I did my first degree in The Netherlands and I gained my PhD in the Neuropsychology of Action at Aberdeen University (Scotland) in 2001. I have worked as a researcher at the Universities of St Andrews, Aberdeen, and Durham. I held an academic post at Northumbria University at Newcastle from 2006 and joined Stirling in the summer of 2013.
My research is in the area of neuropsychology and cognitive neuroscience. The research investigates how action is represented in the brain and how this knowledge can be applied clinically. Neurological patient research is at the heart of the work in my lab, but we use a further range of techniques including 7T MR multimodal neuroimaging, (mobile) EEG, brain stimulation, motion tracking kinematic analysis, eye-tracking, simple dexterity / cognitive testing, reaction time experiments, and an integrated multi-method approach to brain imaging with normal aged and brain injured participants.
Heading up the mobile cognition initiative, I work multidisciplinary using advanced multi-methods to investigate brain processes and brain changes in the real world. This includes integrated approaches to recording brain activity during everyday movements of, for example, Parkinson's patients.
I also lead on documenting brain changes following sport-related head impact, including football heading.
I have held/hold grants as Principal Investigator (PI) from a.o. the UK’s National Institute for Health Research, Medical Research Scotland, and Chief Scientist Office of the Scottish Executive Health Department.
PROJECTS
Football and Dementia: Understanding the brain health consequences of heading the ball (multimodal neuroimaging and experimental multi-method approaches to examining brain changes)
2022-2026
Project: Medical Research Scotland (PhD candidate Ali Muqtadir)
PI: M Ietswaart; co-I: L Wilson, Colin Moran, A Hodges (Magstim), D Porter (Glasgow), F Binkofski (Aachen, Germany), NJ Shah (Julich, Germany), S Mondelo (Messina, Italy)
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Mobile Cognition Innovation
2020-2022
Project: SINAPSE/Scottish Funding Council endowment
PI: M Ietswaart
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Football heading: Consequences for brain health and potential protection through shock-absorbing technology
2020-2024
Project: match-funded PhD studentship (PhD candidate Liivia-Marie Lember)
PI: M Ietswaart; co-I: A Hunter, T di Virgilio
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Diagnosing and understanding brain health consequences of routine football heading
2018-2022
Project: match-funded PhD studentship (completed PhD Michail Ntikas)
PI: M Ietswaart; co-I: L Wilson, D Kourtis, DI Donaldson (St Andrews)
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Neural correlates of action representations in real-world environments
2018-2022
Project: university funded PhD studentship (completed PhD Magda Mustile)
PI: M Ietswaart; co-I: D Kourtis, Martin Edwards (Louvain, Belgium), DI Donaldson (St Andrews)
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Action observation, action understanding and Autism
2017
Project: Wellcome Trust (researcher Ellie Ward)
PI: M Ietswaart
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Neural markers of real-world successful sporting performance in elite athletes
2017-2021
Project: SINAPSE & Sportscotland PhD studentship (completed PhD Georgia Alexandrou)
PI: DI Donaldson; co-I: M Ietswaart, D Kourtis
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Avian cognition and tool-use in the wild
2015- [leave of absence]
Project: self-funded PhD studentship (Bruce)
PI: M Ietswaart; co-I: C Caldwell
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On the head: the true impact of routine head strikes in sport
2015-2018
Project: university funded PhD studentship (completed PhD Thomas Di Virgilio)
PI: M Ietswaart; co-I: A Hunter, L Wilson, W Stewart (Glasgow), DI Donaldson (St Andrews)
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Development of a novel technology-based biomarker for identification of mild traumatic brain injury
2015
Project: National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) project grant
