2011 DIG Research Projects | “Functional Neuroimaging to Assess Cognitive Function after Cardiac Surgery”
The medical community has known for some time now that there is a direct link between cardiac surgery and the development of cognitive decline. The purpose of Dr. Mathew’s research was to explore a new way to study cognitive function following cardiac surgery so that physicians could better understand how and why this happens. Dr. Mathew’s lab hypothesized that 1) functional brain network connectivity and the temporal coordination of these connections are altered as a consequence of the persisting effects of brain edema and 2) the magnitude of postoperative change in brain edema and functional brain network connectivity and temporal coordination is associated with the severity of cognitive decline.
In August 2011, Dr. Mathew was awarded a two-year, $431,750 Exploratory/Developmental research grant from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.