Psychology Research Colloquium: Art Kramer, Emeritus Professor of Psychology, Northeastern University

Implications of Lifestyle Choices for Brains & Minds: Some Examples from Physical Activity Studies

The presentation will focus on research from our laboratory and that ofother researchers which has examined the effects of exercise training interventions and physical activity participation on cognitive and brain health. We will discuss research that has examined changes in brain structure and/or function along with behavioral measures of cognition in interventions, cross-sectional, and longitudinal studies lasting from several months to several years. Study populations will include middle-aged individuals, older adults, and children in addition to a variety ofpatient groups. Although the focus will be on training to improve cardiorespiratory fitness we will also briefly cover resistance training as well as multi-modal cognitive and exercise training programs. Multi-modal predictions of adherence to exercise regimes and programs will also be discussed. Finally, the presentation will identify controversies and gaps in the literature and potential solutions.

Art Kramer is an Emeritus Professor of Psychology. He previously served as senior vice provost for Research and Graduate Education and director of the Center for Cognitive and Brain Health at Northeastern University. He also previously served as the director of the Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology and the Swanlund Chair and Professor of Psychology and Neuroscience at the University of Illinois. He received his PhD in Cognitive/Experimental Psychology from the University of Illinois. Professor Kramer’s research projects include topics in Aging, Cognitive Psychology, Cognitive Neuroscience, and Human Factors. A major focus of his lab’s recent research is the understanding and enhancement of cognitive and neural plasticity across the lifespan. He is a former associate editor of Perception and Psychophysics and is currently a member of six editorial boards. Professor Kramer is also a fellow of the American Psychological Association, American Psychological Society, a former member of the executive committee of the International Society of Attention and Performance, and a recipient of a NIH Ten Year MERIT Award. He has recently served on the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST), the National Academy of Medicine’s (NAM) committee on Cognitive Aging, the chair of the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) workshop on Understanding Pathways to Successful Aging: Behavioral and Social Factors Related to Alzheimer’s Disease.