DSDC Staff

Dr Catherine MacLeod

Researcher

Tel: 01248 388030

E-mail: c.a.macleod@bangor.ac.uk

Twitter: @MacLeod_CA

 

Research Interests:

I am interested in the health and well-being of people as they get older and what can be done to help and support people to age well.  In 2017 I was awarded a social care fellowship by the Welsh Government through Health and Care Research Wales to explore the health and care service needs of people with dementia, cognitive impairment, and their carers. The work looks at how people currently use and access services, what support or information they may be missing, and their experiences of social exclusion.

My recent work has examined social exclusion in later life, investigating how social exclusion is measured, the relationships between a person’s environment, health and experience of social exclusion, and exploring older adults’ explanations of why they do not seek or receive assistance from services or other sources.  I am involved in the ENact-PD: EEG Neuro-feedback in Parkinson's project, a pilot study investigating the feasibility of using EEG neuro-feedback to alleviate motor symptoms associated with Parkinson’s disease, and its potential as a non-pharmacological treatment.

In addition to my interest in psycho-social aspects of ageing, I have an interest in the study of memory and cognition, and completed my PhD at the University of Stirling where I investigated individual differences in episodic memory, examining the role of behaviour, genetics and brain activity.  I moved to Bangor in 2011 to work as the Research Officer on the Cognitive Function and Ageing Study Wales (CFAS-Wales), a longitudinal cohort study that aims to address key questions about maintaining function and well-being in later life.  I am also a member of the Centre for Ageing and Dementia Research, a multi-disciplinary collaboration between Welsh Universities, funded by Welsh Government through Health and Care Research Wales.

 

Grants:

MacLeod, C.A. Social exclusion and use of care services in Wales: Experiences of people with cognitive impairment and dementia. Social care fellowship funded by Welsh Government through Health and Care Research Wales. £269,306. October 2017- March 2021. For more information click here

Hindle, J., Pritchard, A., Cooke, A., Martin-Forbes, P., Linden, D., Bracewell, M. & Macleod, C. EEG Neurofeedback to improve motor function in Parkinson’s. Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board. £56,385. October 2016-March 2018.

Hindle, J., Pritchard, A., Cooke, A., Martin-Forbes, P., Linden, D., Bracewell, M. & Macleod, C. Neurofeedback in Parkinson’s disease research development group. NEURODEM Cymru. £5,964. September 2014.

 

Publications:

Gamble, L.D., Matthews, F.R., Jones, I.R., Hillman, A.E., Woods, B., Macleod, C.A., Martyr, A., Collins, R., Pentecost, C., Rusted, R.M., & Clare, L. (2022). Characteristics of people living with undiagnosed dementia: findings from CFAS Wales study. BMC Geriatrics, 22, 409. doi:10.1186/s12877-022-03086-4

Bellenguez, C., Küçükali, F., Jansen, I., Kleineidam, L., Moreno-Grau, S., Amin, N., Naj, A. C., Campos-Martin, R., Grenier-Boley, B., Andrade, V., Holmans, P. A., Boland, A., Damotte, V., van der Lee, S. J., Kuulasmaa, T., Yang, Q., de Rojas, I., Bis, J. C., Yaqub, A., . . . . MacLeod, C. A., . . . .  Lambert, J.-C. (2022). New insights into the genetic etiology of Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias. Nature Genetics, 54, 412-436. doi:10.1038/s41588-022-01024-z

Henley, J., Hillman, A., Jones, I.R., Woods, B., MacLeod, C.A., Pentecost, C., & Clare, L. (2021). “We’re happy as we are”: the experience of living with undiagnosed dementia and of psychosocial barriers to seeking a dementia diagnosis. Ageing & Society, 1-26. doi:10.1017/S0144686X21001495

de Rojas, I., Moreno-Grau, S., Tesi, N., Grenier-Boley, B., Andrade, V., Jansen, I. E., Pedersen, N. L., Stringa, N., Zettergren, A., Hernández., I., Montrreal, L., Antúnez, C., Antonell, A., Tankard, R. M., Bis, J. C., Sims, R., Bellenguez, C., Quintela, I., González-Perez, A., . . . . IGRP (Macleod, C.) . . . . Ruiz, A.  (2021). Common variants in Alzheimer’s disease and risk stratification by polygenic risk scores. Nature Communications, 12, 3417. doi:10.1038/s41467-021-22491-8 

MacLeod, C.A., Bu, F., Rutherford, A.C., Phillips, J., Woods, R., in collaboration with the CFAS-Wales research team (2021). Cognitive impairment negatively impacts allied health service uptake: Investigating the association between health and service use. SSM – Population Health, 13, 100720. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ssmph.2020.100720
(A summary of this paper can be downloaded as a bilingual poster or leaflet in either English or Cymraeg)

Windle G., Bennett K.M., MacLeod C., and the CFAS WALES research team (2020). The Influence of Life Experiences on the Development of Resilience in Older People With Co-morbid Health Problems. Frontiers in Medicine, 7:502314. http://dx.doi.org/10.3389/fmed.2020.502314