PI: M Ietswaart; co-I: A Hunter, L Wilson, Howatson (Northumbria), DI Donaldson (St Andrews)
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Neural correlates of human cognition in real-world environments
2014-2018
Project: university funded PhD studentship (completed PhD Simon Ladouce)
PI: M Ietswaart; co-I: DI Donaldson (St Andrews), P Dudchenko,
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Action representations in stroke: the neural correlates of tool-use and object perception
2011-2015
Project: university funded PhD studentship (completed PhD Carys Evans)
PI: M Ietswaart; co-I: Martin Edwards (Louvain, Belgium)
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Brain action representations
2008-2011
Project: Capacity Building grant held at Newcastle Magnetic Resonance Centre Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
PI: M Ietswaart
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Hand meets tool: the neural correlates of hand-tool interaction
2007-2011
Project: university funded PhD studentship (completed PhD Stefania Bracci)
PI: M Ietswaart; co-I: Christiana Cavina Pratesi (Durham), Marius Peeling (Trento, Italy, at that time), Alfonso Caramazza (Harvard, USA)
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Evaluation of functional redistribution following motor imagery training in stroke
2006
Project: NHS Endowment research grant (researcher: Clare Cooper)
PI: M Ietswaart; co-I: G Waiter, M MonWilliams, M Johnston, S Hamilton
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Can motor imagery enhance recovery of hand function after stroke? Evaluation of motor imagery training
2004-2007
Project: Chief Scientist Office, Scottish Government Health Department, project grant CZH/4/153 (researchers: multi-disciplinary team of postdocs and assistants)
PI: M Ietswaart; co-I: Chris Dijkerman (Utrecht, NL), Marie Johnston (Aberdeen)
Article
Mustile M, Kourtis D, Edwards MG, Donaldson DI & Ietswaart M (2024) Neural correlates of motor imagery and execution in real-world dynamic behavior: evidence for similarities and differences. Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, 18. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnhum.2024.1412307
Article
Investigating the Brain Mechanisms of Externally Cued Sit‐to‐Stand Movement in Parkinson's Disease
Mustile M, Kourtis D, Ladouce S, Edwards MG, Volpe D, Pilleri M, Pelosin E, Donaldson DI & Ietswaart M (2024) Investigating the Brain Mechanisms of Externally Cued Sit‐to‐Stand Movement in Parkinson's Disease. Movement Disorders, 39 (9), pp. 1556-1566. https://doi.org/10.1002/mds.29889
Article
Lember L, Ntikas M, Mondello S, Wilson L, Di Virgilio TG, Hunter AM, Kobeissy F, Mechref Y, Donaldson DI & Ietswaart M (2024) The Use of Biofluid Markers to Evaluate the Consequences of Sport-Related Subconcussive Head Impact Exposure: A Scoping Review. Sports Medicine - Open, 10, Art. No.: 12. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40798-023-00665-6
Article
Ntikas M, Stewart W, Ietswaart M, Hunter AM, Maas AIR, Menon DK & Wilson L (2024) Contrasting Characteristics and Outcomes of Sports-Related and Non–Sports-Related Traumatic Brain Injury. JAMA Network Open, 7 (1), Art. No.: e2353318. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2023.53318
Article
Mustile M, Kourtis D, Edwards MG, Ladouce S, Volpe D, Pilleri M, Pelosin E, Learmonth G, Donaldson DI & Ietswaart M (2023) Characterizing neurocognitive impairments in Parkinson’s disease with mobile EEG when walking and stepping over obstacles. Brain Communications, 5 (6), Art. No.: fcad326. https://doi.org/10.1093/braincomms/fcad326
Article
Di Virgilio TG, Ietswaart M, Selvamoorthy R & Hunter AM (2022) The Reliability of Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation-Derived Corticomotor Inhibition as a Brain Health Evaluation Tool in Soccer Players. Sports Medicine - Open, 8, Art. No.: 7. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40798-021-00399-3
Article
Mustile M, Kourtis D, Edwards MG, Donaldson DI & Ietswaart M (2022) The neural response is heightened when watching a person approaching compared to walking away: Evidence for dynamic social neuroscience. Neuropsychologia, 175, Art. No.: 108352. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2022.108352
