Overview
Background
Ji Hyun (Julia) completed her PhD in 2020 at the Dementia & Neuro Mental Health Research Unit at the University of Queensland Centre for Clinical Research and currently working as a postdoctoral research officer. Key areas of her current research focus are developing state-of-the-art neuroimaging analysis techniques related to emotional and cognitive dysfunctions in older persons and those with progressive neurodegenerative disease including Parkinson’s disease and dementia.
Her primary research themes include:
1. Identification of markers and mechanisms of mild cognitive impairment in Parkinson’s disease
2. Neuroimaging biomarker and repurposed therapeutic discovery to reduce risk of dementia in Parkinson’s disease
3. Understand the neurobiology of anxiety in ageing and its role in cognition.
Availability
- Dr Ji Hyun Julia Yang is:
- Available for supervision
- Media expert
Qualifications
- Bachelor, The University of Queensland
- Bachelor (Honours) of Science (Advanced), The University of Queensland
- Doctor of Philosophy, The University of Queensland
Research interests
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Understanding cognitive impairment in neurodegenerative disorders such as Parkinson’s disease
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Neuroimaging biomarker to identify anxiety in dementia and Parkinson’s disease
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Use of neuroimaging (fMRI)for drug repurposing clinical trials
Works
Search Professor Ji Hyun Julia Yang’s works on UQ eSpace
2024
Journal Article
Profiling people with Parkinson's disease at risk of cognitive decline: Insights from PPMI and ICICLE‐PD data
Pourzinal, Dana, Lawson, Rachael A., Yarnall, Alison J., Williams‐Gray, Caroline H., Barker, Roger A., Yang, Jihyun, McMahon, Katie L., O'Sullivan, John D., Byrne, Gerard J. and Dissanayaka, Nadeeka N. (2024). Profiling people with Parkinson's disease at risk of cognitive decline: Insights from PPMI and ICICLE‐PD data. Alzheimer's and Dementia: Diagnosis, Assessment and Disease Monitoring, 16 (3) e12625, 1-11. doi: 10.1002/dad2.12625
2024
Journal Article
Telehealth cognitive behavior therapy to reduce anxiety in people living with cognitive impairment: a randomized feasibility pilot study
Pacas Fronza, Gabriela, Mitchell, Leander K., Pachana, Nancy A., Byrne, Gerard J., Liddle, Jacki, Yang, Jihyun, Brooks, Deborah, Au, Tiffany, Pourzinal, Dana, Worthy, Peter, Comans, Tracy, Beattie, Elizabeth, Bennett, Sally, Russell, Trevor and Dissanayaka, Nadeeka N. (2024). Telehealth cognitive behavior therapy to reduce anxiety in people living with cognitive impairment: a randomized feasibility pilot study. Clinical Gerontologist, 1-15. doi: 10.1080/07317115.2024.2336187
2024
Journal Article
Hippocampal resting‐state connectivity is associated with posterior‐cortical cognitive impairment in Parkinson's disease
Pourzinal, Dana, Yang, Jihyun, McMahon, Katie L., Copland, David A., Mitchell, Leander, O'Sullivan, John D., Byrne, Gerard J. and Dissanayaka, Nadeeka N. (2024). Hippocampal resting‐state connectivity is associated with posterior‐cortical cognitive impairment in Parkinson's disease. Brain and Behavior, 14 (3) e3454, 1-12. doi: 10.1002/brb3.3454
2023
Journal Article
Levetiracetam for the treatment of mild cognitive impairment in Parkinson's disease: a double-blind controlled proof-of-concept trial protocol
Dissanayaka, Nadeeka, Pourzinal, Dana, Byrne, Gerard J., Yang, Jihyun, McMahon, Katie L., Pontone, Gregory M., O'Sullivan, John D., Adam, Robert, Littleford, Roberta, Chatfield, Mark, Lehn, Alexander, Mari, Zoltan and Bakker, Arnold (2023). Levetiracetam for the treatment of mild cognitive impairment in Parkinson's disease: a double-blind controlled proof-of-concept trial protocol. Pilot and Feasibility Studies, 9 (1) 189, 189. doi: 10.1186/s40814-023-01406-y
2023
Journal Article
Optimising verbal fluency analysis in neurological patients with dysarthria: examples from Parkinson’s disease and hereditary ataxia
Li, Yanjun, Yang, Jihyun, Evans, Kristine, Wong, Jasmine Bow-Wah, Dissanayaka, Nadeeka N. and Vogel, Adam P. (2023). Optimising verbal fluency analysis in neurological patients with dysarthria: examples from Parkinson’s disease and hereditary ataxia. Journal of Clinical and Experimental Neuropsychology, 45 (5), 452-463. doi: 10.1080/13803395.2023.2249172
2023
Journal Article
Longitudinal follow up of data‐driven cognitive subtypes in Parkinson's disease
Pourzinal, Dana, Yang, Jihyun, Sivakumaran, Kumareshan, McMahon, Katie L., Mitchell, Leander, O'Sullivan, John D., Byrne, Gerard J. and Dissanayaka, Nadeeka N. (2023). Longitudinal follow up of data‐driven cognitive subtypes in Parkinson's disease. Brain and Behavior, 13 (10) e3218, e3218. doi: 10.1002/brb3.3218
