Anna Matton

My research focuses on uncovering the biological mechanisms that influence dementia risk and identifying biological mechanisms of prevention. I lead a translational research team dedicated to understanding the earliest changes associated with Alzheimer's disease by integrating clinical studies, biomarker discovery, and experimental research.

• Our research investigates fluid biomarkers within lifestyle intervention trials and observational studies, with a particular focus on identifying early predictors of neurodegeneration and cognitive decline. We seek to better understand how biological processes interact with lifestyle and environmental factors to influence brain health throughout aging.
  
  
•  In parallel, we utilize innovative preclinical models to explore disease mechanisms in greater depth. We have reverse translated the multidomain lifestyle intervention trial FINGER into neurodegenerative mouse models. These studies allow us to investigate how lifestyle factors influence neuropathology and biological pathways associated with dementia risk under controlled experimental conditions.

Our vision is to bridge clinical observations with mechanistic research.

Our team is part of the larger Nordic-UK Brain Network, led by Professor Miia Kivipelto, and collaborates closely with researchers across disciplines who share a common goal: understanding, preventing, and ultimately delaying the onset of neurodegenerative diseases.

Research areas: Alzheimer's disease, dementia prevention, healthy brain aging, biomarkers, fluid biomarkers, digital biomarkers, lifestyle interventions, FINGER, translational neuroscience, neurodegeneration, cholesterol metabolism, precision prevention, cognitive decline, experimental models, reverse translation.

My main research interests:

• Mechanisms of lifestyle-based dementia risk-reduction
• Fluid biomarkers in the dementia continuum
• Extracellular vesicles in pre-dementia cohorts 
• Oligodendrocytic and myelin changes in early Alzheimer's disease

Docent since 2023.

Director of the Research school in molecular medicine for MDs at Karolinska Institutet

Regularly teach and give lectures at doctoral courses, seminars and conferences.