Krista Lisdahl
- Professor, Psychological & Brain Sciences
Education
- PhD, University of Cincinnati, 2005
Teaching Schedule
| Course Num | Title | Meets |
|---|---|---|
| PSYCH 833-001 | Neuropsychology | M 2pm-4:40pm |
Research Interests
Key Areas of interest for Dr. Krista Lisdahl include:
- Healthy Adolescent and Emerging Adult Brain Development
- Neuroscience of Addiction and Drug Effects
- Imaging Genetics
- Effects of Exercise, Physical Activity and Adiposity on Brain Health
Dr. Lisdahl is the Director of the UWM’s Brain Imaging and Neuropsychology (BraIN) Laboratory. The primary focus of her research is on the neurocognitive consequences of chronic drug use during adolescence and emerging adulthood and predictors of substance use onset in youth. More specifically, using magnetic resonance imaging (structural MRI, fMRI and DTI) and neuropsychological assessment, Dr. Lisdahl’s laboratory examines the effects of chronic marijuana, alcohol, nicotine and ecstasy use on brain structure and function. We also attempt to explain individual differences by examining whether genetics, gender or lifestyle factors such as aerobic exercise, physical activity, or adiposity (body fat distribution) moderate these effects. Dr. Lisdahl is a PI or Consultant on three large-scale multi-site neuroimaging studies examining the impact of substance use on the developing adolescent or young adult brain [the MTA Neuroimaging Study; the IDEAA Consortium; the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) study - see below]. She is also the Chair of Women in Neuropsychology (http://www.scn40.org/piac-win.html) Subcommittee within the APA Society for Clinical Neuropsychology.
Current projects within the BraIN Lab
- Dr. Lisdahl is the Substance Use Assessment Co-Chair and UWM Site for the Adolescent Brain and Cognitive Development (ABCD) study; this landmark study will follow 10,000 youth for 10 years to determine factors that impact adolescent brain, cognitive and affective development (https://abcdstudy.org/). UWM is recruiting approximately 450 children from Milwaukee/Waukesha counties
- Dr. Lisdahl is the PI on a NIDA-funded 7 year R01 project examining whether physical activity levels or cardiorespiratory health moderate the effects of marijuana use on frontolimbic connectivity in teens
- Dr. Lisdahl is the co-creator and site-PI for the NIDA-funded Imaging Data in Emerging Adults with Addiction (IDEAA) consortium- which includes Drs. Staci Gruber (Harvard/McLean Hospital), Susan Tapert (UCSD), and Francesca Filbey (UT-Dallas)
- Dr. Lisdahl was the PI on a NIDA-funded R03 project examining the neurocognitive effects of marijuana, ecstasy and binge drinking in emerging adults (in data-analysis)
- The UWM BraIN Lab collaborated with Dr. Ann Swartz to understand how standing desks impact activity levels, postural stability, cognition and classroom behavior in 100 school-aged children.