2023
Journal Article
Global assessment, cognitive profile, and characteristics of mild cognitive impairment in Parkinson's disease
Yang, Jihyun, Pourzinal, Dana, Byrne, Gerard J., McMahon, Katie L., Copland, David A., O’Sullivan, John D., Mitchell, Leander and Dissanayaka, Nadeeka N. (2023). Global assessment, cognitive profile, and characteristics of mild cognitive impairment in Parkinson's disease. International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, 38 (6) e5955, e5955. doi: 10.1002/gps.5955
2022
Journal Article
Systematic review of data‐driven cognitive subtypes in Parkinson’s disease
Pourzinal, Dana, Yang, Jihyun, Lawson, Rachael A., McMahon, Katie L., Byrne, Gerard J. and Dissanayaka, Nadeeka N. (2022). Systematic review of data‐driven cognitive subtypes in Parkinson’s disease. European Journal of Neurology, 29 (11), 3395-3417. doi: 10.1111/ene.15481
2022
Journal Article
Semantic fluency deficits and associated brain activity in Parkinson’s disease with mild cognitive impairment
Yang, Jihyun, McMahon, Katie L., Copland, David A., Pourzinal, Dana, Byrne, Gerard J., Angwin, Anthony J., O’Sullivan, John D. and Dissanayaka, Nadeeka N (2022). Semantic fluency deficits and associated brain activity in Parkinson’s disease with mild cognitive impairment. Brain Imaging and Behavior, 16 (6), 1-12. doi: 10.1007/s11682-022-00698-7
2022
Journal Article
The Attention Network Test in Parkinson and Lewy body disease: a systematic review
Yang, Jihyun, Pourzinal, Dana, Rheinberger, Toby, Copland, David A., McMahon, Katie L., Byrne, Gerard J. and Dissanayaka, Nadeeka N. (2022). The Attention Network Test in Parkinson and Lewy body disease: a systematic review. Cognitive and Behavioral Neurology, 35 (1), 1-13. doi: 10.1097/WNN.0000000000000292
2022
Journal Article
Caring for a loved one with Parkinson’s disease: the role of coping styles and relationship quality
Zhang, Angeline, Mitchell, Leander K., Pachana, Nancy A., Yang, Ji Hyun J., Au, Tiffany R., Byrne, Gerard J., O’Sullivan, John D. and Dissanayaka, Nadeeka N. (2022). Caring for a loved one with Parkinson’s disease: the role of coping styles and relationship quality. International Psychogeriatrics, 34 (7) PII S1041610221002866, 1-8. doi: 10.1017/s1041610221002866
2021
Journal Article
Anxiety disorders are associated with verbal memory impairment in patients with Parkinson’s disease without dementia
Dissanayaka, Nadeeka N., Forbes, Elana J., Yang, Ji Hyun J., Pourzinal, Dana, O’Sullivan, John D., Mitchell, Leander K., Copland, David A., McMahon, Katie L. and Byrne, Gerard J. (2021). Anxiety disorders are associated with verbal memory impairment in patients with Parkinson’s disease without dementia. Journal of Neurology, 269 (3), 1600-1609. doi: 10.1007/s00415-021-10736-x
2021
Journal Article
Hippocampal correlates of episodic memory in Parkinson's disease: A systematic review of magnetic resonance imaging studies
Pourzinal, Dana, Yang, Ji Hyun J., Bakker, Arnold, McMahon, Katie L., Byrne, Gerard J., Pontone, Gregory M., Mari, Zoltan and Dissanayaka, Nadeeka N. (2021). Hippocampal correlates of episodic memory in Parkinson's disease: A systematic review of magnetic resonance imaging studies. Journal of Neuroscience Research, 99 (9) jnr.24863, 2097-2116. doi: 10.1002/jnr.24863
2021
Journal Article
Defining atypical anxiety in Parkinson's disease
Forbes, Elana J., Byrne, Gerard J., O'Sullivan, John D., Yang, Jihyun, Marsh, Rodney and Dissanayaka, Nadeeka N. (2021). Defining atypical anxiety in Parkinson's disease. Movement Disorders Clinical Practice, 8 (4), 571-581. doi: 10.1002/mdc3.13193
2021
Journal Article
Neural correlates of attentional deficits in Parkinson’s disease patients with mild cognitive impairment
Yang, Jihyun, Pourzinal, Dana, McMahon, Katie L., Byrne, Gerard J., Copland, David A., O’Sullivan, John D. and Dissanayaka, Nadeeka N. (2021). Neural correlates of attentional deficits in Parkinson’s disease patients with mild cognitive impairment. Parkinsonism and Related Disorders, 85, 17-22. doi: 10.1016/j.parkreldis.2021.02.009
2021
Conference Publication
Investigating resting state functional connectivity in sub-phenotypes of mild cognitive impairment in Parkinson’s disease
Pourzinal, D., Yang, J.H., Byrne, G.J., O’Sullivan, J.D., McMahon, K., Copland, D.A. and Dissanayaka, N. (2021). Investigating resting state functional connectivity in sub-phenotypes of mild cognitive impairment in Parkinson’s disease. Australia Dementia Forum 2021, Online, 31 May – 1 June 2021.