Article
Ntikas M, Binkofski F, Shah NJ & Ietswaart M (2022) Repeated Sub-Concussive Impacts and the Negative Effects of Contact Sports on Cognition and Brain Integrity. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19 (12), Art. No.: 7098. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19127098
Article
Mustile M, Kourtis D, Ladouce S, Learmonth G, Donaldson DI, Edwards MG & Ietswaart M (2021) Mobile EEG reveals functionally dissociable dynamic processes supporting real-world ambulatory obstacle avoidance: Evidence for early proactive control. European Journal of Neuroscience, 54 (12), pp. 8106-8119. https://doi.org/10.1111/ejn.15120
Article
Lember L, Ntikas M, Mondello S, Wilson L, Hunter A, Di Virgilio T, Santoro E & Ietswaart M (2021) Effects of sport-related repetitive subconcussive head impacts on biofluid markers: a scoping review protocol. BMJ Open, 11 (6), Art. No.: e046452. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2020-046452
Article
Mobile EEG identifies the re-allocation of attention during real-world activity
Ladouce S, Donaldson DI, Dudchenko PA & Ietswaart M (2019) Mobile EEG identifies the re-allocation of attention during real-world activity. Scientific Reports, 9 (1), Art. No.: 15851. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-019-51996-y
Newspaper / Magazine
How routine sparring can cause short-term impairment to boxers’ brains
Di Virgilio T, Hunter A & Ietswaart M (2019) How routine sparring can cause short-term impairment to boxers’ brains. The Conversation. 04.10.2019.
Article
Di Virgilio TG, Ietswaart M, Wilson L, Donaldson DI & Hunter AM (2019) Understanding the Consequences of Repetitive Subconcussive Head Impacts in Sport: Brain Changes and Dampened Motor Control Are Seen After Boxing Practice. Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, 13, Art. No.: 294. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnhum.2019.00294
Article
McIntosh RD, Ietswaart M & Milner AD (2017) Weight and see: Line bisection in neglect reliably measures the allocation of attention, but not the perception of length. Neuropsychologia, 106, pp. 146-158. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2017.09.014
Article
Taylor L, Evans C, Greer J, Senior C, Coventry KR & Ietswaart M (2017) Dissociation between semantic representations for motion and action verbs: Evidence from patients with left hemisphere lesions. Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, 11, Art. No.: 35. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnhum.2017.00035
Article
Understanding Minds in Real-World Environments: Toward a Mobile Cognition Approach
Ladouce S, Donaldson D, Dudchenko P & Ietswaart M (2017) Understanding Minds in Real-World Environments: Toward a Mobile Cognition Approach. Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, 10, Art. No.: 694. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnhum.2016.00694
Article
Evidence for Acute Electrophysiological and Cognitive Changes Following Routine Soccer Heading
Di Virgilio TG, Hunter A, Wilson L, Stewart W, Goodall S, Howatson G, Donaldson DI & Ietswaart M (2016) Evidence for Acute Electrophysiological and Cognitive Changes Following Routine Soccer Heading. EBioMedicine, 13, pp. 66-71. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ebiom.2016.10.029
Newspaper / Magazine
How we discovered that heading a football causes impairment of brain function
Ietswaart M, Hunter A & Di Virgilio T (2016) How we discovered that heading a football causes impairment of brain function. The Conversation. 24.10.2016. https://theconversation.com/how-we-discovered-that-heading-a-football-causes-impairment-of-brain-function-67468
Edited Book
Mental Practice: Clinical and Experimental Research is Imagery and Action Observation
Ietswaart M, Butler A, Jackson PL & Edwards MG (eds.) (2016) Mental Practice: Clinical and Experimental Research is Imagery and Action Observation [Mental Practice, State of Play]. Frontiers in Human Neuroscience. Lausanne, Switzerland: Frontiers Media. http://journal.frontiersin.org/researchtopic/1229/mental-practice-clinical-and-experimental-research-in-imagery-and-action-observation
