Sandra Bond Chapman

Sandra Bond Chapman
University of Texas at Dallas | UTD · Center for BrainHealth

PhD

About

244
Publications
55,976
Reads
How we measure 'reads'
A 'read' is counted each time someone views a publication summary (such as the title, abstract, and list of authors), clicks on a figure, or views or downloads the full-text. Learn more
7,957
Citations
Introduction
As the Founder and Chief Director of the Center for BrainHealth at The University of Texas at Dallas, Dee Wyly Distinguished University Chair and author of Make Your Brain Smarter, I am committed to maximizing cognitive potential across the entire lifespan. A cognitive neuroscientist with more than 40 funded research grants, I strive to elucidate and apply novel approaches to advance creative and critical thinking, strengthen healthy brain development, and incite innovation throughout life.
Additional affiliations
January 2007 - December 2007
University of Texas at Dallas
Position
  • Research Integrity Committee Appointment
January 2004 - present
University of Texas at Dallas
Position
  • Dee Wyly Distinguished Chair in Neuroscience
January 2003 - present
University of Texas at Dallas
Position
  • Professor (Full)
Education
August 1983 - May 1986
University of Texas at Dallas
Field of study
  • Cognitive Neuroscience
January 1974 - August 1974
University of North Texas
Field of study
  • Communication Disorders
August 1970 - December 1973
University of North Texas
Field of study
  • Speech Pathology

