exploring the neural and behavioral correlates of cognitive telerehabilitation in mild cognitive impairment with three distinct approaches'. Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience, 16. pp. 1 - 10. ISSN: 1663-4365 Open Access Link
Manca, R., Moreno, JA., Nicoletti, A., Henderson, NJ. and Flatt, JD. (2024) 'Neurocognitive health in LGBTQIA+ older adults: current state of research and recommendations'. Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, 18. pp. 1 - 6. ISSN: 1662-5161 Open Access Link
Manca, R. and Venneri, A. (2023) 'Minority stress and psycho-social influences on cognitive performance in sexual minority older adults'. Innovation in Aging, 7 (8). pp. 1 - 32. ISSN: 2399-5300 Open Access Link