Madeline Ally

I am currently pursuing a PhD in Clinical Psychology with a minor in Neuropsychology. My research focuses on the early detection and prevention of neurodegenerative diseases, with a particular interest in modifiable risk and lifestyle factors. At the University of Arizona, I work with Dr. Gene Alexander to investigate contributors to both healthy brain aging and dementia-related processes using a variety of interdisciplinary interventions and research methods. 

Research Interests: 

• Evaluating in vivo detection and diagnostic techniques in Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias
• Assessing and implementing preventative interventions to promote healthy aging, particularly for those at-risk for developing neurodegenerative diseases
• Applying multimodal approaches to understand the interplay between lifestyle factors, pathological neurodegeneration, and clinical disease progression

Selected Publications: 

• Raichlen, D.A., Ally, M., Aslan, D.H., Sayre, M.K., Bharadwaj, P.K., Maltagliati, S., Lai, M.H.C., Wilcox, R.R., Habeck, C.G., Klimentidis, Y.C., Alexander, G.E. (2024). Associations between accelerometer-derived sedentary behavior and physical activity with white matter hyperintensities in middle-aged to older adults. Alzheimer’s and Dementia: Diagnosis, Assessment & Disease Monitoring.
  https://doi.org/10.1002/dad2.70001.
• Ally, M.*, Sugarman, M.A.*, Zetterberg, H., Blennow, K., Ashton, N.J., Karikari, T.K., Aparicio, H., Frank, B.F., Tripodis, Y., Stein, T.D., Martin, B., Palmisano, J.N., Steinberg, E.G., Simkin, I., Farrer, L., Jun, G., Turk, K.W., Budson, A.E., O’Connor, M.K., Au, R., Goldstein, L.E., Kowall, N.W., Killiany, R., Stern, R.A., McKee, A.C., Qiu, W.Q., Mez, J., Alosco, M.L. (2023). Cross-sectional and longitudinal evaluation of plasma glial fibrillary acidic protein to detect and predict clinical syndromes of
  Alzheimer’s disease. Alzheimer’s and Dementia: Diagnosis, Assessment & Disease Monitoring. https://doi.org/10.1002/dad2.12492.
• Frank, B., Ally, M., Tripodis, Y., Puzo, C., Labriola, C., Hurley, L., Martin, B., Palmisano, J.N., Chan, L., Steinberg, E.G., Turk, K., Budson, A.E., O’Connor, M.K.,
  Au, R., Qiu, W.Q., Goldstein, L.E., Kukull, W., Kowall, N.W., Killiany, R., Stern, R.A., Stein, T.D., McKee, A.C., Mez, J., Alosco, M.L. (2022). Trajectories of cognitive
  decline in brain donors with autopsy-confirmed Alzheimer’s disease and cerebrovascular disease. Neurology.
  https://doi.org/10.1212/WNL.0000000000200304. 

Selected Presentations: 

• Ally M., Aslan, D.H., Sayre, M.K., Bharadwaj, P.K., Maltagliati, S., Grilli, M. D., Lai, M.H.C., Wilcox, R.R., Klimentidis, Y.C., Raichlen, D.A., Alexander, G.E. (2024, September). Association of sleep behaviors with cerebral white matter hyperintensity volume in healthy middle-aged to older adults. Paper and poster presented at the Arizona Alzheimer’s Consortium Scientific Conference, Phoenix
  AZ.
• Ally, M., Zetterberg, H., Blennow, K., Ashton, N.J., Karikari, T.K., Aparicio, H., Sugarman, M.A., Frank, B.F., Tripodis, Y., Martin, B., Palmisano, J.N., Steinberg, E.G., Simkin, I., Farrer, L., Jun, G., Turk, K.W., Budson, A.E., O’Connor, M.K., Au, R.,
  Qiu, W.Q., Goldstein, L.E., Killiany, R., Kowall, N.W., Stern, R.A., Mez, J., Huber, B.R., McKee, A.C., Stein, T.D., Alosco, M.L. (2023, February). Antemortem plasma
  GFAP predicts Alzheimer’s disease neuropathological changes. Paper presented at the International Neuropsychological Society, San Diego, CA.

Master's Project: 

• Association of sleep behaviors with white matter lesion load in middle-aged to older adults

Updated: 10/24/24