Co-Principal Investigator
Research
Tatiana completed her doctoral training in neuroscience and brain pathology at Tufts University and her post-doctoral training in clinical neuroimaging at Harvard Medical School. Tatiana is a Co- Principal Investigator in the BAnD lab who brings in expertise in the dynamic neuroimaging of the human brain. Through cutting-edge high-resolution scans, biofluids biomarkers, and innovative data analytic approaches, she investigates how neural and vascular dysregulation may interact with proteostasis in the aging brain to increase vulnerability to Alzheimer’s disease. In her recent studies, magnetoencephalography (MEG) and high-density encephalography (EEG) were combined with an unsupervised sequence classifier analysis to detect fleeting neural activations in unique cortical networks in older adults, even in the absence of overt goal-directed behavior. Furthermore, rapid-acquisition functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), acquired simultaneously with EEG, permitted quantification of network-specific vascular signatures, coupled to the metabolic demand of such brief neural activity states. Heightened deposition of β-amyloid, a protein believed at the core of Alzheimer’s pathology, tends to occur in the most functionally active networks, but it is poorly understood why. By leveraging state-of-the-art mathematical models and machine learning techniques, Dr. Sitnikova’s current work aims to define specific properties of rapid intrinsic neural activity and neurovascular coupling that can be tied to the progressive β-amyloid pathology. Dr. Sitnikova also has an extensive background in cognitive neuroscience. Her research examined neural activations evoked by linguistic and pictorial stimuli to investigate how the human brain comprehends language and real-world situations. She has showed that patients with schizophrenia exhibit neural abnormalities when attempting comprehension, which may account for some of their symptoms.
Contact