2020
Conference Publication
Improving diagnosis and treatment of anxiety in Parkinson’s disease: IDATA-PD study update
Dissanayaka, N., Byrne, G. J., Mitchell, L. K., O'Sullivan, J. D., Padmassini, A., White, E. X., Yang, J. H. J., Forbes, E., Thangavelu, K., Au, T., Lehn, A., Adam, R. and Pachana, N. A. (2020). Improving diagnosis and treatment of anxiety in Parkinson’s disease: IDATA-PD study update. Herston Health Precinct Symposium 2020, Brisbane, QLD Australia, 7-11 December 2020.
2020
Conference Publication
A neuroimaging paradigm for exploring ageing, anxiety, and cognition
Su, P., Yang, J. H., McMahon, K. L., Byrne, G. J. and Dissanayaka, N. N. W. (2020). A neuroimaging paradigm for exploring ageing, anxiety, and cognition. Herston Health Precinct Symposium 2020, Brisbane, QLD, Australia, 7-11 December 2020.
2020
Conference Publication
Anxiety disorders are associated with verbal memory impairment in patients with Parkinson’s disease without dementia
Forbes, E., Byrne, G. J., Yang, J. H. J., O'Sullivan, J., Copland, D. A., McMahon, K. L., Mitchell, L. K. and Dissanayaka, N. N. (2020). Anxiety disorders are associated with verbal memory impairment in patients with Parkinson’s disease without dementia. Herston Health Precinct Symposium 2020, Brisbane, QLD, Australia, 7-11 December 2020.
2020
Conference Publication
Therapy to Reduce dementia risk In Parkinson’s disease (TRIP): proof-of-concept protocol
Pourzinal, D., Bakker, A., Byrne, G. J., McMahon, K., O'Sullivan, J., Adam, R., Copland, D., Yang, J. H. J., Au, T., Littleford, R., Chatfield, M., Pontone, G., Mari, Z. and Dissanayaka, N. (2020). Therapy to Reduce dementia risk In Parkinson’s disease (TRIP): proof-of-concept protocol. UQ Faculty of Medicine Higher Degree by Research Student Symposium, Brisbane, QLD Australia, 23-27 November 2020.
Funding
Current funding
Supervision
Availability
- Dr Ji Hyun Julia Yang is:
- Available for supervision
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Available projects
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The neurobiology of anxiety in ageing and its role in cognition
Anxiety is a common problem that can be experienced by people of all ages and it can negatively influence an individual’s overall well-being and quality of life. With a growing trend towards increased healthy life expectancy in an ageing population, there is the need to address anxiety disorders in older people. We aim to identify neuroimaging (brain scan) markers associated with anxiety in older people. In addition, we will examine the role of anxiety in cognitive functioning in older people. In your thesis project, you will learn a range of methods including conducting neuropsychological assessment, neurocognitive assessment and neuroimaging methods including functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data collection and data analysis.
Supervision history
Completed supervision
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2023
Doctor Philosophy
Cognitive subtypes in Parkinson's disease: exploring phenotypes, neuroimaging targets, and therapeutics
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Gerard Byrne, Associate Professor John O'Sullivan, Professor Nadeeka Dissanayaka
Media
Enquiries
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