Publications

Publications (244)
Preprint
Full-text available
Physical activity (PA) is a key component for brain health and Reserve, and it is among the main dementia protective factors. However, the neurobiological mechanisms underpinning Reserve are not fully understood. In this regard, a noradrenergic (NA) theory of cognitive reserve (Robertson, 2013) has proposed that the upregulation of NA system might...
Article
Full-text available
Background Predicting future brain health is a complex endeavor that often requires integrating diverse data sources. The neural patterns and interactions identified through neuroimaging serve as the fundamental basis and early indicators that precede the manifestation of observable behaviors or psychological states. New Method In this work, we in...
Article
The goal of precision brain health is to accurately predict individuals’ longitudinal patterns of brain change. We trained a machine learning model to predict changes in a cognitive index of brain health from neurophysiologic metrics. A total of 48 participants (ages 21–65) completed a sensorimotor task during 2 functional magnetic resonance imagin...
Article
Full-text available
Introduction The workplace typically affords one of the longest periods for continued brain health growth. Brain health is defined by the World Health Organization (WHO) as the promotion of optimal brain development, cognitive health, and well-being across the life course, which we expanded to also include connectedness to people and purpose. This...
Article
Objective: The authors sought to identify predictive factors of new-onset or novel oppositional defiant disorder or conduct disorder assessed 24 months after traumatic brain injury (TBI). Methods: Children ages 5 to 14 years who had experienced TBI were recruited from consecutive hospital admissions. Soon after injury, participants were assessed...
Preprint
Full-text available
Physical activity (PA) is a key component for brain health and Reserve, and it is among the main dementia protective factors. However, the neurobiological mechanisms underpinning Reserve are not fully understood. In this regard, a noradrenergic (NA) theory of cognitive reserve (Robertson, 2013) has proposed that the upregulation of NA system might...
Article
Full-text available
Background The cognitive training Strategic Memory Advanced Reasoning Training (SMART) has been shown to improve symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress when completed using in‐person delivery, but mental health outcomes have not yet been studied for online delivery of SMART. Methods Data was analyzed from 145 generally healthy adults particip...
Article
Full-text available
Low immersion virtual reality (LIVR) is a computer-generated, three-dimensional virtual environment that allows for authentic social interactions through a personal avatar, or digital representation of oneself. Lab-based delivery of LIVR social skills intervention has been shown to support social learning through controlled, targeted practice. Rece...
Article
Objective: To investigate the factors predictive of novel psychiatric disorders in the interval 0-6 months following traumatic brain injury (TBI). Methods: Children ages 5-14 years consecutively hospitalized for mild to severe TBI at five hospitals were recruited. Participants were evaluated at baseline (soon after injury) for pre-injury charact...
Article
Full-text available
Within many societies and cultures around the world, older adults are too often undervalued and underappreciated. This exacerbates many key challenges that older adults may face. It also undermines the many positive aspects of late life that are of tremendous value at both an individual and societal level. We propose a new approach to elevate healt...
Article
Full-text available
The epoch of adolescent brain development is an ideal time to train complex thinking skills, and middle schools provide an ideal environment to train and foster this acquisition. Unfortunately, few teachers are equipped with enough knowledge of the science of learning and evidence-based methodology, to ensure all students are given sufficient oppor...
Article
To solve existential brain challenges spanning neurology, mental health, education, workforce development, and neuroscience—we need a fresh approach to technologies and investing. We need a new investment opportunity: Brain Capital. https://www.psychiatrictimes.com/view/brain-capital-an-emerging-investment-opportunity
Article
Objective: The investigators examined the factors predictive of novel oppositional defiant disorder in the 6-12 months following traumatic brain injury (TBI). Methods: Children ages 5-14 years old who experienced a TBI were recruited from consecutive admissions to five hospitals. Participants were evaluated soon after injury (baseline) for prein...
Article
Full-text available
Objective To evaluate the effectiveness of 2 interventions, including the DrugFactsBox format for presenting written medication information and the SMART (Strategic Memory Advanced Reasoning Training) program designed to enhance gist (i.e., “bottom‐line” meaning) reasoning ability. Methods We used a 2 × 2 factorial research design. A total of 286...
Article
Objective: The investigators aimed to assess predictive factors of novel oppositional defiant disorder (ODD) among children and adolescents in the first 6 months following traumatic brain injury (TBI). Methods: Children ages 5-14 years who experienced a TBI were recruited from consecutive admissions to five hospitals. Testing of a biopsychosocia...
Article
Full-text available
Respiration rate (RR) dynamics entrains brain neural networks. RR differences between mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and Alzheimer’s disease (AD) in response to oral appliance therapy (OAT) is unknown. This pilot study investigated if RR during stable sleep shows a relationship to pathological severity in subjects with MCI and AD who snore and if...
Article
Full-text available
This study examined the relationship between teacher identification of socially at-risk adolescents and baseline student social competency levels. Additionally, the feasibility and effects of an eight-session, virtual social training were analyzed. Upon completion of the virtual social training, the transfer effects from the targeted intervention i...
Article
Brains are indispensable drivers of human progress. Why not invest more heavily in them? We seek to place Brain Capital at the center of a new narrative to fuel economic and societal recovery and resilience.
Article
Full-text available
Introduction Mitochondrial dysfunction is a neurometabolic hallmark signaling abnormal brain energy metabolism (BEM) targeted as a potential early marker of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Advanced imaging technologies, such as ³¹phosphorus magnetic resonance spectroscopy (³¹P MRS) at ultra-high-field (UHF) magnetic strength 7T, provide sensitive phospha...
Article
Full-text available
Introduction: Brain health is neglected in public health, receiving attention after something goes wrong. Neuroplasticity research illustrates that preventive steps strengthen the brain's component systems; however, this information is not widely known. Actionable steps are needed to scale proven population-level interventions. Objectives: This pil...
Article
Brain health disorders cost the global economy more than $3 trillion per year in lost productivity. What can we do about it? https://www.psychiatrictimes.com/view/smart-growth-the-case-for-measuring-brain-capital
Article
Introduction Research shows that cognitive performance and emotional well-being can be significantly strengthened. A high-performance brain training protocol, Strategic Memory Advanced Reasoning Training (SMART), was developed by cognitive neuroscientists at The University of Texas at Dallas Center for BrainHealth based on 25-plus years of scientif...
Article
Brain Capital is of the utmost importance. By focusing global efforts towards continually building brain skills, early detection of negative changes, and treating brain disorders, we can help meet the challenges of the 21st century. We must build a future that prioritizes people and gives individuals the resources necessary to develop their full po...
Article
Full-text available
An economy based around psychological and cognitive wellness would enable us to create a stronger, more resilient future
Article
Full-text available
An ongoing debate surrounding transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) of the scalp is whether it modulates brain activity both directly and in a regionally constrained manner enough to positively affect symptoms in patients with neurological disorders. One alternative explanation is that direct current stimulation affects neural circuits mai...
