Dr. Robert Coen
Position & Discipline
Clinical Neuropsychologist
Research
Dr. Robert Coen, PhD, Reg Psychol AFPsSI is Senior Neuropsychologist in the Memory Clinic in Mercer's Institute for Research on Ageing, St. James's Hospital, Dublin specialising in the neuropsychology of dementia and ageing. He was formerly Head of the Psychometrics Dept., Institute of Clinical Pharmacology, Dublin involved in the development of new psychoactive drugs, including potential treatments for dementia. He has been an Associate Lecturer in Cognitive Psychology for the Open University, taught the Psychopharmacology course in University College Dublin, and is currently a staff member of the Dept. of Medical Gerontology, Trinity College Dublin. Dr. Coen has collaborative research links with Trinity College Institute of Neuroscience (TCIN) and the Psychology Departments in Trinity College Dublin, University College Dublin, the National Rehabilitation Hospital and Beaumont Hospital.
His current research interests include development of cognitive screening tests, the facilitation of cognitive functioning in dementia by non-pharmacological means, autobiographical memory, prospective memory, and managing the behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia. Ongoing research collaborations include DHAS (Dublin Healthy Ageing Study), TILDA (The Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing) and TUDA (The Trinity, University of Ulster and Department of Agriculture) Cohort Phenotype / Genotype Study.
Dr. Coen is a Registered Member and Associate Fellow of the Psychological Society of Ireland (PSI); Current Committee member & Treasurer of PSI Division of Neuropsychology; Current Member of Steering and Advisory Committees for the DSIDC (Dementia Services Information and Development Centre, St. James's Hospital); Current Committee member (former Chairman) of Psychologists Working With Older People Special Interest Group (POPSIG)
Key Publications
Irish, M., Lawlor, B.A., Coen, R.F., O'Mara, S.M. Everyday episodic memory in amnestic Mild Cognitive Impairment: a preliminary investigation. BMC Neuroscience, (in press).
Coen, RF., Flynn, B., Rigney, E. O'Connor, E., Fitzgerald, L., Murray, C., Dunleavy, C., McDonald, M., Delaney, D., Merriman, N., Edgeworth, J. (2011) Efficacy Of A Cognitive Stimulation Therapy Programme For People With Dementia. Irish Journal of Psychological Medicine, 28(3), in press
Doherty, C.P., Hutchinson, S., Abrahams, S., Coen, R.F. (2011) Frontotemporal Dementia. In Neurodegenerative Disorders: A Clinical Guide, eds C.P. Doherty & O. Hardiman, Springer (in press).
Ni Mhaolain, A., Gallagher, D., Crosby, L., Ryan, D., Lacey, L., Coen, R.F., Coakley, D., Walsh, J.B., Cunningham, C.J., Lawlor, B.A. Living with Cognitive Impairment: Frailty and Quality of Life for People with Alzheimer's disease. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society (submitted)
Naughton, M., Coen, R.F., Doherty, C., Lawlor, B.A. (2011) An unusual cause of autobiographical memory loss. Irish Journal of Psychological Medicine, 28(2), 97-99
Gallagher, D., Coen, R.F., Kilroy, D., Belinski, K., Bruce, I., Coakley, D., Walsh, J.B., Cunningham, C., Lawlor, B.A (2011) Anxiety and behavioural disturbance as markers of prodromal Alzheimer's disease in patients with mild cognitive impairment. International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, 26(2), 166-172, doi:10.1002/gps.2509
Irish, M., Lawlor, B.A., O'Mara, S.M., Coen, R.F. (2011) Impaired capacity for autonoetic reliving during autobiographical event recall in mild Alzheimer's disease. Cortex 47(2), 236-249, doi:10.1016/j.cortex.2010.01.002
