Projects per year
Personal profile
Biography
Dr Louisa Selvadurai is a Research Fellow in the School of Psychological Sciences, working within the Cerebellum & Neurodegeneration Researh Group led by A/Prof Ian Harding.
Dr Selvadurai completed the Doctor of Psychology (Clinical Neuropsychology) in 2020, with a thesis focused on the analysis of MRI data to understand brain white matter pathways in Friedreich ataxia. She also undertook a Fulbright Future Postdoctoral Research Fellowship at the Department of Neurology at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, USA between July 2021 and May 2022.
Dr Selvadurai's research focusses on better understanding the cognitive and affective manifestations of ataxias and other disorders of the cerebellum, and on tracking how these and other symptoms of the disorders change over time using computer-based, remote assessments.
Dr Selvadurai's work has included the "SCA-Remote" study, investigating monthly changes in movement, speech, cognitive, and affective function in individuals with spinocerebellar ataxia types 1, 2, 3, and 6. This work has since been expanded to individuals with spinocerebellar ataxia type 3 (also called Machado-Joseph Disease) living in the Northern Territory, via an new assessment and educational platform called "MJDhub", in partnership with the MJD Foundation and funded by the auDA Foundation. More information here: https://www.monash.edu/mjdhub
Dr Selvadurai additionally received a 2024 National Ataxia Foundation (USA) Early Career Investigator award to work on validating a scale to evaluate the neuropsychiatry of cerebellar diseases: https://www.ataxia.org/2024-naf-research-grants/
Expertise related to UN Sustainable Development Goals
In 2015, UN member states agreed to 17 global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure prosperity for all. This person’s work contributes towards the following SDG(s):
Education/Academic qualification
Neuropsychology, Doctor of Psychology (Clinical Neuropsychology), Brain white matter pathways in Friedreich ataxia, MONASH UNIVERSITY
2016 → 2020
Award Date: 19 Aug 2020
Bachelor of Behavioural Neuroscience (Honours) (Psychology), MONASH UNIVERSITY
2011 → 2014
Award Date: 7 Dec 2015
External positions
Affiliate Research Fellow, Massachusetts General Hospital
26 May 2022 → 5 May 2027
Research area keywords
- Spinocerebellar ataxia
- Friedreich ataxia
- Cerebellum
- Neuropsychology
- Cognition
- Neuropsychiatry
- Ataxia
- Digital monitoring
- Computerised cognitive assessment
- Online research
Collaborations and top research areas from the last five years
Projects
- 1 Finished
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A novel clinical monitoring and education platform for Indigenous Australians with rare neurodegenerative ataxias
Selvadurai, L. (Primary Chief Investigator (PCI)), Szmulewicz, D. (Chief Investigator (CI)) & Harding, I. (Chief Investigator (CI))
Monash University – Internal Department Contribution
1/01/24 → 31/12/24
Project: Research
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Clinical cerebellar neuroscience: Cognitive functioning in spinocerebellar ataxias: an update and future directions
Selvadurai, L. P., Schmahmann, J. D. & Harding, I. H., Feb 2024, In: Current Opinion in Behavioral Sciences. 55, 8 p., 101343.Research output: Contribution to journal › Review Article › Research › peer-review
Open Access -
Gradient of microstructural damage along the dentato-thalamo-cortical tract in Friedreich ataxia
Cocozza, S., Bosticardo, S., Battocchio, M., Corben, L., Delatycki, M., Egan, G., Georgiou-Karistianis, N., Monti, S., Palma, G., Pane, C., Saccà, F., Schiavi, S., Selvadurai, L., Tranfa, M., Daducci, A., Brunetti, A. & Harding, I. H., Jul 2024, In: Annals of Clinical and Translational Neurology. 11, 7, p. 1691-1702 12 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Research › peer-review
Open Access1 Citation (Scopus) -
Localized Changes in Dentate Nucleus Shape and Magnetic Susceptibility in Friedreich Ataxia
Harding, I. H., Nur Karim, M. I., Selvadurai, L. P., Corben, L. A., Delatycki, M. B., Monti, S., Saccà, F., Georgiou-Karistianis, N., Cocozza, S. & Egan, G. F., Jul 2024, In: Movement Disorders. 39, 7, p. 1109-1118 10 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Research › peer-review
Open Access3 Citations (Scopus) -
The Cerebellar Cognitive Affective/Schmahmann Syndrome Scale in Spinocerebellar Ataxias
Selvadurai, L. P., Perlman, S. L., Ashizawa, T., Wilmot, G. R., Onyike, C. U., Rosenthal, L. S., Shakkottai, V. G., Paulson, H. L., Subramony, S. H., Bushara, K. O., Kuo, S. H., Dietiker, C., Geschwind, M. D., Nelson, A. B., Gomez, C. M., Opal, P., Zesiewicz, T. A., Hawkins, T., Yacoubian, T. A. & Nopoulos, P. C. & 5 others, , Jan 2024, In: The Cerebellum. 23, p. 1411–1425 15 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Research › peer-review
11 Citations (Scopus) -
Reduced cerebello-cerebral functional connectivity correlates with disease severity and impaired white matter integrity in Friedreich ataxia
Kerestes, R., Cummins, H., Georgiou-Karistianis, N., Selvadurai, L. P., Corben, L. A., Delatycki, M. B., Egan, G. F. & Harding, I. H., May 2023, In: Journal of Neurology. 270, 5, p. 2360–2369 10 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Research › peer-review
Open Access7 Citations (Scopus)
Prizes
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Fulbright Future Postdoctoral Scholarship
Selvadurai, L. (Recipient), 2020
Prize: Competitive Fellowships
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International Congress for Ataxia Research Junior Investigator Travel Bursary
Selvadurai, L. (Recipient), 16 Aug 2022
Prize: Prize (including medals and awards)
Activities
- 2 Visiting an external academic institution
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Massachusetts General Hospital
Selvadurai, L. (Visiting researcher)
7 Nov 2022 → 11 Nov 2022Activity: Visiting an external institution types › Visiting an external academic institution
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Massachusetts General Hospital
Selvadurai, L. (Visiting researcher)
26 Jul 2021 → 26 May 2022Activity: Visiting an external institution types › Visiting an external academic institution
Press/Media
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ICAR Recap Wednesday Afternoon: Cerebellum, Therapy Development & Imaging
14/12/22
1 item of Media coverage
Press/Media: Blogs, Podcasts and Social Media › Blogs