Research InterestsI have a multidisciplinary background with expertise in cognitive aging, interventions to maintain healthy aging, human factors, and applied everyday outcomes such as mobility and driving. My overall research goal is to understand and improve the health and everyday functioning of older adults, the fastest growing segment of the US population. To achieve this goal, I focus on two complementary research themes:
1. Elucidating Predictors of Everyday Function of Older Adults – I am interested in identifying the predictors and best methods to assess changes in cognitive, health, and everyday outcomes (e.g., driving, instrumental activities of daily living, mobility, balance, etc.) among older adults. Better understanding of these trajectories allows me to identify possible modifiable targets and key time points for interventions that may slow health and cognitive decline. Research projects within this first theme have included: driving mobility and safety in teens and older adults; driver licensing policies; cognitive, mental and physical health in older adults; cognitive functioning in adults with HIV, cancer, and Mild Cognitive Impairment; and neuropsychological performance of older adults. My work in this area has been funded by the National Institutes on Health, the Alabama Department of Transportation, and the US Department of Transportation’s Research and Innovative Technology Administration (RITA)/University Transportation Centers, and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The translation of this first line of research into evidence-based interventions is the focus of my second line of research.
2. Identifying Methods to Maintain Brain Health and Everyday Function in Older Adults – I am interested in behavioral interventions, primarily cognitive, exercise, and multimodal, that demonstrate real-world transfer to an activity of daily living, cognitive performance, or health. This can include (but is not limited to) interventions that reduce depression, maintain driving safety, or maintain the ability of an individual to age within his or her own home.
One area that is demonstrating great promise are some cognitive training programs. One such computerized program, often called Processing Speed Training, Divided Attention Training, or UFOV training, has shown to transfer to maintained or improved everyday health and activities in older adults. These everyday outcomes have included maintained health and reduced health expenditures, reduced risk of depression, fewer at-fault vehicular crashes and safer driving, prolonged driving mobility, improved cognitive function, and improved Instrumental Activities of Daily Living.
I am the PI on two projects investigating the daily behavioral and biological mechanisms underlying different cognitive training programs using mobile ecological assessments, wearables, biomarkers, and fMRI. Of particular interest are currently marketed technologies that may be used to enhance the cognitive, health, and everyday functioning of a range of populations throughout the lifespan. This work is primarily funded by the National Institute on Aging.
Further details and my CV can be found on my lab webpage at: www.SHAARP.org
SHAARP: The Study of Healthy Aging & Applied Research Programs lab
Research PublicationsSelected Publications
*Indicates student author; †Indicates postdoctoral fellow
*Freed, S. A., Sprague, B. N., *Stephan, A. T., *Doyle, C. E., *Tian, J., Phillips, C. B., & Ross, L. A. (2020). Feasibility and enjoyment of exercise video games in older adults. Frontiers in Public Health,9, 1-8. DOI:10.3389/fpubh.2021.751289
Byrne, K. A., *Anaraky, R. G., Dye, C., Ross, L. A., Madathil, K. C., Knijnenburg, B., & Levkoff, S. (2021). Examining rural and racial disparities in the relationship between loneliness and social technology use among older adults. Frontiers in Public Health, 9(723925). DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2021.723925
Ball, K. K., Clay, O. J., Edwards, J. D., Fausto, B., Wheeler, K. M., Felix, C., & Ross, L. A. (2021). Indicators of crash risk in older adults: A longitudinal analysis from the ACTIVE study. Journal of Aging and Health, 9(8982643211031346). doi: 10.1177/08982643211031346.
*Chamberlain, J. D., †Sprague, B. N., & Ross, L. A. (2021). Age- and time-varying associations between subjective health and episodic memory in older adults. The Journals of Gerontology, Series B: Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences, gbab142. https://doi.org/10.1093/geronb/gbab142
*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(105986). DOI: 10.1016/j.aap.2021.
*Fausto, B. A., Adorno Maldonado, P. F., Ross, L. A., Lavallière, M., & Edwards, J. D. (2021). A systematic review and meta-analysis of older driver interventions. Accident Analysis & Prevention, 149, 149(105852). doi: 10.1016/j.aap.2020.105852
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. (2020). Correlates of life satisfaction among middle-aged and older Black adults. Journal of Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities. DOI: 10.1007/s40615-020-00884-7
*Sprague, B. N., †Phillips, C. B., & Ross, L. A. (2021). Cognitive training attenuates decline in physical function across 10 years. The Journals of Gerontology, Series B: Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences,76(6), 1114-1124. DOI: 10.1093/geronb/gbaa072
Gamaldo, A. A., *Tan, S. C., Sardina, A. L., *Henzi, C., *Guest, R., Ross, L. A., *Willingham, K., Zonderman, A. B., Andel, R. A. (2020). Satisfaction and anxiety completing alternative versus traditional cognitive batteries among Black adults. Journals of Gerontology, Series B: Psychological Sciences, 75(7), 1462-1474. DOI: 10.1093/geronb/gby095
*Sprague, B. N., *Freed, S. A., †Phillips, C. B., & Ross, L. A. (2020). A viewpoint on change point modeling for cognitive aging research: Moving from description to intervention and practice. Ageing Research Reviews, 58, 6pgs. DOI: 10.1016/j.arr.2019.101003.