Article
‘I have not found among my possessions anything which I hold more dear than, or value so much as, my knowledge of the actions of great people, acquired by long experience in contemporary affairs, and a continual study of antiquity.’ The Prince, Machiavelli
Article
Full-text available
Background The human brain has high energy requirements that continuously support healthy neuronal activity and cognition. A disruption in brain energy metabolism (BEM) may contribute to early neuropathological changes such as accumulation of β-amyloid and tau in vulnerable populations. One such population is amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMC...
Article
Purpose There is currently a large scope of unmet need in addressing persistent cognitive difficulties after mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) affecting higher order aspects such as reasoning, strategic learning, and other executive functions (EFs), with potential lasting impacts on academic and everyday life functioning. This study sought to expl...
Chapter
Imagine a place you go to safely practice interviewing for a job, speaking up in a group meeting, or asking someone for a date. Such a world exists as a “virtual reality” called Charisma™. This chapter illustrates, with evidence-based research, how virtual reality platforms are opening immense opportunities to enhance Social BrainHealth in adults,...
Article
Background. Graph-theoretic approaches are increasingly popular for identifying the patterns of disrupted neural systems after traumatic brain injury (TBI). However, the patterns of neuroplasticity in brain organization after cognitive training in TBI are less well understood. Objective. We identified the patterns of training-induced neuroplasticit...
Article
Full-text available
Background Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS), a non-invasive stimulation, represents a potential intervention to enhance cognition across clinical populations including Alzheimer’s disease and mild cognitive impairment (MCI). This randomized clinical trial in MCI investigated the effects of anodal tDCS (a-tDCS) delivered to left inferi...
Chapter
This chapter addresses the capability to enhance human cognitive performance (i.e., cognitive capital) through training, with the down-range goal of improving functionality in contexts of great complexity, including military/political operations, corporate directions, and educational preparation. It highlights a multidimensional framework to measur...
Article
Emerging evidence suggests cognitive training programs targeting higher-order reasoning may strengthen not only cognitive, but also neural functions in individuals with Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI). However, research on direct measures of training-induced neural changes, derivable from electroencephalography (EEG), is limited. The current pilot...
Article
Full-text available
Factors that contribute to overcoming decision-making biases in later life pose an important investigational question given the increasing older adult population. Limited empirical evidence exists and the literature remains equivocal of whether increasing age is associated with elevated susceptibility to decision-making biases such as framing effec...
Article
Full-text available
Depression is the most frequent comorbid psychiatric condition among individuals with traumatic brain injury (TBI). Yet, little is known about changes in the brain associated with reduced depressive symptoms following rehabilitation for TBI. We identified whether cognitive training alleviates comorbid depressive symptoms in chronic TBI (>6 months p...
Article
Full-text available
Lay summary: This study addresses how the behavioral changes after treatment for ASD reflect underlying brain changes. Before and after receiving VR-SCT, young adults with high-functioning ASD passively viewed biological motion stimuli in a MRI scanner, tapping changes in the social brain network. The results reveal neuroplasticity in this age pop...
Article
Cognitive control is the ability to coordinate thoughts and actions to achieve goals. Cognitive control impairments are one of the most persistent and devastating sequalae of traumatic brain injuries (TBI). There have been efforts to improve cognitive control in individuals with post-acute TBI. Several studies have reported changes in neuropsycholo...
Article
Full-text available
Non-invasive interventions, such as cognitive training (CT) and physical exercise, are gaining momentum as ways to augment both cognitive and brain function throughout life. One of the most fundamental yet little studied aspects of human cognition is innovative thinking, especially in older adults. In this study, we utilize a measure of innovative...
Article
Higher-order cognitive training has shown to enhance performance in older adults, but the neural mechanisms underlying performance enhancement have yet to be fully disambiguated. This randomized trial examined changes in processing speed and processing speed-related neural activity in older participants (57-71 years of age) who underwent cognitive...
Article
There has been great interest in characterizing the response of the amygdala to emotional faces, especially in the context of social cognition. Although amygdala activation is most often associated with fearful or angry stimuli, there is considerable evidence that the response of the amygdala to neutral faces is both robust and reliable. This chara...
Article
Full-text available
Clinical investigations of individuals with chronic stage traumatic brain injury (TBI) showing mild-to-moderate levels of residual impairment largely use standardized neuropsychological assessments to measure executive functioning. The Hayling Sentence Completion Test (HSCT) relies upon several executive functions but detects cognitive impairments...
Article
Full-text available
Introduction Prior studies have demonstrated training‐induced changes in the healthy adult brain. Yet, it remains unclear how the injured brain responds to cognitive training months‐to‐years after injury. Methods Sixty individuals with chronic traumatic brain injury (TBI) were randomized into either strategy‐based (N = 31) or knowledge‐based (N =...
Chapter
Language offers a vivid window into the higher-order cognitive potential of individuals. In particular, discourse, which is language expressed in both spoken and written forms and is typically conveyed as a sequence of sentences that has coherent organization and meaning, is a useful tool to characterize and to strengthen brain health fitness. We d...
Article
Full-text available
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is characterized by remarkable heterogeneity in social, communication, and behavioral deficits, creating a major barrier in identifying effective treatments for a given individual with ASD. To facilitate precision medicine in ASD, we utilized a well-validated biological motion neuroimaging task to identify pretreatmen...
Article
Full-text available
Cognitive training interventions are a promising approach to mitigate cognitive deficits common in aging and, ultimately, to improve functioning in older adults. Baseline neural factors, such as properties of brain networks, may predict training outcomes and can be used to improve the effectiveness of interventions. Here, we investigated the relati...
Article
Full-text available
Abstraction, a unique aspect of human reasoning, is affected by TBI. Lack of sensitive metrics to characterize abstraction in TBI recovery may impede detection of cognitive deficits and impact daily function. Recent findings found lower performance in abstracting meaning from complex information, referred to as gist reasoning, in adults with TBI. T...
Poster
Full-text available
Poster to be presented at the annual American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine (ACRM) in Chicago, IL. Presents a partial least squares correlation analysis of the relationships between BOLD response and white matter microstructure in adults with chronic mild-moderate traumatic brain injury (TBI). Note: the currently published abstract in the Arc...
Article
Full-text available
Cognitive deficits in executive function and memory among individuals with bipolar disorder (BD) are well-documented; however, only recently have efforts begun to address whether such cognitive deficits can be ameliorated through cognitive training. This pilot study examined the effects of a top–down, cognitive reasoning training program in adults...