Faculty and Staff Profile

Alyssa Gamaldo-Roddy

Educational Background

2009, North Carolina State University, Lifespan Developmental Psychology

2004, Johns Hopkins University, Developmental Psychology

1999, North Carolina State University, Psychology

Courses Taught

Adult Development and Aging
Psychology and Aging
Heterogeneous Aging Processes
Biomedical Aging

Profile

I am passionate about understanding the mechanisms related to physical health and cognitive functioning within diverse adult populations (e.g., Black/African American adults; older adults with restricted socioeconomic resources). I have collaborated on several, large longitudinal projects (e.g., the autopsy study of the Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging (BLSA) and the Johns Hopkins Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center, the Johns Hopkins Sleep Dream Team, Baltimore Study of Black Aging (BSBA), and Healthy Aging in Neighborhoods of Diversity across the Life Span (HANDLS)) and shared research findings in a variety of outlets (e.g., scientific publications, scientific/community presentations, news articles, and podcast interviews). Beyond conducting research, I am interested in mentoring the next generation of academic scholars, especially from underrepresented backgrounds in scientific research.

Research Interests

Dr. Gamaldo’s research focuses on identifying adverse (e.g., poor sleep, financial strain, and social stressors) and protective factors (e.g., education, life satisfaction and social support) associated with cognitive functioning, particularly in populations at risk for AD/ADRD diagnosis. Dr. Gamaldo is also interested in supporting research that explores the utility of digital health assessments in diverse older adult populations.

Research Publications

1. Beydoun, H., Beydoun, M. A., Meirelles, O., Erickson, L. D., Gamaldo, A., Weiss, J., Launer, L. J., Evans, M., & Zonderman, A. B. (Accepted). Life’s essential 8, infection burden and incidence of all-cause and Alzheimer’s Disease dementia in the UK biobank. Alzheimer’s & Dementia: The Journal of the Alzheimer’s Association.

2. Emert, S. E, Taylor, D. J., Gartenberg, D., Schade, M. M., Roberts, D. M., Nagy, S. M., Russel, M., Huskey, A., Mueller, M., Gamaldo, A., & Buxton, O. M. (in press). A non-pharmacological multi-modal therapy to improve sleep and cognition and reduce mild cognitive impairment risk: Design and methodology of a randomized clinical trial. Contemporary Clinical Trials, forthcoming.

3. Beydoun, H., Beydoun, M. A., Gamaldo, A., Kwon, E., Weiss, J., Hossain, S., Evans, M. K., & Zonderman, A. B. (Accepted). Trajectories in allostatic load as predictors of sleep quality among urban adults: Healthy Aging in Neighborhoods of Diversity across the Life Span study. Sleep Medicine.

4. *Allan, A.C., Gamaldo, A.A., Gamaldo, C.E., Gunia, B.C., Al Abdul Razzak, I.M., Ighodaro, E., & Salas, R.M.E. (2023). The promotion of sleep wellness: Resilience as a protective factor. Frontiers in Sleep-Precision Sleep Medicine. Advance online publication:
https://doi.org/10.3389/frsle.2023.1133347.

5. *Jenkins, A. I. C., Fredman, S. J., Gamaldo, A. A., King, V., & Almeida, D. M. (2023). Love, health, and the ‘hood: An examination of romantic relationship adjustment and perceived neighborhood quality as predictors of partnered Black Americans’ long-term psychological health. Journal of Psychopathology and Clinical Science. Advance online publication: https://doi.org/10.1037/abn0000821.

6. *Freed, S. A., Ross, L. A., Mogle, J., Gamaldo, A. A., & Zhang, Y. (2023). Driver license renewal requirements predict driving mobility among older drivers with health-related travel difficulties. Transportation Research Record. Advance online publication: https://doi.org/10.1177/03611981231155903.

7. *Ji, L., Zhaoyang, R., Jiao, J. L., Schade, M. M., Bertisch, S. M., Derby, C. A., Buxton, O. M., Gamaldo, A. A. (2023). Discrimination and education quality moderate the association of sleep with cognitive function in older Black adults: Results from the Einstein Aging Study.
The Journal of Gerontology: Psychological Sciences, 78(4), 596-608. doi.org/10.1093/geronb/gbac183.

8. *Allan, A. C., Gamaldo, A. A., Wright, R. S., Aiken-Morgan, A. T., Lee, A. K., Allaire, J. C., Thorpe Jr., R. J., & Whitfield, K. E. (2023). Differential associations between the area deprivation index and measures of physical health for older black adults. The Journals of Gerontology, Series B: Psychological Sciences, 78(2), 253-263. doi: 10.1093/geronb/gbac149.

