Rate My Professor Andrea Loftus

Associate Professor Andrea Loftus serves in the Curtin School of Population Health within the Faculty of Health Sciences at Curtin University, Perth, Australia. She earned her PhD and undergraduate degree in psychology. Her interest in brain recovery stemmed from undergraduate studies and practical experience in residential rehabilitation settings, where she witnessed varied recovery paths post-injury, such as stroke survivors resuming swimming. Personally driven by her mother and grandmother's neurological conditions, Loftus directs the Parkinson's Centre (ParkC), a Western Australian collaborative for Parkinson's research, and the Curtin Neuroscience Laboratory. She lectures on topics including brain and behaviour.

Loftus's research centers on neurodegenerative disorders, particularly Parkinson's disease, encompassing the identification and management of cognitive, motor, and psychological symptoms. She investigates non-invasive brain stimulation techniques, like transcranial direct current stimulation, combined with cognitive training to enhance cognition, delay dementia onset, and address sleep disturbances impacting quality of life. Her work also explores communication barriers and strategies for people with Parkinson's and their families, as well as carers' experiences. Adopting a client-centered, interdisciplinary approach, she mentors PhD students and fosters collaborations with the Parkinson's community. Notable publications include "Cognitive profile and mild cognitive impairment in people with Parkinson’s disease" (Corti et al., 2021), "Cognitive Reserve, Executive Function, and Memory in Parkinson’s Disease" (Masala et al., 2021), "Factor Structure of the Ways of Coping Questionnaire in Parkinson’s Disease" (Corti et al., 2018), "Cognitive Training and Noninvasive Brain Stimulation for Cognition in Parkinson’s Disease: A Meta-analysis" (2017), and "Retrospective Assessment of Movement Disorder Society Criteria for Mild Cognitive Impairment in Parkinson’s Disease" (Loftus et al., 2015). Her 72 publications have garnered approximately 2,950 citations, contributing significantly to cognitive neuroscience in neurodegeneration.