Researchers in neuropsychology use clinical databases that contain information collected from patients who have undergone neuropsychological evaluations. These databases are an important tool in research.

A group of researchers in the Department of Rehabilitation Medicine are working on a project called “University of Minnesota Adult Neuropsychology Database (UMAND),” that is developing a comprehensive electronic database that incorporates data from a varied patient population. Building this database will in turn facilitate research productivity, including long-term grant funding and peer-reviewed publications. This database will have a flexible organizational system that will accommodate changes in neuropsychological test batteries and the development of new and innovative measures and technologies. The project’s pilot phase has been successful, resulting in three publications.

The project is led by:

  • Associate Professor Erin Holker, PhD, LP, ABPP (project PI)
  • Professor Doug Whiteside, PhD, LP, ABPP/CN (project PI)
  • Assistant Professor Eric Waldron, PhD, LP, ABPP/CN (project co-PI)
  • Assistant Professor James Porter, PhD, LP, ABPP/CN (project co-PI)
  • Assistant Professor Courtney Eskridge, PhD, LP (project co-PI)

The publications resulting from the pilot phase of the project are:

  • Whiteside, D.M., M.R. Basso, S.M. Naini, E. Waldron, E. Holker, J. Porter, T. Melnik, N. Niskanen, S. Tayor, Outcomes in Post-Acute Sequelae of COVID-19 (PASC) at 6 Months Post-Infection Part 1: Cognitive Functioning. The Clinical Neuropsychologist, 36(4): 806-828 (2022). 
  • Whiteside, D.M., S.M. Naini, M.R. Basso, E. Waldron, E. Holker, J. Porter, N. Niskanen, T. Melnik, S. Tayor. Outcomes in Post-Acute Sequelae of COVID-19 (PASC) at 6 Months Post-Infection Part 2: Psychological Functioning. The Clinical Neuropsychologist, 36(4): 829-847 (2022). 
  • Whiteside, D.M., V. Oleynick, E. Holker, E. Waldron, J. Porter, M. Kasprzak. Neurocognitive Deficits in Severe COVID-19 Infection: Case Series and Proposed Model. The Clinical Neuropsychologist, 35(4): 799-818 (2021).

This project recently received a UMII Seed Grant. UMII Seed Grant funds are intended to promote, catalyze, accelerate and advance UMN-based informatics research in areas related to the MnDRIVE initiative, so that UMN faculty and staff are well prepared to compete for longer term external funding opportunities. 

This Seed Grant falls under the Discoveries and Treatments for Brain Conditions research areas of the MnDRIVE initiative.

Research Computing partners:

  • University of Minnesota Informatics Institute
logo of the Neuropsychology Database Project