Ross, L. A., *Webb, C. E., *Whitaker, C., *Hicks, J. M., *Schmidt, E. L., *Samimy, S., Dennis, N. A., & Visscher, K. M. (2019). The effects of useful field of view training on brain activity and connectivity. Journals of Gerontology, Series B: Psychological Sciences, 74(7), 1152-1162. DOI: 10.1093/geronb/gby041
*Sprague, B. N., *Freed, S. A., *Webb, C. E., †Phillips, C. B., * Hyun, J., & Ross, L. A. (2019). The impact of behavioral interventions on cognitive function in healthy older adults: A systematic review. Ageing Research Reviews, 52, 32-52. PMID:31002885. DOI: 10.1016/j.arr.2019.04.002
†Phillips, C. B., *Freed, S. A., & Ross, L. A. (2019). Older adult lifespace varies by driving status and residential population density. Transportation Research Record,267(7), 586-595. DOI: 10.1177/0361198119846092
*Sprague, B. N., †Phillips, C. B., & Ross, L. A. (2019). Age-varying relationships between physical function and cognition in older adulthood. Journals of Gerontology, Series B: Psychological Sciences, 74(5), 772-784. DOI: 10.1093/geronb/gbx126
Ross, L. A., *Sprague, B. N., †Phillips, C. B., O’Connor, M. L., & Dodson, J. E. (2018). The impact of three cognitive training interventions on older adults’ physical functioning across five years. Journal of Aging and Health,30(3), 475-498. DOI: 10.1177/0898264316682916
Ross, L. A., †Phillips, C. B., & *Freed, S. A. (2018). Driving/mobility in late life. In M. H. Bornstein (Ed).The SAGE Encyclopedia of Lifespan Human Development. New York: SAGE Publishing. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.4135/9781506307633.n97
Edwards, J. D., Xu, H., Clark, D. O., Guey, L. T., Ross, L. A., & Unverzagt, F. W. (2017). Speed of processing training results in lower risk of dementia: Results from the ACTIVE study. Alzheimer's & Dementia: Translational Research & Clinical Interventions, 3(4), 603-611. DOI: 10.1016/j.trci.2017.09.002
Ross, L. A., *Freed, S. A., Edwards, J. D., †Phillips, C. B., & Ball, K. (2017). The impact of three cognitive training programs on driving cessation across ten years: A randomized controlled trial. The Gerontologist, 57(5), 838-846. DOI: 10.1093/geront/gnw143. PMCID: PMC5881723
†Phillips, C.B., *Sprague, B. N., *Freed, S. A., & Ross, L. A. (2016). Longitudinal associations between changes in physical function and driving mobility behaviors among older adults. Transportation Research Record: Transportation Research Board of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, 2584, 70-76. DOI: 10.3141/2584-09. PMCID: PMC5200951
Ross, L. A., Edwards, J. D., O’Connor, M. L., Ball, K. K., Wadley, V. G., & Vance, D. E. (2016). The transfer of cognitive speed of processing training to older adults’ driving mobility across five years. Journals of Gerontology, Series B: Psychological Sciences, 71(1), 87-97. DOI: 10.1093/geronb/gbv022. PMCID: PMC4701127
Anstey, K. J., Eramugolla, R., Ross, L. A., Lautenschlager, N. T., & Wood, J. (2016). Road safety in an ageing population: Risk factors, assessment, interventions and future directions. International Psychogeriatrics, 28(3), 349-356. DOI: 10.1017/S1041610216000053
*Burge, W. K., Ross, L. A., Amthor, F. R., Mitchell, W. G., Zotov, A., & Visscher, K. M. (2013). Processing speed training increases the efficiency of attentional resource allocation in young adults. Frontiers in Human Neuroscience,7(684), 1-7. DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2013.00684. PMCID: PMC3799007
Ball, K., Ross, L. A., Edwards, J., & Roth, D. (2013). Speed of Processing Training in the ACTIVE Study: Who Benefits? The Journal of Aging and Health, 25(8), 65S-84S. DOI: 10.1177/0898264312470167. PMCID: PMC3947605
*Fazeli, P. L., Ross, L. A., Vance, D. E., & Ball, K. (2013). The Relationship Between Computer Experience and Computerized Cognitive Test Performance Among Older Adults. Journals of Gerontology: Psychological Sciences,68(3), 337-346. DOI: 10.1093/geronb/gbs071. PMCID: PMC3627654
Ross, L. A., *Schmidt, E., & Ball, K. K. (2013). Interventions to Maintain Mobility: What Works. Accident Analysis and Prevention,61, 167-196. DOI: 10.1016/j.aap.2012.09.027 PMCID: PMC3633644
Ross, L. A., *Dodson, J., Edwards, J. D., Ackerman, M. L & Ball, K. K. (2012). Self-rated driving and driving safety in older adults. Accident Analysis and Prevention, 48, 523-527. DOI: 10.1016/j.aap.2012.02.015. PMCID: PMC3387731
Ross, L. A., Vance, D., Ball, K., Cak, L., Ackerman, M. L., Benz, D., & Ball, D. (2011). Translating laboratory measures to real-world outcomes: Application of the UFOV test in an insurance company setting. Proceedings of the Sixth International Driving Symposium on Human Factors in Driving Assessment, Training and Vehicle Design, 1-7.
Ross, L. A., Browning, C., Luszcz, M. A., Mitchell, P. & Anstey, K. J. (2011). Age-based testing for driver’s license renewal: Potential implications for older Australians. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, 59, 281-285. DOI: 10.1111/j.1532-5415.2010.03241.x. PMCID: PMC3065853 Honors and AwardsSelected Honors and Awards
SmartLife Endowed Chair in Aging and Cognition, Clemson University; 2020
Evelyn R. Saubel Faculty Award, College of Health and Human Development, Pennsylvania State University; 2017
Fellow for The Gerontological Society of America, May 2016
The University of Montevallo’s 2012 Nathalie Molton Gibbons Young Achiever’s Award
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