DrZoe Menczel Schrire

PhD Opportunities:

Music, Sleep, and Dementia Prevention

This PhD project will explore how learning and engaging with music influences sleep and brain health in older adults at risk of dementia. By combining systematic review, cohort analysis, and clinical trial methods, the candidate will:

·       Conduct a systematic review of the evidence linking music and sleep.

·       Analyse data from a memory clinic cohort, investigating how active musical learning (e.g., playing an instrument or singing) versus passive listening impacts both subjective and objective sleep outcomes, alongside brain imaging markers of neurodegeneration.

·       Contribute to the NeuroMusic clinical trial and assess the differences between keyboard, choir, and control groups in sleep quality and structural MRI markers of neurodegeneration.

This project offers a unique opportunity to bridge psychology, neuroscience, and dementia research. It will generate novel insights into whether learning music can serve as a preventative strategy to support sleep, preserve brain health, and reduce dementia risk in ageing populations.

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Clinical Trials

An exciting opportunity is available for a PhD student to join the Healthy Brain Ageing team.
The successful candidate will work across a diverse portfolio of clinical trials focused on the prevention of dementia, with a particular emphasis on sleep and brain health. Projects include innovative non-pharmacological approaches, such as engagement with the arts, as well as pharmaceutical interventions.