9. Baker, T. A., & Gamaldo, A. A. (2022). More than just race: Redefining the impact of sociocultural and biologic determinants on aging and well-being of older diverse populations. Journals of Gerontology: Social Sciences, 77(11), 1959-1963. doi.org/10.1093/geronb/gbac134.

10. Sardina, A.L., *Mahlobo, C., Gamaldo, A.A., Allaire, J., & Whitfield, K.E. (2022). Exploring the Association between Affect and Leisure Activity Engagement in Black Adults. Journals of Gerontology, Series B: Psychological Sciences, 77(12), 2157-2169. doi.org/10.1093/geronb/gbac084.

11. Sardina, A.L., *Tan, S.C., Perry, J., & Gamaldo, A. A. (2021). A preliminary study of the correlates of leisure interests and constraints among adults residing in public housing. Journal of Aging and Environment. Advance online publication: doi.org/10.1080/26892618.2021.1887041.

12. *Freed, S. A., Ross, L. A., Gamaldo, A. A., & Stavrinos, D. (2021). Use of Multilevel Modeling to Examine Variability of Distracted Driving Behavior in Naturalistic Driving Studies. Accident Analysis and Prevention, 152. doi.org/10.1016/j.aap.2021.105986.

13. *Tan, S. C., Gamaldo, A. A., Brick, T., Thorpe, R. J., Allaire, J. C., & Whitfield, K. E. (2021). Effect of selective survival on Black adults’ cognitive development. Journals of Gerontology: Psychological Sciences, 76(8), 1489-1498. doi:10.1093/geronb/gbab003.

14. Lee, M. J., Gamaldo, A. A., Peters, M. E., Durga, R., Gamaldo, C. E., Sierra-Arce, M., Chow, A., Vargas, I., Dziedzic, P., Buenaver, L., & Salas, R. M. (2021). Assessing sleep concerns in individuals with acquired brain injury: The feasibility of a smart pad sleep tool. The Journal of Neuropsychiatry and Clinical Neurosciences, 33(3), 225-229. doi.org/10.1176/appi.neuropsych.20060172.

15. Luo, L., Buxton, O. M., Gamaldo, A. A., Almeida, D. M., & Xiao, Q. (2021). Opposite educational gradients in sleep duration between Black and White adults, 2004-2018. Sleep Health: Journal of the National Sleep Foundation, 7(1), 3-9. doi:10.1016/j.sleh.2020.10.003.

16. Gamaldo, A. A., Sardina, A. L., *Tan, S. C., Ross, L. A., Gerlin, L. A., Knox, T. B., Prawl, D., Argueta Portillo, K. S., & Andel, R. (2021). Correlates of life satisfaction among middle-aged and older Black adults. Journal of Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities, 8, 1249-1259. doi:10.1007/s40615-020-00884-7.

17. Sardina, A.L., Gamaldo, A.A., Andel, R., Johnson, S., Baker, T.A., Thorpe, R.J., McEvoy, C., Evans, M.K., & Zonderman, A.B. (2021). Cross-sectional examination of musculoskeletal pain and physical function in a racially and socioeconomically diverse sample of adults. Journals of Gerontology: Medical Sciences, 76(2), 368-377. doi.org/10.1093/gerona/glaa251.

18. Dobbs, D. D., Peterson, L., Sardina, A. L., Tan, S. C., Brown-Hughes, T., Sadeq, N., Andel, R., & Gamaldo, A. A. (2021). Middle-aged and older Blacks’ experiences completing a traditional paper-and-pencil cognitive battery and two contemporary computerized cognitive batteries. Aging, Neuropsychology and Cognition, 28(4), 600-615. doi.org/10.1080/13825585.2020.1802403

19. Gamaldo, A. A., Sardina, A., Sutin, A., Cruz, T., Salas, R. M., Gamaldo, C., Buxton, O. M., & Andel, R. (2020). Facets of personality related to sleep habits in Black Adults. Sleep Health, 6(2), 232-239. doi: 10.1016/j.sleh.2019.10.004.

20. Gamaldo, A. A., Tan, S. C., Sardina, A. L., Henzi, C., Guest, R., Ross, L. A., Willingham, K., Zonderman, A., & Andel, R. (2020). Older Black adults’ satisfaction and anxiety levels after completing alternative versus traditional cognitive batteries. Journal of Gerontology: Psychological Sciences, 75(7), 1462-1474. doi:10.1093/geronb/gby095.

