MD, PhD Laura Ekblad - UTU Research Portal

Laura Ekblad
MD, PhD

- Docent,
Department of Clinical Medicine (Faculty of Medicine)

llekbl@utu.fi

: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5863-8088(external)

positron emission tomography; Alzheimer´s Disease; Insulin resistance; cognition; memory disorders

Specialist in Geriatrics and Family Medicine. Senior researcher, Turku Alzheimer Imaging Group, Turku PET Centre.

My research focuses on early risk factors for memory disorders, especially Alzheimer´s disease. I am particularly interested in the associations between metabolic risk factors (insulin resistance, glucose intolerance, obesity) and cognitive decline.

Our lab uses multimodal neuroimaging (PET-imaging, MRI) combined with blood and CSF biomarkers and cognitive testing to explore the association between different risk factors and early cerebral changes of memory disorders.

I also run a project that examines possible cardiac side effects of anti-dementia agents in elderly memory clinic patients.

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Brain Glucose Metabolism in Health, Obesity, and Cognitive Decline-Does Insulin Have Anything to Do with It? A Narrative Review (2021)
- Journal of Clinical Medicine
Rebelos Eleni, Rinne Juha O, Nuutila Pirjo, Ekblad Laura L
Episodic memory and cortical amyloid pathology: PET study in cognitively discordant twin pairs (2021)
- Neurobiology of Aging
Lindgren Noora, Kaprio Jaakko, Karjalainen Tomi, Ekblad Laura, Helin Semi, Karrasch Mira, Teuho Jarmo, Rinne Juha O, Vuoksimaa Eero
Four subgroups based on tau levels in Alzheimer's disease observed in two independent cohorts (2021)
- Alzheimer's Research and Therapy
Duits Flora H, Wesenhagen Kirsten EJ, Ekblad Laura, Wolters Emma, Willemse Eline AJ, Scheltens Philip, van der Flier Wiesje M, Teunissen Charlotte E, Visser Ppieter Jelle, Tijms Betty M
Oral Glucose Tolerance Test Predicts Episodic Memory Decline: A 10-Year Population-Based Follow-up Study (2021)
- Diabetes Care
Toppala Sini, Ekblad Laura L., Viitanen Matti, Rinne Juha O., Jula Antti
Proteomic correlates of cortical thickness in cognitively normal individuals with normal and abnormal cerebrospinal fluid beta-amyloid1-42 (2021)
- Neurobiology of Aging
Ekblad Laura L., Visser Pieter Jelle, Tijms Betty M.; for the Alzheimers Disease Neuroimaging Initiative
The Obesity Risk SNP (rs17782313) near the MC4R Gene Is Not Associated with Brain Glucose Uptake during Insulin Clamp-A Study in Finns (2021)
- Journal of Clinical Medicine
Rebelos Eleni, Honka Miikka-Juhani, Ekblad Laura, Bucci Marco, Hannukainen Jarna C., Silva Lilian Fernandes, Virtanen Kirsi A., Nummenmaa Lauri, Nuutila Pirjo
Effects of age, BMI and sex on the glial cell marker TSPO - a multicentre [C-11]PBR28 HRRT PET study (2019)
- European Journal of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging
Tuisku J, Plaven-Sigray P, Gaiser EC, Airas L, Al-Abdulrasul H, Bruck A, Carson RE, Chen MK, Cosgrove KP, Ekblad L, Esterlis I, Farde L, Forsberg A, Halldin C, Helin S, Kosek E, Lekander M, Lindgren N, Marjamaki P, Rissanen E, Sucksdorff M, Varrone A, Collste K, Gallezot JD, Hillmer A, Huang YY, Hoglund CO, Johansson J, Jucaite A, Lampa J, Nabulsi N, Pittman B, Sandiego CM, Stenkrona P, Rinne J, Matuskey D, Cervenka S
Insuliiniresistenssi, aivot ja muistisairausriski (2019)
- Duodecim
Ekblad L, Toppala S, Viitanen M, Jula A, Rinne JO
Intranasal naloxone rapidly occupies brain mu-opioid receptors in human subjects (2019)
- Neuropsychopharmacology
Jarkko Johansson, Jussi Hirvonen, Zsófia Lovró, Laura Ekblad, Valtteri Kaasinen, Olli Rajasilta, Semi Helin, Jouni Tuisku, Saija Sirén, Mirka Pennanen, Arvind Agrawal, Roger Crystal, Petri J. Vainio, Hannu Alho, Mika Scheinin
Midlife Insulin Resistance as a Predictor for Late-Life Cognitive Function and Cerebrovascular Lesions (2019)
- Journal of Alzheimer's Disease
Toppala S, Ekblad LL, Lotjonen J, Helin S, Hurme S, Johansson J, Jula A, Karrasch M, Koikkalainen J, Laine H, Parkkola R, Viitanen M, Rinne JO
Albuminuria and Microalbuminuria as Predictors of Cognitive Performance in a General Population: An 11-Year Follow-Up Study (2018)
- Journal of Alzheimer's Disease
Ekblad LL, Toppala S , Johansson JK, Koskinen S, Sundvall J, Rinne JO, Puukka P, Viitanen M, Jula A
Albuminuria and Microalbuminuria as Predictors of Cognitive Performance in a General Population: An 11-Year Follow-Up Study (2018)
- Journal of Alzheimer's Disease
Ekblad LL, Toppala S, Johansson JK, Koskinen S, Sundvall J, Rinne JO, Puukka P, Viitanen M, Jula A
Insulin resistance, cognition, and brain amyloid accumulation : an epidemiological and a positron emission tomography study (2018) Ekblad Laura
Keski-iän elämäntavat - ikkuna muistisairauden kehittymiselle? (2018)
- Erikoislääkäri
Ekblad L
Midlife insulin resistance, APOE genotype, and late-life brain amyloid accumulation (2018)
- Neurology
Ekblad LL, Johansson J, Helin S, Viitanen M, Laine H, Puukka P, Jula A, Rinne JO
Insulin Resistance Predicts Cognitive Decline: An 11-Year Follow-up of a Nationally Representative Adult Population Sample (2017)
- Diabetes Care
Ekblad LL, Rinne JO, Puukka P, Laine H, Ahtiluoto S, Sulkava R, Viitanen M, Jula A
Response to Comment by Ayubi and Safiri. Insulin Resistance Predicts Cognitive Decline: An 11-Year Follow-up of a Nationally Representative Adult Population Sample. Diabetes Care 2017;40:751-758 (2017)
- Diabetes Care
Ekblad LL, Rinne JO, Puukka P, Laine H, Ahtiluoto S, Sulkava R, Viitanen M, Jula A
Insulin resistance is associated with poorer verbal fluency performance in women (2015)
- Diabetologia
Ekblad LL, Rinne JO, Puukka PJ, Laine HK, Ahtiluoto SE, Sulkava RO, Viitanen MH, Jula AM