Sarah Fraser
Sarah Fraser
Associate Professor

2015 Postdoctoral Fellow Qualitative Methodology McGill UniversIty
2013 Postdoctoral Fellow Neuroimaging: Portable NIRS Institut de gériatrie de Montréal
2010 Ph.D Psychology: Cognitive Aging Concordia University
2004 M.A Psychology Concordia University

Room
LEE 516H
Phone
613-562-5800 ext. 2306 (office)
613-562-5632 (fax)


Biography

The aim of my interdisciplinary research program is to better understand cognitive aging and to track factors that influence cognitive decline in older adults. My research focuses on four main areas: (1) cognitive aging, (2) motor control, (3) neuroimaging, and (4) stigma. One of the strengths of my program is that I explore older adults “in action”, i.e., while walking and talking, and while talking and climbing stairs (dual tasking). Thanks to portable technology, I can measure and quantify motor and cognitive performance, along with changes in brain activity, as older adults perform everyday activities (areas 1-3). A newer branch of my research relies on citizen science, using an m-health approach, by calling upon older adults directly to make stairs safer in order to prevent falls. These “citizens” are people in the community who identify stair hazards with the Safer Steps app. 

In addition, I have learned from working with older adults that how they perceive themselves can strongly influence both how they perform and their help-seeking behaviours. If cognitive decline is perceived as “normal” and expected with age, why do anything about it? My fourth research area  explores these perceptions by using qualitative methods to examine stigma and ageism.

These quantitative and qualitative approaches are complementary and contribute to the primary aim of my research, which is to understand cognitive aging.

Quick links

Research interests

  • Cognitive aging
  • Neuroimaging with functional near infra-red spectroscopy
  • Ageism
  • Mobility
  • Qualitative and quantitative methods

Publications

Complete publications: Google Scholar and ResearchGate

  • Salzman, T., Sarquis-Adamson, Y, Son, S., Montero-Odasso, M., Fraser, S. (accepted Jan, 2022). Effects of Multidomain Interventions to Improve Cognition in Mild Cognitive Impairment: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. JAMA Network online.
  • St-Amant, Salzman, T., Michaud, L., Polskaia, N., Fraser, S., & Lajoie, Y. (accepted Jan, 2022). Hemodynamic Responses of Quiet Standing Simultaneously Performed with Different Cognitive Loads in Older Adults. Human Movement Science.
  • Salzman, T., Dupuy, O., Fraser, S. (accepted Jan, 2022). Effects of cardiorespiratory fitness on cerebral oxygenation in healthy older adults: A systematic review. Frontiers in Physiology
  • Ménard, A., Novak, A., Edwards, N., & Fraser, S. (Accepted Dec, 2021). Involving older adults in fall prevention using m-health technology for Connected Autonomy e-book project led by the LIFE Institute.
  • Kim, H. & Fraser, S. (2022). Neural correlates of dual-task walking in people with central neurological disorders: a systematic review. Journal of Neurology, 1-25. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34989867/
  • Croft., S. & Fraser, S. (2022). A scoping review of barriers and facilitators affecting the lives of people with disabilities during Covid-19. Frontiers in Rehabilitation Sciences, 119. https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fresc.2021.784450/full
  • Rahman, T., Polskaia, N., St. Amant, G., Salzman, T., Vallejo, D., Lajoie, Y. & Fraser, S. (2021). An fNIRS Investigation of Discrete and Continuous Cognitive Demands During Dual-Task Walking in Young Adults. Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, 15. https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnhum.2021.711054/full
  • Barth, N., Guyot, J. Fraser, S., Lagacé, M., Adam, S., Gouttefarde, P., Goethals, L., Bechard, L, Bongue, B, Fundenberger, H, & Celarier, T. (2021). Covid-19 and quarantine, a catalyst for ageism? Frontiers in Public Health, 9, 321. https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2021.589244/full
  • Lagacé*, M., Fraser*, S. A., Ranger, M-C, Moorjani-Houle, D., & Ali, N. (2021). About me but without me? Older patient’s perspectives on care transitions from hospital to seniors’ residence. Journal of Aging Studies. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34083006/
  • Salzman, T., Aboualmagd, A., Badawi, H., Tobón-Vallejo, D., Kim, H., Dahroug, L., ... & Fraser, S. (2021). Prefrontal Cortex Involvement during Dual-Task Stair Climbing in Healthy Older Adults: An fNIRS Study. Brain Sciences, 11(1), 71. https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3425/11/1/71
  • Salzman, T., Tobón Vallejo, D., Polskaia, N., Michaud, L., St‐Amant, G., Lajoie, Y., & Fraser, S. (2020). Hemodynamic and behavioral changes in older adults during cognitively demanding dual tasks. Brain and behavior, e02021. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/brb3.2021
  • Fraser, S., Lagacé, M, Bongué, B., Ndeye, N., Guyot, J., Bechard, L., Garcia, L., Taler, V., Members of the CCNA Social Inclusion and Stigma Working Group, Adam, S., Beaulieu, M., Bergeron, C.D., Boudjemadi, V., Desmette, D., Donizzetti, A. R., Éthier, S., Garon, S., Gillis, M., Levasseur, M., Lortie-Lussier, M., Marier, P., Robitaille, A., Sawchuk, K., Lafontaine, C., & Tougas, F. (2020). Ageism and COVID-19: What does our society’s response say about us? Age and Ageing. https://academic.oup.com/ageing/article/49/5/692/5831206