Res Fellow, Social Cognitive Ageing
Overview
Dr Sarah Grainger completed her PhD at the University of Queensland in 2017. Her research to date has focused primarily on how social cognitive function– which broadly refers to our ability to detect and respond appropriately to social cues– is affected by normal adult ageing. In addition to using traditional behavioural measures to assess social cognition, Sarah also has experience with sophisticated experimental techniques including facial electromyography, eye-tracking, psychopharmacological interventions, and hormonal assessments.
Sarah is currently employed as a Postdoctoral Research Fellow on an ARC funded Discovery Research Project led by Professor Julie Henry (ARC Future Fellow, UQ), Scientia Professor Perminder Sachdev (Co-Director of the Centre for Healthy Brain Ageing (CHeBA) and Clinical Director of the Neuropsychiatric Institute at the Prince of Wales Hospital, UNSW) and Dr. Karen Mather (Leader, Genetics & Epigenomics Group, CHeBA, UNSW). A key focus of this project is trying to identify cognitive, genetic and biomedical predictors of successful social cognitive ageing.
Sarah is also currently a Principal Investigator on The Queensland Multidisciplinary Initiative for Neurocognitive Disorders (The QLD MIND Project), a multi-site translational research project that represents a collaboration between the University of Queensland, the Mater Group, and the Princess Alexandra Hospital. The project involves more than seventy researchers, clinicians, and postgraduate research students. While the project has a number of goals, one of the overarching themes is to better understand and treat the social cognitive difficulties that are so commonly seen in clinical populations, including many of the most common age-related neurological disorders, such as Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease and stroke.
Qualifications
- Bachelor of Psychological Science (Honours Class 1, The University of Queensland
- Doctor of Philosophy, The University of Queensland
Publications
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Journal Article: Empathy and Theory of Mind in Alzheimer’s Disease: A Meta-analysis
Demichelis, Olivia P., Coundouris, Sarah P., Grainger, Sarah A. and Henry, Julie D. (2020). Empathy and Theory of Mind in Alzheimer’s Disease: A Meta-analysis. Journal of the International Neuropsychological Society, 1-15. doi: 10.1017/s1355617720000478
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Journal Article: An assessment of age differences in theory of mind using the virtual assessment of mentalizing ability
Grainger, Sarah A., Rakunathan, Vidhya, Adams, Alexandra G., Canty, Alana L. and Henry, Julie D. (2020). An assessment of age differences in theory of mind using the virtual assessment of mentalizing ability. Aging, Neuropsychology, and Cognition, 1-11. doi: 10.1080/13825585.2020.1713290
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Journal Article: An investigation into early-life stress and cognitive function in older age
Grainger, Sarah A., Crawford, John D., Kochan, Nicole A., Mather, Karen A., Chander, Russell J., Draper, Brian, Brodaty, Henry, Sachdev, Perminder S. and Henry, Julie D. (2019). An investigation into early-life stress and cognitive function in older age. International Psychogeriatrics, 1-5. doi: 10.1017/s1041610219001583
Grants
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Social cognition, psychiatric comorbidities and quality of life in people with multiple sclerosis
(2019–2021) Multiple Sclerosis Research Australia
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Oral care capacity and oral health in late adulthood
(2018) Australian Dental Research Fund Inc
Supervision
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An empirical assessment of the relationship between social cognitive impairment and psychiatric comorbidities in age-related neurodegenerative disorders.
Doctor Philosophy
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A multidimensional model of social cognitive ageing.