21. *Zhang, S., Gamaldo, A. A., Neupert, S., & Allaire, J. (2020). Predicting control beliefs in older adults. Journal of Gerontology: Psychological Sciences, 75(2), e1-e12. doi: 10.1093/geronb/gbz001.

22. Sutin, A. R., Gamaldo, A. A., Stephan, Y., Strickhouser, J. E., & Terracciano, A. (2019). Personality traits and subjective and objective experience of sleep. International Journal of Behavioral Medicine. Advance online publication: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12529-019-09828-w.

23. Peterson, L. J., Hyer, K., Meng, H., Dobbs, D., Gamaldo, A., & O’Neil, K. (2019). Discussing end-of-life care preferences with family: Role of race and ethnicity. Research on Aging, 41(9), 823-844. doi: 10.1177/0164027519858716.

24. Salas, R. E., Gamaldo, A. A., Strowd, R. E., Choi, S., Hou, L. T., Shatzer, J., Bischoff, K., & Gamaldo, C. E. (2019). The PreDoc Program: Pipeline healthcare apprenticeship program through the lens of a neurologist. MedEdPublish, 8(1), 63. doi: 10.15694/mep.2019.000063.1.

25. Gamaldo, A., Sims, R. C., Aiken Morgan, A., Allaire, J. C., Thorpe, R. J., & Whitfield, K. E. (2019). The association between subjective memory complaints and sleep within older African American adults. Journal of Gerontology: Psychological Sciences, 74(2), 202-211. doi: 10.1093/geronb/gbx069.

26. *Valdés, E. G., Andel, R., Lister, J. J., Gamaldo, A. A., & Edwards, J. D. (2019). Can cognitive speed of processing training improve everyday functioning among older adults with psychometrically-defined mild cognitive impairment. Journal of Aging and Health, 31(4), 595-610. doi: 0898264317738828.

27. Gamaldo, C. E., Gamaldo, A. A., Hou, L. T., Kalloo, A., Hexter, D., Salter, B., Price, M., Carter, M., & Salas, R. E. (2018). When a private community neurology practice executes home sleep apnea testing: Benefits identified and lessons learned in a retrospective observational study. Sleep Health: Journal of the National Sleep Foundation, 4(2), 217-223.

28. Scott, S. B., Munoz, E., Mogle, J. A., Gamaldo, A. A., Smyth, J. M., Almeida, D. M., & Sliwinski, M. J. (2018). Perceived neighborhood characteristics predict severity and emotional response to daily stressors. Social Science & Medicine, 200, 262-270. doi: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2017.11.010.

29. *Peterson, L. J., Dobbs, D. J., Hyer, K., Meng, H., Gamaldo, A., O’Neil, K., & Buck, H. (2018). Sharing end-of-life care with family members: Who has the discussion and who does not. Journal of Palliative Medicine, 21(4), 463-472. doi: 10.1089/jpm.2017.0357.

30. Aiken-Morgan, A. T., Gamaldo, A. A., Wright, R. C., Allaire, J. C., & Whitfield, K. E. (2018). Stability and change in mild cognitive impairment status among African American older adults. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, 66(1), 179-183. doi: 10.1111/jgs.15225.

31. Gamaldo, A. A., Sardina, A. L., Corona, R. T., Willingham, K., Migoyo, R. V., & Andel, R. A. (2018). The association between educational parameters and cognitive functioning in older blacks. International Psychogeriatrics, 30(3), 311-322. doi: 10.1017/S1041610217001107.

32. Lee, H. H., Salas, R. E., Gamaldo, A. A., Billups, K. L., Dziedzic, P., Choi, S., Bermudez, N., Thorpe, R., & Gamaldo, C. E. (2018). The utility and feasibility of assessing sleep disruption in a men’s health clinic using a mobile health platform device: a pilot study. The International Journal of Clinical Practice, 72(1), e12999. doi: 10.1111/ijcp.12999.

33. *Chanti-Ketterl, M., Gamaldo, A., Andel, R., & Thorpe Jr, R. J. (2018). The association between lipoproteins, disability, and physical function among older Costa Rican adults. Journal of Aging and Health, 30(5), 758-777. doi: 0898264317690866.
34. Beydoun, H. A., Beydoun, M. A., Chen, X., Chang, J. J, Gamaldo, A. A., Eid, S. M., & Zonderman, A. B. (2017). Sex and age differences in the associations between sleep behaviors and all-cause mortality in older adults – results from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys. Sleep Medicine, 36, 141-151. doi: 10.1016/j.sleep.2017.05.006.

