Cognitive Aging and Mental Health – Erika Jonsson Laukka Group

Our research

The overall aim of our research is to identify determinants of individual differences in old-age cognitive performance and age- and dementia-related cognitive decline. This will increase our understanding of why persons age at different rates and which persons are at high risk of developing a dementia disorder. Increased knowledge in these areas might help promoting that elderly persons maintain their previous cognitive levels well into old age. 

One important line of research concerns the associations between cognitive function, olfactory function and dementia.  We are interested in predictors of cognitive and olfactory decline in aging and how these domains in turn are associated with dementia biomarkers and future dementia risk. 

A more recent project focuses on the long-term influence on COVID-19 on cognitive and olfactory function, and the impact of deficits in these domains on well-being and daily functioning in post-COVID patients. 

Data resources

• Swedish National Study on Aging and Care in Kungsholmen - SNAC-K. The goal of SNAC-K is to collect longitudinal population-based data to understand the ageing process, and to identify possible preventive strategies to improve health and care in older adults. PI: Amaia Calderon-Larrañaga.
• SNAC-K MRI2020 is a sub study of the larger SNAC-K study. It targets a new cohort of 60-year-olds that were added during wave 7-8, as well as participants who were already part of SNAC-K.
• The Long-COVID study is following on up patients diagnosed with post COVID-19 syndrome. The project aims to identify modifying factors and brain correlates to long-lasting cognitive and olfactory deficits in this group, as well as their prognostic impact for well-being and daily functioning: PI: Erika Jonsson Laukka
• Mechanisms associated with olfactory and cognitive function in aging is a data collection carried out at the Memory Clinic, Karolinska University Hospital, Solna. The aim of this study is to investigate the associations among olfactory function, cognitive abilities, and dementia. PI: Erika Jonsson Laukka 

Selected publications

Cerebrovascular burden and neurodegeneration linked to 15-year odor identification decline in older adults.
Oltra J, Kalpouzos G, Ekström I, Larsson M, Li Y, Qiu C, Laukka EJ
Front Aging Neurosci 2025 ;17():1539508

Predictors of cognitive aging profiles over 15 years: A longitudinal population-based study.
Ekström I, Josefsson M, Bäckman L, Laukka EJ
Psychol Aging 2024 Aug;39(5):467-483

Markers of olfactory dysfunction and progression to dementia: A 12-year population-based study.
Laukka EJ, Ekström I, Larsson M, Grande G, Fratiglioni L, Rizzuto D
Alzheimers Dement 2023 Jul;19(7):3019-3027

Trajectories of cognitive decline and dementia development: A 12-year longitudinal study.
Payton NM, Marseglia A, Grande G, Fratiglioni L, Kivipelto M, Bäckman L, Laukka EJ
Alzheimers Dement 2023 Mar;19(3):857-867

The Relationship Between Cardiovascular Health and Rate of Cognitive Decline in Young-Old and Old-Old Adults: A Population-Based Study.
Speh A, Wang R, Winblad B, Kramberger MG, Bäckman L, Qiu C, Laukka EJ
J Alzheimers Dis 2021 ;84(4):1523-1537

Predictors of Olfactory Decline in Aging: A Longitudinal Population-Based Study.
Ekström I, Larsson M, Rizzuto D, Fastbom J, Bäckman L, Laukka EJ
J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci 2020 Nov;75(12):2441-2449

Combined genetic influences on episodic memory decline in older adults without dementia.
Laukka EJ, Köhncke Y, Papenberg G, Fratiglioni L, Bäckman L
Neuropsychology 2020 Sep;34(6):654-666

A Prospective Study on Risk Factors for Olfactory Dysfunction in Aging.
Palmquist E, Larsson M, Olofsson JK, Seubert J, Bäckman L, Laukka EJ
J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci 2020 Feb;75(3):603-610

Effects of between-person differences and within-person changes in symptoms of anxiety and depression on older age cognitive performance.
Laukka EJ, Dykiert D, Allerhand M, Starr JM, Deary IJ
Psychol Med 2018 Jun;48(8):1350-1358

Phantom Smells: Prevalence and Correlates in a Population-Based Sample of Older Adults.
Sjölund S, Larsson M, Olofsson JK, Seubert J, Laukka EJ
Chem Senses 2017 May;42(4):309-318

Our research

Our main research focus centers around the Cognition, Brain, and Aging (COBRA) project, a 3-wave longitudinal project with testing every fifth year. 