Doctor Philosophy
Publications
Journal Article
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Empathy and Theory of Mind in Alzheimer’s Disease: A Meta-analysis
Demichelis, Olivia P., Coundouris, Sarah P., Grainger, Sarah A. and Henry, Julie D. (2020). Empathy and Theory of Mind in Alzheimer’s Disease: A Meta-analysis. Journal of the International Neuropsychological Society, 1-15. doi: 10.1017/s1355617720000478
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Grainger, Sarah A., Rakunathan, Vidhya, Adams, Alexandra G., Canty, Alana L. and Henry, Julie D. (2020). An assessment of age differences in theory of mind using the virtual assessment of mentalizing ability. Aging, Neuropsychology, and Cognition, 1-11. doi: 10.1080/13825585.2020.1713290
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An investigation into early-life stress and cognitive function in older age
Grainger, Sarah A., Crawford, John D., Kochan, Nicole A., Mather, Karen A., Chander, Russell J., Draper, Brian, Brodaty, Henry, Sachdev, Perminder S. and Henry, Julie D. (2019). An investigation into early-life stress and cognitive function in older age. International Psychogeriatrics, 1-5. doi: 10.1017/s1041610219001583
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Social perceptual function in Parkinson’s disease: a meta-analysis
Coundouris, Sarah P., Adams, Alexandra G., Grainger, Sarah A. and Henry, Julie D. (2019). Social perceptual function in Parkinson’s disease: a meta-analysis. Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews, 104, 255-267. doi: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2019.07.011
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The influence of tears on older and younger adults' perceptions of sadness
Grainger, Sarah A., Vanman, Eric J., Matters, Gabriella and Henry, Julie D. (2019). The influence of tears on older and younger adults' perceptions of sadness. Psychology and Aging, 34 (5), 665-673. doi: 10.1037/pag0000373
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Empathy for others’ pain is disrupted at the neurophysiological level in schizophrenia
Varcin, Kandice J., Grainger, Sarah A., Bailey, Phoebe E., Richmond, Jenny L. and Henry, Julie D. (2019). Empathy for others’ pain is disrupted at the neurophysiological level in schizophrenia. British Journal of Clinical Psychology, 58 (4) bjc.12220, 406-426. doi: 10.1111/bjc.12220
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A role for affectivity in rapid facial mimicry: an electromyographic study
Varcin, Kandice J., Grainger, Sarah A., Richmond, Jenny L., Bailey, Phoebe E. and Henry, Julie D. (2019). A role for affectivity in rapid facial mimicry: an electromyographic study. Social Neuroscience, 14 (5), 1-10. doi: 10.1080/17470919.2018.1564694
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Oral health and cognitive function in older adults: a systematic review
Nangle, Matthew R., Riches, Julia, Grainger, Sarah A., Manchery, Nithin, Sachdev, Perminder S. and Henry, Julie D. (2019). Oral health and cognitive function in older adults: a systematic review. Gerontology, 65 (6), 1-14. doi: 10.1159/000496730
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Grainger, Sarah A., Henry, Julie D., Steinvik, Henriette R. and Vanman, Eric J. (2018). Intranasal oxytocin does not alter initial perceptions of facial trustworthiness in younger or older adults. Journal of Psychopharmacology , 33 (2), 026988111880630-254. doi: 10.1177/0269881118806303
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The role of social attention in older adults' ability to interpret naturalistic social scenes
Grainger, Sarah, Steinvik, Henriette, Henry, Julie D. and Phillips, Louise (2018). The role of social attention in older adults' ability to interpret naturalistic social scenes. The Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology, 72 (6), 174702181879177-1343. doi: 10.1177/1747021818791774
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Intranasal oxytocin does not reduce age-related difficulties in social cognition
Grainger, Sarah A., Henry, Julie D., Steinvik, Henriette R., Vanman, Eric J., Rendell, Peter G. and Labuschagne, Izelle (2018). Intranasal oxytocin does not reduce age-related difficulties in social cognition. Hormones and Behavior, 99, 25-34. doi: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2018.01.009
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Implicit false belief tracking is preserved in late adulthood
Grainger, Sarah A., Henry, Julie D., Naughtin, Claire K., Comino, Marita S. and Dux, Paul E. (2018). Implicit false belief tracking is preserved in late adulthood. Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology, 71 (9), 174702181773469-1987. doi: 10.1177/1747021817734690
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Age deficits in facial affect recognition: the influence of dynamic cues
Grainger, Sarah A., Henry, Julie D., Phillips, Louise H., Vanman, Eric J. and Allen, Roy (2015). Age deficits in facial affect recognition: the influence of dynamic cues. Journals of Gerontology Series B: Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences, 72 (4), 622-632. doi: 10.1093/geronb/gbv100
Conference Publication
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Intranasal Oxytocin and Social Perceptual Processing in Late Adulthood
Grainger, S., Henry, J., Vanman, E., Scott, J. and Labuschagne, I. (2016). Intranasal Oxytocin and Social Perceptual Processing in Late Adulthood. -, -, -. Cary, NC United States: Oxford University Press.
Other Outputs
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Social cognitive functioning in late adulthood
Grainger, Sarah (2017). Social cognitive functioning in late adulthood. PhD Thesis, School of Psychology, The University of Queensland. doi: 10.14264/uql.2018.5
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Are there age differences in emotional responding?
Grainger, Sarah (2012). Are there age differences in emotional responding?. Honours Thesis, School of Psychology, The University of Queensland.
Grants (Administered at UQ)
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Social cognition, psychiatric comorbidities and quality of life in people with multiple sclerosis
(2019–2021) Multiple Sclerosis Research Australia
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Oral care capacity and oral health in late adulthood
(2018) Australian Dental Research Fund Inc
PhD and MPhil Supervision
Current Supervision
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An empirical assessment of the relationship between social cognitive impairment and psychiatric comorbidities in age-related neurodegenerative disorders.
Doctor Philosophy — Associate Advisor
Other advisors:
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A multidimensional model of social cognitive ageing.
Doctor Philosophy — Associate Advisor
Other advisors:
