RURush University · Neuroscience
Cardiovascular and Brain Health Lab
Melissa Lamar · Chicago, Illinois
Research Focus
Dr. Melissa Lamar's lab focuses on understanding the relationship between cardiovascular health and brain aging, particularly in the context of Alzheimer's disease and related dementias (ADRD). The research examines how favorable cardiovascular conditions can promote healthy brain function and connectivity in older adults. By using advanced neuroimaging techniques and comprehensive assessments, the lab aims to shed light on how brain health can be preserved through lifestyle interventions and improved cardiovascular outcomes.
cardiovascular healthbrain agingAlzheimer's diseaseneuroimagingconnectomicscognitive declinemotor functioningdiverse populationsneuropathologylifestyle interventions
Research Aims
4AIM 01Investigate how favorable cardiovascular health promotes brain health and preserves cognitive function in older adults.
AIM 02Examine the relationship between brain connectome integrity and cognitive/motor decline across diverse populations.
AIM 03Determine if cardiovascular health modifies the association between neuropathology and brain connectivity.
AIM 04Analyze cross-sectional associations between cardiovascular health metrics and brain connectivity in Latino and Black adults.
Skills the Lab Values
neuroimagingconnectome analysisbehavioral assessmentsdata collectionstatistical analysisparticipant recruitmentlongitudinal study designmultimodal imagingcognitive testingpathological data analysis
Output against the department
Publications448top 13% of dept.89th of 671
this lab
most publishedleast published
Citations9.0ktop 44% of dept.292nd of 671
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.