35. Doshi, A., Gamaldo, C. E., Dziedzic, P., Gamaldo, A., Kwan, A., Buenaver, L., Choi, S., Wang, A., Kalloo, A., & Salas, R. E. (2017). Finding time for sleep: Identifying sleep concerns in a non-sleep specialty clinic using the MySleepScript app. Journal of Mobile Technology in Medicine, 6(1), 19-27. doi:10.7309/jmtm.6.2.3.

36. Beydoun, M. A., Gamaldo, A., Beydoun, H. A., Shaked, D., Zonderman, A. B., & Eid, S. M. (2017). Trends, predictors, and outcomes of healthcare resources used in patients hospitalized with Alzheimer’s Disease with at least one procedure: The nationwide inpatient sample. Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease, 57(3), 813-824. doi: 10.3233/JAD-16225.

37. Cary, Jr., M.P., Thorpe Jr., R.J., Walker, J.L., Gamaldo, A., Allaire, J.C., & Whitfield, K.E. (2016). The effects of social support on physical functioning in older African Americans: Longitudinal results from the Baltimore Study of Black Aging. Journal of the National Medical Association, 108(4), 195-200. doi: 10.1016/j.jnma.2016.07.003.

38. Gamaldo, A. A., Beydoun, M.A., Beydoun, H.A., Liang, H., Salas, R. E., Zonderman, A. B., Gamaldo, C. E., & Eid, S.M. (2016). Sleep disturbances among older adults in the United States, 2002-2012: Nationwide Inpatient Rates, Predictors, and Outcomes. Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience, 8, 266. doi: 10.3389/fnagi.2016.00266.

39. Thorpe Jr., R., Gamaldo, A., Salas, R., Gamaldo, C., & Whitfield K. (2016). Relationship between physical function and sleep quality in African Americans. Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine, 12(10), 1323-1329. doi: 10.5664/jcsm.6180.

40. Gamaldo, C. E., Gamaldo, A. A., Strowd, R. E., Hou, L., Kalloo, A., Sanchez, M. A., & Salas, R. E. (2016). Applying lean thinking: The assessment of professional conduct of medical students. Creative Education, 7(06), 861-869. doi: 10.4236/ce.2016.76090.

41. Gamaldo, A. A., & Allaire, J. C. (2015). Daily fluctuations in everyday cognition: Is it meaningful?. Journal of Aging and Health, 28(5), 834-849. doi: 10.1177/0898264315611669.

42. Gamaldo, A. A., Sloane, K. L., Gamaldo, C. E., & Salas, R. E. (2015). Guide to recognizing and treating sleep disturbances in the nursing home setting. Journal of Clinical Outcomes Management, 22(10), 471-479.

43. Beydoun, M. A., Beydoun, H. A., Gamaldo, A. A., Rostant, O., Dore, G. A., Zonderman, A. B., & Eid, S. M. (2015). Nationwide inpatient prevalence, predictors and outcomes of Alzheimer’s Disease among older adults in the United States, 2002-2012. Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease, 48(2), 361-375. doi: 10.3233/JAD-150228.

44. Hill, L.K., Sims, R.C., Aiken-Morgan, A.T., Gamaldo, A., Edwards, C.L. & Whitfield, K.E. (2015). Perceived control predicts pulse pressure in middle-aged and older African American men. Ethnicity & Disease, 25(3), 263-270. doi: 10.18865/ed.25.3.263.

45. Gamaldo A. A., McNeely, J. M., Shah, M. T., Evans, M. K., & Zonderman, A. B. (2015). Racial sleep duration disparities: Exploring whether there are urban environmental and health differences in sleep durations for blacks and whites. Journal of Gerontology: Psychological Sciences, 70, 568-575. doi: 10.1093/geronb/gbt117.

46. Aiken-Morgan, A. T., Gamaldo, A. A., Sims, R. C., Allaire, J. C., & Whitfield, K. E. (2015). Education desegregation and cognitive change in African American older adults. The Journals of Gerontology, Series B: Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences, 70, 348-356. doi: 10.1093/geronb/gbu153.

47. Sims, R.C., Thorpe, R.J., Gamaldo, A.A., Aiken Morgan, A., Hill, L.K., Allaire, J.C. , & Whitfield, K.E. (2015). Cognition and health in African American men. Journal of Aging and Health, 27, 195-219. doi: 10.1177/0898264314543474.

48. Beydoun, M. A., Gamaldo, A. A., Canas, J. A., Beydoun, H. A., Shah, M. T., McNeely, J. M., Zonderman, A. B. (2014). Serum nutritional biomarkers and their associations with sleep among US adults in recent national surveys. Plos One, 9, e103490. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0103490.

