post-stroke cognitive impairment

 by Tom Q

Rising Star Dr Niamh Merriman

Dr Niamh Merriman was awarded the rising star award at the 2019 OPSYRIS meeting in Oxford.

She is a post-doctoral research fellow on the StrokeCog project at Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI). Her research focuses on the development and testing of a novel complex intervention aimed at improving outcomes for patients with post-stroke cognitive impairment (PSCI).

Currently, psychological involvement in stroke care, and cognitive rehabilitation, is severely limited in Ireland. The intervention has been developed using an evidence-based approach in accordance with the framework recommended for developing and evaluating complex interventions by the Medical Research Council (MRC). Dr Merriman has undertaken a systematic review of the evidence-base for effectiveness of non-RCT psychological interventions for PSCI, and is currently involved in a Cochrane review of RCT psychological interventions aimed at PSCI.

She has done extensive qualitative work with stroke survivors, carers, & healthcare professionals to identify stakeholder perceptions on intervention.

Currently, Dr Merriman is engaged in a series of carefully constructed feasibility studies to establish the feasibility of intervention components including recruitment, assessment, intervention content and delivery. Findings from the intervention development process have been published in BMJ Open and in Disability and Rehabilitation, and presented at the European Stroke Organisation Conference and OPSYRIS 2018. Following feasibility testing, the aim is to test a pilot intervention and ultimately conduct a definitive trial of a psychological intervention for PSCI.

Dr Merriman has extensive experience in intervention design, having previously conducted intervention studies in the area of multisensory perception and spatial navigation at Trinity College Dublin (where she was awarded her PhD in 2015) and Disney Research.

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 by Tom Q

Oxford 2019

After the highly successful 2018 OPSYRIS meeting in Glasgow, the next host was the highly prestigious University of Oxford. The meeting took place in Saint Anne’s College on Friday the 4th of October.

Saint Anne’s College, Oxford was the location for the 2019 OPSYRIS meeting

A highlights of the meeting was the talk from keynote speaker Professor Sarah Pendlebury from the host University renowned for her work on clinical neuroscience, geratology and stroke prevention.

Kenote speaker, Oxford University’s Sarah Pendlebury, discusses the risk of dementia after stroke

As with previous OPSYRIS meetings, talks covered a broad range of topics. These included cognitive screening, spacial memory after stroke, prioritising actions for post stroke survivors, screening for visual perception deficits, brain network degeneration, support for carers of stroke survivors, psychoeducation, post-stroke insomnia, reading impairments, rehabilitation and befriending for people with aphasia, ocupational therapy and several others.

One of several interesting “quick-fire” talks whose brevity allow for a wide range of topics to be covered

As with oral presentations, posters covered a wide range of topics. These included rehabilitation tools and strategies for discharged stroke victims, aceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) for psychological distress after stroke, feasibility and pilot testing, depression in caregivers, returning to work after stroke, spatial neglect, the effect of brain training on blood flow, associations between physical activity, sedentary behaviour and cognitive function among others. Several researchers from the host university contributed as well as those from Imperial College and King’s College, Glasgow, Cardiff, Lancaster, Manchester, Nottingham, Aga Khan (Pakistan) and East Anglia Universities.

Poster presentations provided an equally impressive range of topics

On what is becoming a highlight of OPSYRIS meetings, the rising star prize was this time nominated by OPSYRIS members. It was awarded to Dr Niamh Merriman from the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI). She has made important contributions on interventions improving the outcomes of patients with post stroke cognitive impairment.

Rising star Dr. Niamh Merriman receives her award fom Dr. Satu Baylan
Rising star Dr. Niamh Merriman receives her award fom Dr. Satu Baylan

Another feature making a welcome return from last year was the “how to…” sessions. This year they focussed on Patient, Carer and Public Involvement (PCPI) and prioritisation of Cochrane reviews. Following feedback from last years meeting, we also added sessions on implemented innovation in clinical service.

How to session on prioritising research giving valuable advice to researchers

After the meeting, OPSYRIS members looked forward to the next meeting due to be held at the University of East Anglia, Norwich. Until then, many of the speakers have thankfully shared their work and can be found on the shared drive for the Oxford 2019 OPSYRIS meeting.

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