ROSEnet Services Working Group, Barbabella, F., Barlin, H., Barstad, J., Ferreira, C.C., Draulans, V., Hlebec, V., Lamura, G., MacLeod, C., Maskeliunas, R., Siren, A., Walsh, K. (ed.) & Scharf, T. (ed.) (2020). Exclusion From Services In Later Life: ROSEnet Briefing Paper Series No.4. (ROSEnet Briefing Paper Series). COST Action 15122 Reducing Old-Age Exclusion: Collaborations in Research and Policy. http://rosenetcost.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/cost_rosenet_actionpolicy4_web.pdf

MacLeod, C.A., Ross, A., Sacker, A., Netuveli, G., Windle, G. (2019). Re-thinking social exclusion in later life: A case for a new framework for measurement. Ageing and Society, 39(1), 74-111. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/S0144686X17000794

Canvin, K., MacLeod, C.A., Windle, G., Sacker, A. (2018). Seeking assistance in later life: How do older people evaluate their need for assistance? Age and Ageing, 47(3), 466-473. http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/ageing/afx189

Sacker. A., Ross, A., MacLeod, C.A., Netuveli, G. & Windle, G. (2018). What is the relationship between health and social exclusion in older age? In M. Benzeval, M. Borkowska, C. Hamilton, S. Harkness, R. Parsons, R. Patel, A. Pelikh (Eds.) Understanding Society Insights 2018-2019 Annual Report (pp. 24-25). Essex, UK: Institute for Social and Economic Research, University of Essex. https://www.understandingsociety.ac.uk/sites/default/files/downloads/insights/insights-2018.pdf

MacLeod, C.A., Donaldson, D.I. (2017) Investigating the Functional Utility of the Left Parietal ERP Old/New Effect: Brain Activity Predicts within But Not between Participant Variance in Episodic Recollection. Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, 11:580.  http://dx.doi.org/ 10.3389/fnhum.2017.00580

Clare, L., Wu, Y.-T., Teale, J.C., MacLeod, C., Matthews, F., Brayne, C. & Woods, B. on behalf of the CFAS-Wales study team. (2017). Potentially-modifiable Lifestyle Factors, Cognitive Reserve and Cognitive Function in Later Life: a Cross-sectional Study. PLoS Medicine,14(3): e1002259. http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pmed.1002259

Sacker. A., Ross, A., MacLeod, C.A., Netuveli, G. & Windle, G. (2017) Health and social exclusion in older age: Evidence from Understanding Society, the UK Household Longitudinal Study. Journal of Epidemiology & Community Health, 71 (7), 681-690. http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/jech-2016-208037

MacLeod, C.A., Ross, A., Windle, G., Netuveli, G., Sacker, A. (27th June 2016) Measuring Later Life Social Exclusion in Understanding Society. Working Paper (ISBN: 978-0-9527377-7-3) hosted by The International Centre for Lifecourse Studies in Society and Health (ICLS), University College London, available at: https://research.bangor.ac.uk/portal/files/16450780/2016_Measuring_Later_Life.pdf

Saville, C.W.N., Beckles, K.D.O., MacLeod, C.A., Feige, B., Biscaldi, M., Beauducel, A. & Klein, C. (2016). A neural analogue of the worst performance rule: Insights from single-trial event-related potentials.  Intelligence, 55, 95-103. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.intell.2015.12.005

MacLeod, C.A., & Donaldson, D.I. (2014). PRKCA polymorphism changes the neural basis of episodic remembering in healthy individuals. PLoS ONE, 9(5): e98018. http://dx.doi.org/doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0098018

MacLeod, C.A. (2011). Maintaining function and well-being in later life: A longitudinal cohort study (CFAS Wales). Signpost: Journal of Dementia and Mental Health Care of Older People, 16 (1), 23-24.

 

Conference Presentations:

MacLeod, C.A., Bu, F., Rutherford, A., Phillips, J., Woods B. The Impact of Dementia and Cognitive Impairment on Health and Care Service Use in Later Life. Oral presentation at the International Association of Gerontology and Geriatrics - European Region Congress, May 2019. Gothenburg, Sweden.

Cooke, A., MacLeod, C. (presenter), Pritchard, A., Bellomo, E., Lawrence, C., Martin-Forbes, P., Bracewell, M., Linden, D., Mehler, D., Jones, S., Hindle, J. Training the Brain to Mimic Medication: An Investigation of the Feasibility and Effectiveness of Home-Based "Brain Training" as a Non-Pharmacological Treatment for Motor Symptoms of Parkinson's Disease. Poster presentation at the International Association of Gerontology and Geriatrics - European Region Congress, May 2019. Gothenburg, Sweden.

MacLeod, C.A., Canvin, K., Sacker, A., Netuveli, G., & Windle, G. Using Technology in Later Life: Qualitative Insights into Actual and Perceived Barriers. Oral presentation at the International Association of Gerontology and Geriatrics World Congress of Gerontology & Geriatrics, July 2017. San Francisco, USA.

