University of Michigan-Ann Arbor · PsychologyThe Cognitive Aging Lab
Thad A Polk · Ann Arbor, Michigan
Research Focus
Dr. Thad A. Polk's lab at the University of Michigan focuses on understanding how aging affects the brain, especially in relation to neural dedifferentiation and Alzheimer's disease. Research in this lab investigates the less distinct neural representations in older adults and their connections to the neurotransmitter GABA. By conducting longitudinal studies, the lab examines how changes in brain chemistry and structure over time influence behavior in both healthy aging individuals and those with cognitive impairments.
agingneural dedifferentiationGABAAlzheimer's diseaseMild Cognitive Impairmentlongitudinal studiesneuroimagingbehavioral deficitsneurotransmitterscognitive decline
Research Aims
5AIM 01Investigate how GABA levels change with age and impact neural distinctiveness.
AIM 02Explore behavioral declines in older adults compared to younger adults.
AIM 03Examine the relationship between neural dedifferentiation and Alzheimer's pathology.
AIM 04Analyze the trajectories of GABA and neural distinctiveness over a decade.
AIM 05Identify potential therapeutic targets for alleviating age-related behavioral deficits.
Skills the Lab Values
fMRI (Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging)Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopylongitudinal study designdata analysisbehavioral testingneuroimaging analysisresearch ethicscognitive assessmentsparticipant recruitmentintervention design
Output against the department
Publications125bottom 41% of dept.175th of 296
this lab
most publishedleast published
Citations5.8ktop 50% of dept.148th of 296
this lab
most citedleast cited
Career totals from OpenAlex, compared against labs that share a department. A department spans everything from one paper to tens of thousands, so bar heights are on a log scale — otherwise the largest lab would flatten every other bar to a line.