49. Beydoun, M. A., Gamaldo, A., Beydoun, H. A., Tanaka, T., Tucker, K. L., Talegawkar, S. A., Ferrucci, L., & Zonderman, A. B. (2014). Caffeine, alcohol and overall nutrient adequacy are associated with longitudinal cognitive performance among US adults. The Journal of Nutrition, 144, 890-901. doi: 10.3945/jn.113.189027.

50. Gamaldo, A. A., Gamaldo, C. E., Allaire, J. C., Aiken-Morgan, A., Salas, R. E., Szanton, S., & Whitfield, K. E. (2014). Sleep complaints in older blacks: Do demographic and health indices explain poor sleep quality and duration? Clinical Journal of Sleep Medicine, 10, 725-731. doi: 10.5664/jcsm.3858. PMID: 25024649.

51. Beydoun, M. A., Beydoun, H. A., Gamaldo, A., Teel, A., Zonderman, A. B., & Wang, Y. (2014). Epidemiologic studies of selected modifiable risk and protective factors associated with cognitive function, decline and dementia: A systematic review and meta-analysis. BMC Public Health, 14(1), 643-675. doi: 10.1186/1471-2458-14-643.

52. Salas, R. E., Galea, J. M., Gamaldo, A. A., Gamaldo, C. E., Allen, R. P., Smith, M. T., Cantarero, G., & Celnik, P. (2014). Increased Use-Dependent Plasticity in Chronic Insomnia. Sleep, 37(3), 535-544. doi: 10.5665/sleep.3492.

53. Gamaldo, C. E., Gamaldo, A., Mc Arthur, J. C., Smith, M. T. (2013). To control or not to control, that is the question. JAIDS, 65, e124-e125. doi: 10.1097/QAI.0000000000000042.

54. Spira, A. P., Gamaldo, A. A., An, Y., Wu, M. N., Simonsick, E. M., Bilgel, M., Zhou, Y., Wong, D. F., Ferrucci, L., Resnick, S. M. (2013). Self-Reported Sleep and ?-Amyloid Deposition in Community-Dwelling Older Adults. JAMA Neurology, 70, 1537-1543. doi:10.1001/jamaneurol.2013.4258.

55. Gamaldo, C. E., Gamaldo, A., Creighton, J., Salas, R. E., Selnes, O. A., David, P. M., MBEO, G., Parker, B. S., Brown, A., Mc Arthur, J. C., Smith, M. T. (2013). Evaluating sleep and cognition in a predominantly Black HIV+ cohort: a multi-method assessment. JAIDS, 63, 609-616. doi: 10.1007/s10461-012-0401-0.

56. Salas, R. E., Gamaldo, A., Collop, N. A., Gulyani, S., Hsu, M., David, P. M., Rao, A., & Gamaldo, C.E. (2013). A step out of the dark: improving the sleep medicine knowledge of trainees. Sleep Medicine, 14, 105-108. doi:10.1016/j.sleep.2012.09.013.

57. Gamaldo, A. A., Ferrucci, L., Rifkind, J., Longo, D., & Zonderman, A. B. (2013). The relationship between mean corpuscular volume and cognitive performance in older adults. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, 61, 84-89. doi:10.1111/jgs.12066.

58. Gamaldo, A. A., Allaire, J. C., & Whitfield, K. E. (2012) Intraindividual variability in psychometrically defined mild cognitive impairment status in older African Americans. Psychology and Aging, 27, 989-997. doi:10.1037/a0028557.

59. Gamaldo, A. A., Yang, A., Kitner-Triolo, M., Allaire, J.C., & Zonderman, A. (2012). Variability in performance: Identifying early signs of cognitive impairment. Neuropsychology, 26, 534-540. doi:10.1037/a0028686.

60. Kennedy, S. W., Allaire, J. C., Gamaldo, A. A., & Whitfield, K. E. (2012). Racial differences in intellectual control beliefs and cognitive functioning. Experimental Aging Research, 38, 247-264. doi:10.1080/0361073X.2012.672122.

*Represents Graduate or Undergraduate Scholar Authors

Honors and Awards

2021 - Innovation Research on Aging Silver Award, Mather Institute
2020 - Diversity Achievement Award in the College of Health and Human Development at Pennsylvania State University
2018 - The Gerontology Society of America (GSA) Fellowship
2016 - Sue V. Saxton Outstanding Teaching Award School of Aging Studies for Outstanding Teaching in the field of Gerontology
2014-2018 - National Institutes of Health: Loan Repayment Awardee for the Health Disparities Research Program

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