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Dr. Eimear Mc Glinchey
Assistant Professor, School of Nursing & Midwifery
Email mcgline@tcd.ie Phone3531896 4131Biography
r Eimear McGlinchey is an Assistant Professor in Intellectual Disability in the School of Nursing and Midwifery, and a Senior Atlantic Fellow for Equity in Brain Health at the Global Brain Health Institute. Eimear's background is in Psychology and her primary area of interest is in the promotion and maintenance of brain health in people with an intellectual disability, with particular focus on the area of dementia in people with Down syndrome. Eimear's work in the area of dementia and Down syndrome includes investigating early biomarkers of Alzheimer's disease using neuroimaging, blood- based and cognitive biomarkers and is PI of the PREVENT dementia - DS project. This project is part of a collaborative international study with the Horizon 21 European Down syndrome Consortium. Dr McGlinchey is co-PI on a project that includes the voices of people with an intellectual disability in developing guidelines for post-diagnostic dementia support. Eimear's work is based in the Trinity Centre for Ageing and Intellectual Disability and is research lead with the National Intellectual Disability Memory Service. Her other areas of interest include equity and inclusion as well as accessibility and innovative dissemination. Eimear teaches on the undergraduate and postgraduate programmes in the school and provides supervision to undergraduate, masters and PhD students. She is Program Director for the Ageing Health and Wellbeing in Intellectual Disability MSc, the Dementia MSc, and the Community Health MSc in the School of Nursing and Midwifery. She has a number of publications and has disseminated widely through national and international conferences.
Publications and Further Research Outputs
- Fallon, M.,McCallion, P., McCarron, M. & McGlinchey, E., An Exploration of Biopsychosocial Risk Factors for People Ageing with Down syndrome in Ireland, 5th International Conference of the Trisomy 21 Research Society, Rome, 5th - 8th June, 2024Oral Presentation, 2024
- McGlinchey, E., Kleinhans, A., Vava, B., Fortea, J., Advancing Equity for People with Down Syndrome in South Africa: An Atlantic Institute Initiative, Trsomy 21 Research Society International Conference, Rome, 5-8 June, 2024Oral Presentation, 2024
- McCarron, M., Daly, L., Allen, A., Dennehy, H., Buttery, N., Corr, C., McCallion, P., Kennelly, S., Dunne, P. & McGlinchey, E., Achieving equity in dementia care for people with intellectual disabilities: Standards, guidelines, memory services and innovative models of care, Engaging Dementia International Conference 2024, Mullingar, 8 - 9 May, 2024Oral Presentation, 2024
Research Expertise
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TitleIncluding the Voices of Experience in Developing Accessible Post-Diagnostic Dementia Support Guidelines for People with an Intellectual DisabilitySummaryPeople with an Intellectual Disability (ID) are at greater risk of developing dementia than the general population. In particular, those with Down syndrome (DS) are the world's largest group with a genetic risk for Alzheimer's disease (AD), given overexpression of the amyloid precursor protein (APP) gene located on chromosome 21. Despite this high risk, services, both in the general population and ID specific services are ill prepared to provide post-diagnostic support to people with an ID and dementia and their carers, meaning unequal and inadequate access to supports for many across the country. There is currently little systematic research to guide development of post-diagnostic supports for people with ID. With its recent establishment, the National Intellectual Disability Memory Service (NIDMS) in Ireland will offer an accessible systematic approach to diagnosis, resulting in an increased need for post-diagnostic supports for people with ID. The aim of the study, therefore, is to develop accessible best practice guidelines for post-diagnostic dementia supports for people with an intellectual disability in Ireland. This will be achieved through: 1) Identifying current guidelines/recommendations on post-diagnostic dementia care nationally and internationally for the general population and for people with ID. 2) Understanding the current landscape of post-diagnostic dementia support for people with an intellectual disability in Ireland. 3) Understanding the lived experience of accessing and using post-diagnostic dementia support services for people with ID/DS and their families and desires for post-diagnostic services. 4) Identifying gold standard approaches/guidelines to post diagnostic dementia care from specialist ID service providers. The resulting guidelines will identify needed adjustments, and make recommendations for all services on how best to provide post-diagnostic dementia supports to people with ID and their families/carers.Funding AgencyHealth Research Charities IrelandDate From01/01/2021Date To01/11/2023
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TitlePREVENT dementia -DSSummaryThis study will examine the effect of Alzheimer's disease pathology on the organisation of brain networks in people with Down syndrome compared to people in the general population who are at high risk of Alzheimer's disease and people who are at low risk of Alzheimer's disease. People with Down syndrome are at high risk of Alzheimer's disease (AD) because genetic reasons. However, they are typically excluded from Alzheimer's disease prevention research. Including people with Down syndrome in this type of research is important from an equity perspective and could also help us to understand the development and progression of Alzheimer's disease for all. The PREVENT study, is part of an international study examining early biomarkers of Alzheimer's disease in the general population in mid-life and before clinical stages of the disease. This pilot will adapt the PREVENT protocol so that it is suitable for people with Down syndrome. The neuroimaging, blood and neuropsychological data collected in this process will then be analyzed. The organisation of brain networks in people with Down syndrome who don't have any symptoms of Alzheimer's disease will be compared to people from the PREVENT study at high risk for Alzheimer's disease and at low risk for Alzheimer's disease. Neurofilament light protein is a protein that can be measured in the blood and has been found to be a reliable marker of Alzheimer's disease pathology in people with Down syndrome. The association between this protein in relation to the organisation of brain networks in people with Down syndrome will be examined. The relationship between the organisation of brain networks and scores on neuropsychological assessments will be examined. This will give us a better understanding of the early cognitive changes as a result of Alzheimer's disease in people with Down syndrome. Through establishing the adapted PREVENT protocol, this pilot will inform the development of a large national study - PREVENT dementia - DS.Funding AgencyAlzheimer's Association, Alzheimer's UK, Global Brain Health InstituteDate From01/09/2021Date To31/08/2022
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Titlearly Biomarkers of Alzheimer's Disease in People with Down syndromeSummaryPeople with Down syndrome (DS) have a genetic predisposition to Alzheimer's disease (AD) but have typically been excluded from AD prevention research. Including people with DS is important from an equity perspective and to provide insight into the development and progression of Alzheimer's disease. The PREVENT study, is part of an international study examining early biomarkers of AD in the general population in mid-life and before clinical stages of the disease. This pilot will adapt the PREVENT protocol so that it is suitable for people with DS, and will include people from 20-29, before the onset of AD pathology. Neuroimaging, blood and neuropsychological data collected will be analysed. Specifically, the organisation of brain networks in people with DS prior to the onset of AD pathology will be analysed and it's association with Neurofilament Light (NfL), a protein measured in blood examined. NfL has been found to be a reliable marker of AD pathology in people with DS. This study will give a better understanding of the earliest changes in the AD process in people with DS. Through establishing the adapted PREVENT protocol, this project will inform the development of a large national study - PREVENT dementia - DS.Funding AgencyDeans Rersearch InitiativeDate From01/07/2021
Recognition
- Journal Reviewer Journal of Intellectual Disability Research 2018-2020
- Reviewer for Research in Developmental Disabilities 2019-2020
- Reviewer for Journal of Applied Research in Intellectual Disabilities 2018-2020