Researcher | Research Overview
As a research neuropsychologist with background in statistical analysis and design methodologies, Dr. McAnulty’s primary research focus has been the development and evaluation of two innovative approaches to clinical diagnosis of neurological diseases and neurobehavioral disorders: quantified EEG (qEEG) and the Assessment of Preterm Infants’ Behavior (APIB).
Her research interests also include the intersection of neurocognitive function, qEEG and advanced MR imaging technology in disorders including brain tumor, schizophrenia, Alzheimer’s disease, depression, dyslexia and autism as well as healthy aging.
As a licensed neuropsychologist with clinical expertise in infancy, prematurity and high-risk birth, her second focus has been in the development, evaluation and dissemination of a field changing approach to NICU care delivery, Newborn Individualized Care and Assessment Program (NIDCAP).
She serves as site Principal Investigator of a multi-disciplinary NIH/NIMH research project whose goal is to develop clinically feasible time efficient methods for the fast acquisition of diffusion magnetic resonance imaging of pediatric patients and apply it to study the neuropathology in attention-deficit hyperactivity-disorder.
Researcher | Research Background
As a research neuropsychologist with background in research design and analysis, I have been involved in the development and evaluation of two innovative approaches to clinical diagnosis of neurological diseases and neurobehavioral disorders: quantified EEG (qEEG) and the Assessment of Preterm Infants' Behavior (APIB). I began my career at Boston Children's Hospital working with qEEG's neurologist originator, Frank Duffy, MD evaluating qEEG's diagnostic sensitivity for disorders including brain tumor, schizophrenia, Alzheimer's disease, depression, dyslexia and autism as well as healthy aging. I worked on its statistical development with quantified mapping, unrestricted principal component and coherence analyses. This area grew to include MR imaging technology to define anatomical relationship to brain function findings.
As a clinical neuropsychologist with expertise in prematurity and high-risk birth, my work involves the development, evaluation and dissemination of a field changing approach to NICU care, Newborn Individualized Care and Assessment Program (NIDCAP). I have had the opportunity to evaluate a preterm infant diagnostic assessment (APIB) and participate in the quality assurance and dissemination of a system changing approach developed from the same theoretical model with the model's originator, Heidelise Als, PhD, serving as collaborator and Associate Director of the research laboratory Neurobehavioral Infant and Child Studies.