Robinson, D.J., O'Luanaigh, C., Tehee, E., O'Connell, H., Hamilton, F., Chin, A.V., Coen, R.F., Molloy, A.M., Scott, J., Cunningham, C.J., Lawlor B.A. (2011) Associations between holotranscobalamine, vitamin B12, homocystine and depressive symptoms in community-dwelling elders. International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry 26(3), 307-313 doi: 10.1002/gps.2530
Coen, R.F., Cahill, R., Lawlor, B.A. (2011) Things to watch out for when using The Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA). [Letter] International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry 26(1), 107-108, DOI: 10.002/gps.2471
Gallagher, D, Ni Mhaolain, A., Crosby, L., Ryan, D., Lacey, L., Coen, R.F., Walsh, C., Coakley, D., Walsh, J.B., Cunningham, C.J., Lawlor, B.A. (2011) Dependence and caregiver burden in Alzheimer's disease and mild cognitive impairment. American Journal of Alzheimer's disease and Other Dementias, 26(2), 110-114, doi: 10.1177/1533317510394649
Coen, R.F. (2011) Neuropsychological assessment of Mild Cognitive Impairment / prodromal Alzheimer’s disease. Aging Health, 7(1), 155-162, DOI 10.2217/ahe.10.85
Gallagher, D, Ni Mhaolain, A., Crosby, L., Ryan, D., Lacey, L., Coen, R.F., Walsh, C., Coakley, D., Walsh, J.B., Cunningham, C.J., Lawlor, B.A. (2011) Determinants of the desire to institutionalize in Alzheimer's caregivers. American Journal of Alzheimer's disease and Other Dementias, 26(3), 205-211, doi: 10.1177/1533317511400307
Robinson, D.J, O'Luanaigh, C., Tehee, E., O'Connell, H., Hamilton, F., Chin, A.V., Coen, R.F., Molloy, A.M., Scott, J., Lawlor, B.A., Cunningham, C.J. (2011) Vitamin B12 status, homocysteine and mortality amongst community-dwelling Irish elders. Irish Journal of Medical Science 180(2), 451-455, PMID: 21072617
Gallagher, D, Ni Mhaolain, A., Crosby, L., Ryan, D., Lacey, L., Coen, R.F., Walsh, C., Coakley, D., Walsh, J.B., Cunningham, C.J., Lawlor, B.A. (2011) Self-efficacy for managing dementia may protect against burden and depression in Alzheimer's caregivers. Aging and Mental Health, 15(6), 663-670, PMID 21547745
Coen, R.F., Lawlor, B.A., Kenny, R. (2011) Failure to demonstrate that memory improvement is due either to aerobic exercise or increased hippocampal volume. [Letter] Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences USA, 108(18), E89, doi/10.1073/pnas.1102593108
Cahill, S., Diaz-Ponce, A.M., Coen, R.F., Walsh, C. (2010) The underdetection of cognitive impairment in Nursing Homes in the Dublin Area. The need for on-going cognitive assessment. Age and Ageing, 39, 128-131
Irish, M., Lawlor, B.A., O'Mara, S.M., Coen, R.F. (2010) Exploring the recollective experience during autobiographical memory retrieval in amnestic mild cognitive impairment. Journal of the International Neuropsychological Society, 16, 546-555, doi:10.1017/S1355617710000172
Gallagher, D., Ni Mhaolain, A., Coen, R.F., Walsh, C., Kilroy, D., Belinski, K., Bruce, I., Coakley, D., Walsh, J.B., Cunningham, C., Lawlor, B.A. (2010) Detecting prodromal Alzheimer's disease in mild cognitive impairment: utility of the CAMCOG and other neuropsychological predictors. International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, 25(12), 1280-1287, doi:10.1002/gps.2480
Ni Mhaolain, A., Gallagher, D., O'Connell, H., Chin. A, Bruce, I., Hamilton, F., Tehee, E., Coen, R.F., Coakley, D., Walsh, J.B., Cunningham, C.J., Lawlor, B.A. (2010) Benzodiazepine use amongst community dwelling elderly: 10 years on. [Letter] International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry 25, 650-651, DOI: 10.002/gps.2362
