Karen Li, PhD

Education

PhD (University of Toronto)

Research interests

My research focuses on cognitive control processes involved in multiple-task performance in adulthood and healthy aging. I am interested in studying situations in which multiple tasks are either carried out in sequential order, or are performed concurrently. A portion of my current work investigates the coordination of cognitive and motor tasks in old age (e.g., walking, balance, reaching, with a concurrent cognitive load). An important theme in my research is to understand the adaptive strategies that older adults develop in response to declines in cognitive and sensorimotor abilities.

I am a member of the Centre for Research in Human Development (CRDH), which is devoted to multidisciplinary approaches to the study of development across all life periods. I am also a member of the School of Health (PERFORM Centre) and the engAGE Centre for research on aging. Graduate students working with me participate in regular workshops and seminars offered by these organizations. I am also a member of Team 12 of the Canadian Consortium on Neurodegeneration in Aging (CCNA), which studies interventions (exercise, cognitive training) to improve cognition and mobility in older adults at risk for dementia.

Peer-reviewed Articles (* student)

Li,K. Z. H., Bherer, L., Mirelman, A. ,Maidan, I., Hausdorff, J. M. (2018). Cognitive involvement in balance, gait and dual-tasking in aging: A focused review from a neuroscience of aging perspective. Frontiers in Neurology – Movement Disorders. 9:913. https://doi.org/10.3389/fneur.2018.00913

Bruce, H.*, Lai, L.*, Bherer, L., Lussier, M., St.-Onge, N., & Li, K. Z. H. (2018). The effect of simultaneously and sequentially delivered cognitive and aerobic training on mobility among older adults with hearing loss. Gait and Posture, 67, 262-268. Available online ahead of print: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gaitpost.2018.10.020.

Campos, J. L., McCumber, D., Chapnik, B., Singh, G., Lau, S.-T.*, Li, K. Z. H., Nieborowska, V.*, &Pichora-Fuller, M. K. (2018). The importance of acoustics in multimodal virtual reality research and application. Canadian Acoustics, 46(3), 29-40. https://jcaa.caa-aca.ca/index.php/jcaa/article/view/3183

Nieborowska, V.*, Lau, S-T*,Campos, J., Pichora-Fuller, M. K., Novak, A., & Li, K. Z. H. (2018). Effects of age on dual-task walking while listening in a virtual reality environment. Journal of Motor Behavior. https://doi.org/10.1080/00222895.2018.1498318

Montero-Odasso, M., Almeida, Q.J.,Bherer, L., Burhan, A.M., Camicioli, R., Doyon, J., Fraser, S., Muir-Hunter, S., Li, K., Liu-Ambrose, T., McIlroy, W., Middleton, L., Morais, J., Sakurai, R., Speechly, M., Vasudev, A.,Beauchet, O., Hausdorff, J.M., Rosano, C., Studenski, S., Verghese, J., and the Canadian Gait and Cognition Network (in press). Consensus on shared measures of mobility and cognition: From the Canadian Consortium on Neurodegeneration in Aging (CCNA). Journal of Gerontology:Medical Sciences, Advanced access June 21, 2018; https://academic.oup.com/biomedgerontology/advance-article/doi/10.1093/gerona/gly148/5042781

Cullen, S., Montero-Odasso, M., Bherer, L., Almeida, Q., Fraser, S., Muir-Hunter, S., Li, K., Liu-Ambrose, T., McGibbon, C.,McIlroy, W., Middleton, L., Sarquis-Adams, Y., Beauchet, O., McFadyen, B.,Morais, J., Camicioli, R., and the Canadian Gait and Cognition Network (2018).Guidelines for gait assessments in the Canadian Consortium on Neurodegeneration in Aging (CCNA). Canadian GeriatricsJournal, 21:2, DOI: https://doi.org/10.5770/cgj.21.298

Montero-Odasso, M., Almeida, Q., Burhan, A.M., Camicioli, R., Doyon, J., Fraser, S., Li, K., Liu-Ambrose, T., Middleton, L,Muir-Hunter, S., McIlroy, W., Morais, J., Pieruccini-Faria, F., Shoemaker, K., Speechly, M., Vasudev, A., Zou, G.Y., Berryman, N., Lussier, M., Vanderhaeghe, L., &Bherer, L. (2018). SYNERGIC TRIAL (SYNchronizing Exercises, Remediesin Gait and Cognition) a multi-Centre randomized controlled double blind trial to improve gait and cognition in mild cognitive impairment. BMC Geriatrics, 18:93. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12877-018-0782-7

Pothier, K.*, Gagnon, C.*, Fraser, S. A., Lussier, M., Desjardins-Crépeau, L.*, Berryman, N., Kergoat, M.-J., Vu, T. T. M., Li, K. Z. H., Bosquet, L., Bherer, L. (2017).A comparison of physical exercise, cognitive training and combined intervention on spontaneous walking speed in older adults. Aging Clinical and Experimental Research. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40520-017-0878-5.

Lai, L.*, Bruce, H.*, Bherer, L., Lussier, M., & Li, K. Z. H. (2017). Comparing the transfer effects of simultaneous and sequential combined modality training in older adults. Journal of Cognitive Enhancement, 1(4), 478-490. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs41465-017-0052-1.

Bruce, H.*, Aponte, D.*, St. Onge, N., Phillips, N. A., Gagné, J.-P., & Li, K. Z. H. (2017). The effects of age and hearing loss on dual-task balance and listening. Journal of Gerontology: Psychological Sciences. E-pub ahead of print (7 May, 2017). https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28486677

Fraser, S. A., Li, K. Z. H., Berryman, N., Desjardins-Crépeau, L.*, Lussier, M.*, Vadaga, K.*, Lehr, L.*, Minh Vu, T. T., Bosquet, L., Bherer, L. (2017). Does combined physical and cognitive training improve dual-task balance and gait outcomes in sedentary older adults? Frontiers in Human Neuroscience. https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnhum.2016.00688/full 

Desjardins-Crépeau*, L., Berryman, N.*,Fraser, S. A., Vu, T. T. M., Kergoat, M-J, Li, K. Z. H., Bosquet, L.,& Bherer, L. (2016). Effects of combined physical and cognitive training on fitness and neuropsychological outcomes in healthy older adults. Clinical Interventions in Aging, 11, 1287—1299. https://dx.doi.org/10.2147/CIA.S115711.

Lau, S. T.*, Pichora-Fuller, M. K., Li, K.Z. H., Singh, G., & Campos, J. (2016). Effects of hearing loss ondual-task performance in an audiovisual virtual reality simulation of listening while walking. Journal of the American Academy of Audiology, 27, 567-587.  DOI:10.3766/jaaa.15115.

Vadaga, K. K.*, Blair, M.*, & Li, K. Z. H. (2016). Are age-related differences uniform across different inhibitory functions? Journal of Gerontology:Psychological Sciences 71, 641-649.

Baer, L. H.*, Park, M. T., Bailey, J. A.*, Chakravarty, M. M., Li, K. Z. H., & Penhune, V. B. (2015).Regional cerebellar volumes are related to early musical training and finger tapping performance. NeuroImage, 109,1 April 2015, 130-139. doi:10.1016/j.neuroimage.2014.12.076.

Korotkevich, Y.*, Trewartha, K. M.*, Penhune, V. B., & Li, K. Z. H. (2015). Effects of age and cognitive load on response reprogramming. Experimental Brain Research, 233(3), 937-946. DOI10.1007/s00221-014-4169-5.