Participants (n =181) were in their mid 60s at baseline. 

COBRA includes measurement of dopamine (DA) D2 receptors using PET, structural and functional MRI, as well as extensive cognitive testing and assessment of life-style factors. 

The key objective is to study the relation between changes in various brain parameters and changes in cognitive functions in aging, with special focus on DA. 

We seek to elucidate the question of why some older persons exhibit marked decline in brain and cognition as they grow older, whereas others age gracefully.

Selected publications

Longitudinal stability in working memory and frontal activity in relation to general brain maintenance.
Nyberg L, Karalija N, Papenberg G, Salami A, Andersson M, Pedersen R, Vikner T, Garrett DD, Riklund K, Wåhlin A, Lövdén M, Lindenberger U, Bäckman L
Sci Rep 2022 Dec;12(1):20957

5-Year Associations among Cerebral Arterial Pulsatility, Perivascular Space Dilation, and White Matter Lesions.
Vikner T, Karalija N, Eklund A, Malm J, Lundquist A, Gallewicz N, Dahlin M, Lindenberger U, Riklund K, Bäckman L, Nyberg L, Wåhlin A
Ann Neurol 2022 Nov;92(5):871-881

Longitudinal Dopamine D2 Receptor Changes and Cerebrovascular Health in Aging.
Karalija N, Johansson J, Papenberg G, Wåhlin A, Salami A, Köhncke Y, Brandmaier AM, Andersson M, Axelsson J, Riklund K, Lövdén M, Lindenberger U, Bäckman L, Nyberg L
Neurology 2022 Sep;99(12):e1278-e1289

Sex differences in dopamine integrity and brain structure among healthy older adults: Relationships to episodic memory.
Karalija N, Papenberg G, Wåhlin A, Johansson J, Andersson M, Axelsson J, Riklund K, Lindenberger U, Nyberg L, Bäckman L
Neurobiol Aging 2021 Sep;105():272-279

Fronto-striatal dopamine D2 receptor availability is associated with cognitive variability in older individuals with low dopamine integrity.
Korkki SM, Papenberg G, Karalija N, Garrett DD, Riklund K, Lövdén M, Lindenberger U, Nyberg L, Bäckman L
Sci Rep 2021 Oct;11(1):21089

Distinct and Common Large-Scale Networks of the Hippocampal Long Axis in Older Age: Links to Episodic Memory and Dopamine D2 Receptor Availability.
Nordin K, Nyberg L, Andersson M, Karalija N, Riklund K, Bäckman L, Salami A
Cereb Cortex 2021 Jun;31(7):3435-3450

Mapping the landscape of human dopamine D2/3 receptors with [11C]raclopride.
Papenberg G, Jonasson L, Karalija N, Johansson J, Köhncke Y, Salami A, Andersson M, Axelsson J, Wåhlin A, Riklund K, Lindenberger U, Lövdén M, Nyberg L, Bäckman L
Brain Struct Funct 2019 Nov;224(8):2871-2882

Dopamine D2/3 Binding Potential Modulates Neural Signatures of Working Memory in a Load-Dependent Fashion.
Salami A, Garrett DD, Wåhlin A, Rieckmann A, Papenberg G, Karalija N, Jonasson L, Andersson M, Axelsson J, Johansson J, Riklund K, Lövdén M, Lindenberger U, Bäckman L, Nyberg L
J Neurosci 2019 Jan;39(3):537-547

Dopamine D2 receptor availability is linked to hippocampal-caudate functional connectivity and episodic memory.
Nyberg L, Karalija N, Salami A, Andersson M, Wåhlin A, Kaboovand N, Köhncke Y, Axelsson J, Rieckmann A, Papenberg G, Garrett DD, Riklund K, Lövdén M, Lindenberger U, Bäckman L
Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2016 Jul;113(28):7918-23

Our research

We focus on the molecular contributions to cognitive aging, with a special focus on dopamine and neuroinflammation. We use genetic, epigenetic, lifestyle and neuroimaging techniques (Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Positron Emission Tomography) to understand the heterogeneity in brain and cognitive aging.

Research projects

• Mechanisms of Cognitive Aging - the Roles of Brain Iron Accumulation and Neuroinflammation
• The Role of DNA methylation in Dopaminergic Neuromodulation of Cognitive Aging