Panagiota Kontari

My PhD research focuses on the risk of dementia associated with cardiometabolic abnormalities and depression. I am examining how cardiometabolic risk factors and depression interact to predict the incidence of dementia. The research project also includes investigation of potentially modifiable lifestyle and medical risk factors for dementia, and design of a holistic risk prediction model for dementia, combining the most prognostic factors of the disease.

Biography

I graduated with a Psychology BSc (Hons) from the University of Athens in 2016. As part of my studies, I worked as an Assistant Psychologist at the Behavioural Neurology and Neuropsychology Unit at Attikon University Hospital, where I acquired experience in administration of neuropsychological and psychological tests. Having an interest in neuropsychology, I conducted my BSc thesis on the “Comparison of a non-linguistic screening test, Nonverbal Cogscreen, with the MMSE in patients with Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and cognitively intact individuals”.

After my undergraduate studies, I completed my Master’s degree in Health Psychology at the University of Surrey (2017), where I consolidated my interest in age-related diseases and the comorbidity of mental and physical disorders. For my MSc dissertation, I investigated the “Risk of dementia in older individuals with comorbid depressive symptoms and cardiometabolic dysregulation”.

Following this, I continue with my PhD in Psychology at the University of Surrey (2018). My PhD project examines the longitudinal relationship of cardiometabolic abnormalities and depression with dementia risk. The aim is to elucidate which modifiable factors may predict who is at the highest risk of developing dementia and to develop a comprehensive dementia risk prediction model.