MacLeod, C.A., Ross, A., Sacker, A., Netuveli, G., & Windle, G. Measuring Social Exclusion in Older Age: Developing a working framework for hypothesis testing. Oral presentation at the International Association of Gerontology and Geriatrics World Congress of Gerontology & Geriatrics, July 2017. San Francisco, USA.

MacLeod, C.A., Canvin, K., Sacker, A., & Windle, G. Seeking assistance in later life: A qualitative investigation of service non-use. Oral presentation at the British Society of Gerontology Annual Meeting, July 2017. Swansea, UK.

MacLeod, C.A., Ross, A., Windle, G., Sacker, A., Netuveli, G., & Webb, E. Determinants of Social Participation in Later Life. Oral presentation at the International Association of Gerontology and Geriatrics European Region Congress, April 2015. Dublin, IE.

MacLeod, C.A., Ross, A., Windle, G., Sacker, A., Netuveli, G., & Webb, E. Conceptualising Social Participation in Later Life: Reflections on Secondary Data Analysis. Invited speaker at the Social Exclusion and Social Participation in Contemporary Europe, November 2014. Kaunas, LT

MacLeod, C.A. Well-being in later life: Insights from the Cognitive Function and Ageing Study Wales (CFAS-Wales). Symposium Chair at the British Society of Gerontology Annual Meeting, September 2014. Southampton, UK.

MacLeod, C.A. Cognitive Function & Ageing Studies. Guest speaker at the NeuroSKILL workshop: Neuroimaging in Dementia, June 2014. Bangor, UK.

MacLeod, C.A., & Windle, G. Evaluating arts interventions in dementia care: A methodological review. Poster presentation at the British Society of Gerontology Annual Meeting, September 2013. Oxford, UK.

MacLeod, C.A., & Donaldson, D.I. Genetic Contributions to the Neural Basis of Remembering. Oral presentation at the Davis Mini Conference, University of California: Davis, April 2013. Davis, USA.

MacLeod, C.A., & Donaldson, D.I. Alzheimer’s gene APOE modulates neural activity associated with recognition memory retrieval of pictures in healthy young participants. Poster presentation at the Cognitive Neuroscience Society Annual Meeting, April 2013. San Francisco, USA.

MacLeod, C.A., & Windle, G. Dementia and Imagination: Implications for Research, Policy and Practice. Oral presentation, at the 7th UK Dementia Congress, November 2012. Brighton, UK.

MacLeod, C.A., & Donaldson, D.I. Recognizing words is not the same as recognizing pictures: Investigating the material specificity of ERP correlates of episodic memory in a large sample. Poster presentation, at the Cognitive Neuroscience Society Annual Meeting, April 2012. Chicago, USA.

MacLeod, C.A., & Donaldson, D.I. Does brain activity provide a reliable biomarker for episodic memory retrieval? Poster presentation at the 5th International Conference on Memory, August 2011. York, UK.

MacLeod, C.A. & Donaldson, D.I. Recognition memory performance correlates with left-frontal, not parietal old/new ERP effects. Poster presentation at the Society for Neuroscience Annual Meeting, November 2010. San Diego, USA.

MacLeod, C.A. & Donaldson, D.I. Can findings from laboratory based recognition memory studies generalise to memory for actual experiences? Poster presentation at the Annual SenseCam Symposium, September 2010. Dublin, IE.

MacLeod, C.A. & Donaldson, D.I. Decision bias and old/new ERP effects of recognition memory. Poster presentation at the Federation of European Neurosciences Forum, July 2010. Amsterdam, NL.

MacLeod, C.A. & Donaldson, D.I. Investigating Individual Differences in Episodic Memory: What do the Neural Correlates of Recognition Reveal? Poster presentation, Scottish Imaging Network (SINAPSE) Annual Meeting, June 2010. Edinburgh, UK.

MacLeod, C.A. & Donaldson, D.I. Investigating Individual Differences in Episodic Memory: What do the Neural Correlates of Recognition Reveal? Poster presentation at the British Society for the Psychology of Individual Differences Inaugural Conference, April 2010. Edinburgh, UK.

MacLeod, C.A. & Donaldson, D.I. Episodic recognition memory for faces: Event-Related Potential evidence that the typical neural correlates of familiarity and recollection are not universal. Poster presentation at the Society for Neuroscience Annual Meeting, October 2009. Chicago, USA.

MacLeod, C.A., Wheeler, M.E. & Donaldson, D.I. Examining Recognition Memory Processes Using a Slow-Reveal Paradigm: A Response-Locked Event-Related Potential Study. Poster presentation at the Scottish Imaging Network (SINAPSE) Annual Meeting, June 2009. Edinburgh, UK.

MacLeod, C.A., Wheeler, M.E. & Donaldson, D.I. Examining Recognition Memory Processes Using a Slow-Reveal Paradigm: A Response-Locked Event-Related Potential Study. Poster presentation at the Cognitive Neuroscience Society Annual Meeting, March 2009. San Francisco, USA.

MacLeod, C.A. & Donaldson, D.I. Investigating the neural correlates of recognition memory using a response-locked procedure. Oral Presentation at the Cognitive Electrophysiology UK Seminar, August 2008. Stirling, UK.