Article
Evans C, Edwards MG, Taylor L & Ietswaart M (2016) Perceptual decisions regarding object manipulation are selectively impaired in apraxia or when tDCS is applied over the left IPL. Neuropsychologia, 86, pp. 153-166. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2016.04.020
Article
Representational content of occipitotemporal and parietal tool areas
Bracci S, Cavina-Pratesi C, Connolly JD & Ietswaart M (2016) Representational content of occipitotemporal and parietal tool areas. Neuropsychologia, 84, pp. 81-88. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2015.09.001
Article
Impaired Communication Between the Dorsal and Ventral Stream: Indications from Apraxia
Evans C, Edwards MG, Taylor L & Ietswaart M (2016) Impaired Communication Between the Dorsal and Ventral Stream: Indications from Apraxia. Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, 2016 (10), Art. No.: 8. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnhum.2016.00008
Article
NHS ethics: Shoe-bombers and why 'less needs to be more'
Jansari A, Cocchini G, Jenkinson PM, Bajo A & Ietswaart M (2015) NHS ethics: Shoe-bombers and why 'less needs to be more'. Cortex, 71, pp. 409-411. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cortex.2015.06.011
Article
Editorial: Mental practice: Clinical and experimental research in imagery and action observation
Ietswaart M, Butler A, Jackson PL & Edwards MG (2015) Editorial: Mental practice: Clinical and experimental research in imagery and action observation. Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, 9, Art. No.: 573. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnhum.2015.00573
Article
In search for the core of apraxia
Ietswaart M & Evans C (2014) In search for the core of apraxia. Cortex, 57, pp. 283-285. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cortex.2014.02.021
Other
Ietswaart M (Editor), Butler A (Editor), Jackson PL (Editor) & Edwards MG (Editor) (2013) Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, Research Topic: Mental Practice: clinical and experimental research is imagery and action observation. Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, 7. http://www.frontiersin.org/human_neuroscience/researchtopics/mental_practice_clinical_and_e/1229
Article
Processing emotion information from both the face and body: An eye-movement study
Ietswaart M, Shields K & Engelhardt PE (2012) Processing emotion information from both the face and body: An eye-movement study. Cognition and Emotion, 26 (4), pp. 699-709. https://doi.org/10.1080/02699931.2011.588691
Article
Eye movements and verbal report in a single case of visual neglect
Benson V, Ietswaart M & Milner AD (2012) Eye movements and verbal report in a single case of visual neglect. PLoS ONE, 7 (8), Art. No.: e43743. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0043743
Article
Closely overlapping responses to tools and hands in left lateral occipitotemporal cortex
Bracci S, Cavina-Pratesi C, Ietswaart M, Caramazza A & Peelen MV (2012) Closely overlapping responses to tools and hands in left lateral occipitotemporal cortex. Journal of Neurophysiology, 107 (5), pp. 1443-1446. https://doi.org/10.1152/jn.00619.2011
Article
Mental practice with motor imagery in stroke recovery: Randomized controlled trial of efficacy
Ietswaart M, Johnston M, Dijkerman HC, Joice S, Scott CL, MacWalter RS & Hamilton SJC (2011) Mental practice with motor imagery in stroke recovery: Randomized controlled trial of efficacy. Brain, 134 (5), pp. 1373-1386. https://doi.org/10.1093/brain/awr077
Article
The Magic Grasp: Motor Expertise in Deception
Cavina-Pratesi C, Kuhn G, Ietswaart M & Milner AD (2011) The Magic Grasp: Motor Expertise in Deception. PLoS ONE, 6 (2), Art. No.: e16568. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0016568
Article
Bracci S, Ietswaart M, Peelen MV & Cavina-Pratesi C (2010) Dissociable Neural Responses to Hands and Non-Hand Body Parts in Human Left Extrastriate Visual Cortex. Journal of Neurophysiology, 103 (6), pp. 3389-3397. http://jn.physiology.org/content/103/6/3389.short