Irish, M., Lawlor, B.A., O'Mara, S.M., Coen, R.F. (2010) Impaired capacity for autonoetic reliving during autobiographical event recall in mild Alzheimer's disease. Cortex; early view, doi:10.1016/j.cortex.2010.01.002
Irish, M., Lawlor, B.A., O'Mara, S.M., Coen, R.F. (2010) Exploring the recollective experience during autobiographical memory retrieval in amnestic mild cognitive impairment. Journal of the International Neuropsychological Society, 16, 546-555, doi:10.1017/S1355617710000172
Gallagher, D., Ni Mhaolain, A., Coen, R.F., Walsh, C., Kilroy, D., Belinski, K., Bruce, I., Coakley, D., Walsh, J.B., Cunningham, C., Lawlor, B.A. (2010) Detecting prodromal Alzheimer's disease in mild cognitive impairment: utility of the CAMCOG and other neuropsychological predictors. International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry; early view, doi:10.1002/gps.2480
Cahill, S., Diaz-Ponce, A.M., Coen, R.F., Walsh, C. (2010) The underdetection of cognitive impairment in Nursing Homes in the Dublin Area. The need for on-going cognitive assessment. Age and Ageing, 39, 128-131
Gallagher, D. Coen, R.F. Kilroy, D. Belinski, K. Bruce, I. Coakley, D. Walsh, J.B, Cunningham, C. Lawlor, B.A (2010) Anxiety and behavioural disturbance as markers of prodromal Alzheimer's disease in patients with mild cognitive impairment. International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry; early view, doi:10.1002/gps.2509
Blanco-Campal, A., Coen. R.F., Lawlor, B.A., Walsh, J.B., Burke, T.E. (2009) Detection of prospective memory deficits in mild cognitive impairment of suspected Alzheimer's disease etiology using a novel event-based prospective memory task. Journal of the International Neuropsychological Society, 15, 154-159, doi:10.1017/S1355617708090127
Chin, A.V., O'Connell, H., Hamilton, F., Robinson, D., Bruce, I., Coen, R.F., Walsh, J.B., Coakley, D., Lawlor, B.A., Molloy, A., Scott, J., Cunningham, C.J. (2008) Vascular biomarkers of cognitive performance in a community based elderly population: The Dublin Healthy Ageing Study. Age and Ageing 37, 559-564, DOI: 10.1093/ageing/afn 144
O'Keeffe, F.M., Murray, B., Coen, R.F.,Dockree, P.M., Bellgrove, M.A., Garavan, H., Lynch, T., Robertson, I.H. (2007) Loss of insight in Frontotemporal Dementia, Corticobasal Degeneration and Progressive Supranuclear Palsy. Brain, 130, 753-764. doi:10.1093/brain/aw1367
Cullen, B., O'Neill, B., Evans, J.J., Coen, R.F., Lawlor, B.A. (2007) A review of screening tests for cognitive impairment. Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery and Psychiatry, 78, 790-799, doi:10.1136/jnnp.2006.095414
Eustace, A., Bruce, I., Coen, R.F., Cunningham, C., Walsh, C., Walsh, J.B., Coakley, D., Lawlor, B.A. (2007) Behavioural disturbance triggers recognition of dementia by family informants. International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry 22(6), 574-579, DOI: 10.1002/gps.1718
Irish, M., Cunningham, Walsh, J.B., C.J., Coakley, D., Lawlor, B.A., Robertson, I.H., Coen, R.F. (2006) Investigating the enhancing effect of music on autobiographical memory in mild Alzheimer's disease. Dementia and Geriatric Cognitive Disorders, 22(1), 108-120. doi: 10.1159/000093487
Cullen, B., Coen, R.F., Lynch, C.A., Cunningham, C.J., Coakley, D., Robertson, I.H., Lawlor, B.A. (2005) Repetitive behaviour in Alzheimer's disease: description, correlates and functions. International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, 20, 686-693.
Talbot, A, Bruce, I., Cunningham, C.J., Coen, R.F., Lawlor, B.A., Coakley, D., Walsh, J.B., O'Neill, D. (2005) Driving cessation in patients attending a memory clinic. Age and Ageing, 34(4), 363-368.