Assistant Professor of Medicine, Epidemiology & BiostatisticsS
Publications
Gait and Brain Seminar Series
Gait and Cognition Workshop CIHR - Institute of Aging - 2008
University Held Positions
Assistant Professor of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Western Ontario
Cross Appointment - Department of Epidemiology & Biostatistics, University of Western OntarioHospital Appointments
St.Joseph's Health Care London Parkwood Site, London Health Sciences Centre
Other Appointments
Scientist, Lawson Health Research Institute, London, Ontario
Areas of Clinical Interest
Gait disorders
Falls in the elderly
MCI and dementia
Frailty
Vitamin D and Frailty
SarcopeniaAreas of Research Interest
The relationship between cognition and mobility in the elderly.
Gait as an early predictor of frailty and dementia.
Falls prevention in older people with cognitive impairment.
Current Competitive Grants
2010-2015
Principal Investigator. "Gait Variability as Predictor of Cognitive Decline and Risk of Falls in MCI. A Cohort Study" Canadian Institute of Health and Research (CIHR) - $571,115
2009-2011
Primary Investigator. "Can cognitive enhancers reduce the risk of falls in older people with Mild Cognitive Impairment: A Randomized Controlled Trial" PSI Foundation Grant - $158,000
2009-2011
Co-Investigator. "Taoist Tai Chi and a Memory Intervention for Individuals with Mild Cognitive Impairment - A Randomized Control Trial" Taoist Tai Chi Society of Cananda (Research Grant) - $11, 500
2009-2010
Primary Investigator. " Effect of Cognitive enhancers in mobility and falls. An open label study with controls" Drummond Foundation Grant - $49,000
2008-2009
Primary Investigator. "Effect of vitamin D on mobility and disability. A pilot study" CIHR Seed Grant: Mobility and Aging (Seed Grant) - $69,815
2007-2009
Co-Investigator. "Clinical Utility of the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) in a Community Geriatric Population" Department of Psychiatry, University of Western Ontario (Research Grant) - $5,000
2007-2008
Primary Investigator. "Gait analysis in older persons with Mild Cognitive Impairment" Lawson Health Research Institute (LHRI) (Research Grant) - $11,000
2007-2008
Co-Investigator. "Pattern of brain activation during working memory with and without emotional interference in patients with Mild Cognitive Impairment" Lawson Health Research Institute (LHRI) (Research Grant) - $14,000 CAD
Short Bio 2009
Manuel Montero Odasso, MD, PhD, assistant professor of medicine, is an internist, geriatrician and a clinician scientist with a research focus on gait and mobility problems as early markers of frailty and cognitive decline. Recent accomplishments include the initiation of a cohort study aimed to test gait velocity as a predictor of dementia in people with early cognitive problems and no dementia ("The Gait and Brain Study”). He has obtained the Kaufman Prize of the Canadian Geriatric Society (2006), the Age Plus Prize of the CIHR-Institute of Aging (2007) and the American Geriatrics Society New Investigator Award (2008). Recently, he was awarded with the Schulich Clinician Scientist Award for the period 2008-2011. Currently, Dr Montero Odasso holds funding from the Lawson Health Research Institute, The Physicians Incorporated Foundation (PSI), The Drummond Foundation, and from The Canadian Institute of Health and Research CIHR.
His research goal is to understand the mechanisms and potential treatment of age-related mobility and cognitive decline. His focus on gait performance research as methodology to early detect mobility and cognitive decline will help to prevent the development of future frailty and dementia in older people. Specifically, he is interested in Preventing Falls in the Cognitively Impaired Elderly.
He has published 22 original papers in peer reviewed clinical journals as well as 60 abstracts. He has done 35 international presentations as a guest speaker. Additional research interests include the characterization of frailty in older adults and in particular to find valid markers of physical frailty. His research is aimed to further define if subtle changes in gait can predict progress to dementia, risk of falling, and mobility decline in people with memory problems. In the same vein, he is conducting research to test novel interventions to improve mobility and muscle performance in older adults and to prevent future disability.
Contact Address
St. Joseph's Health Care
Parkwood Hospital, Room A-280
801 Commissioners Road East
London,ON N6C 5J1
mmontero@uwo.ca
www.lhrionhealth.ca