Book Chapter
Motor imagery and the rehabilitation of movement disorders: an overview
Dijkerman HC, Ietswaart M & Johnston M (2010) Motor imagery and the rehabilitation of movement disorders: an overview. In: Guillot A & Collet C (eds.) The Neurophysiological foundations of mental and motor imagery. Oxford: Oxford University Press, pp. 127-144. http://ukcatalogue.oup.com/product/9780199546251.do
Article
Cavina-Pratesi C, Ietswaart M, Humphreys GW, Lestou V & Milner AD (2010) Impaired grasping in a patient with optic ataxia: Primary visuomotor deficit or secondary consequence of misreaching?. Neuropsychologia, 48 (1), pp. 226-234. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2009.09.008
Article
Schindler I, McIntosh RD, Cassidy TP, Birchall D, Benson V, Ietswaart M & Milner AD (2009) The disengage deficit in hemispatial neglect is restricted to between-object shifts and is abolished by prism adaptation. Experimental Brain Research, 192 (3), pp. 499-510. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00221-008-1585-4
Book Chapter
Ietswaart M & Milner AD (2009) Apraxia. In: Bayne T, Cleeremans A & Wilken P (eds.) The Oxford Companion to Consciousness. Oxford: Oxford University Press, pp. 57-58. http://ukcatalogue.oup.com/product/9780198569510.do
Article
Longitudinal aspects of emotion recognition in patients with traumatic brain injury
Ietswaart M, Milders M, Crawford JR, Currie D & Scott CL (2008) Longitudinal aspects of emotion recognition in patients with traumatic brain injury. Neuropsychologia, 46 (1), pp. 148-159. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2007.08.002
Article
Milders M, Ietswaart M, Crawford JR & Currie D (2008) Social behavior following traumatic brain injury and its association with emotion recognition, understanding of intentions, and cognitive flexibility. Journal of the International Neuropsychological Society, 14 (2), pp. 318-326. https://doi.org/10.1017/S1355617708080351
Article
Tapping, grasping and aiming in ideomotor apraxia
Ietswaart M, Carey DP & Della Sala S (2006) Tapping, grasping and aiming in ideomotor apraxia. Neuropsychologia, 44 (7), pp. 1175-1184. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2005.10.003
Article
Henry JD, Phillips LH, Crawford JR, Ietswaart M & Summers F (2006) Theory of mind following traumatic brain injury: The role of emotion recognition and executive dysfunction. Neuropsychologia, 44 (10), pp. 1623-1628. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2006.03.020
Article
Recovery of hand function through mental practice: A study protocol
Ietswaart M, Johnston M, Dijkerman HC, Scott CL, Joice S, Hamilton SJC & MacWalter RS (2006) Recovery of hand function through mental practice: A study protocol. BMC Neurology, 6, Art. No.: 39. https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2377-6-39
Article
Impairments in theory of mind shortly after traumatic brain injury and at 1-year follow-up
Milders M, Ietswaart M, Crawford JR & Currie D (2006) Impairments in theory of mind shortly after traumatic brain injury and at 1-year follow-up. Neuropsychology, 20 (4), pp. 400-408. https://doi.org/10.1037/0894-4105.20.4.400
Article
Does motor imagery training improve hand function in chronic stroke patients? A pilot study
Dijkerman HC, Ietswaart M, Johnston M & MacWalter RS (2004) Does motor imagery training improve hand function in chronic stroke patients? A pilot study. Clinical Rehabilitation, 18 (5), pp. 538-549. https://doi.org/10.1191/0269215504cr769oa
Article
Neuropsychological perspectives on eye-hand coordination in visually-guided reaching
Carey DP, Della Sala S & Ietswaart M (2002) Neuropsychological perspectives on eye-hand coordination in visually-guided reaching. Progress in Brain Research, 140, pp. 311-327. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0079-6123%2802%2940059-3
Article
Ietswaart M, Carey DP, Della Sala S & Dijkhuizen RS (2001) Memory-driven movements in limb apraxia: is there evidence for impaired communication between the dorsal and the ventral streams?. Neuropsychologia, 39 (9), pp. 950-961. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0028-3932%2801%2900027-6
