Vessela Stamenova

Dr. Vessela Stamenova, PhD

Research Focus

My main research interest is in developing and examining the effectiveness of various cognitive rehabilitation approaches for older adults, stroke patients and patients suffering from dementia. In my previous postdoctoral fellowship, I examined the effectiveness of a recollection memory training paradigm in older adults and stroke patients. In my current postdoctoral fellowship, I am examining whether structural neuroimaging can serve is a predictor of the effectiveness of a cognitive training. I am also examining the effects of brief cardiac arrest on the brain through functional and structural neuroimaging, as well as behavioral assessments of memory and attention.

I am also interested in a cognitive deficit called limb apraxia, which presents itself as deficits in the ability to perform skilled purposeful movements following brain damage. Limb apraxia is usually assessed by asking patients to perform gestures to verbal command (pantomime) and imitation, as well as examining their knowledge of gestures and tools. Limb apraxia can affect patients' ability to perform activities of daily living and affect functional independence.

Publications

Title Source (Journal/Book/Conference) Authors/Presenters Published On Type
Cognitive heterogeneity among community-dwelling older adults with cerebral small vessel disease Neurobiology of Aging Dey AK, Stamenova V, Bacopulos A, Jeyakumar N, Turner GR, Black SE, Levine B 1546664400 Journal Article
Effectiveness of goal management training® in improving executive functions: A meta-analysis Neuropsychological Rehabilitation Stamenova V, Levine B 1519880400 Journal Article
The effect of focal cortical frontal and posterior lesions on recollection and familiarity in recognition memory Cortex Stamenova V, Gao F, Black SE, Schwartz ML, Kovacevic N, Alexander MP, Levine B 1496289600 Journal Article
Progression of limb apraxia in corticobasal syndrome: neuropychological and functional neuroimaging report of a case series Neurocase Stamenova V, Roy EA, Szilagyi G, Honjo K, Black SE, Masellis M 1420088400 Journal Article
Frontal contributions to recollection and familiarity: a focal lesion study Canadian Partnership for Stroke Recovery Annual Meeting: Advances in Stroke Recovery, Ottawa, Ontario. Stamenova V, Alexander MP, Levine B 1402286400 Presentation
Changes in cognition following Goal Management Training in a small vessel disease sample: study protocol and preliminary results Canadian Partnership for Stroke Recovery Annual Meeting: Advances in Stroke Recovery, Ottawa, Ontario. Dey AK,Stamenova V, Bacopulos A, Jeyakumar N, Turner G, Black SE, Levine B 1402286400 Presentation
Domain- Specific Impairments in Source Memory: A Focal Lesion Study 24th Annual Rotman Research Institute Conference Stamenova V, Levine B 1394510400 Presentation
Source and destination memory: Two sides of the same coin? Memory (Hove, England) Lindner I, Drouin H, Tanguay AF, Stamenova V, Davidson PS 1388552400 Journal Article
Training recollection in healthy older adults: clear improvements on the training task, but little evidence of transfer Frontiers in human neuroscience Stamenova V, Jennings JM, Cook SP, Walker LA, Smith AM, Davidson PS 1388552400 Journal Article
A model-based approach to limb apraxia in Alzheimer's disease Journal of neuropsychology Stamenova V, Roy EA, Black SE 1357016400 Journal Article
An update on the Conceptual-Production Systems model of apraxia: evidence from stroke Brain and cognition Stamenova V, Black SE, Roy EA 1325394000 Journal Article
Limb apraxia in corticobasal syndrome Cortex Stamenova V, Roy EA, Black SE 1302580800 Journal Article
Associations and dissociations of transitive and intransitive gestures in left and right hemisphere stroke patients Brain and Cognition Stamenova V, Roy EA, Black SE 1302580800 Journal Article
A model-based approach to long-term recovery of limb apraxia after stroke Journal of clinical and experimental neuropsychology Stamenova V, Black SE, Roy EA 1293858000 Journal Article
The early stages of gesture production (response selection and image generation) are dissociated between transitive and intransitive gestures: a case study Stamenova V, Roy EA, Black SE 1288238400 Presentation
The early stages of gesture production (response selection and image generation) are dissociated between transitive and intransitive gestures: a case study STROKE Stamenova V, Roy EA, Black SE 1277956800 Abstract
Conduction apraxia can arise from damage to either hemisphere and the deficit is associated with impaired ability to imitate meaningless gestures STROKE Stamenova V, Black SE, Roy EA 1277956800 Abstract
Limb apraxia in left vs. right hemisphere presentation patients with Corticobasal Syndrome Stamenova V, Roy EA, Black SE 1273896000 Presentation
Verbal, visual and tactile effects on the ability to pantomime transitive gestures in left vs. right hemisphere presentation Corticobasal Syndrome (CBS) Stamenova V, Roy EA, Black SE 1257397200 Presentation
Tool and gesture knowledge in left and right hemisphere stroke patients with or without apraxia Gravely M, Stamenova V, Park N, Black SE, Roy E 1244692800 Presentation
Degree of limb apraxia recovery varies in acute and chronic stroke patients within production and conceptual domains Stamenova V, Roy EA, Hebert D, McIlroy W, Black SE 1237608000 Presentation
A model-based approach to understanding apraxia in corticobasal syndrome Neuropsychology Review Stamenova V, Roy EA, Black SE 1235883600 Journal Article
Imitation deficits in Corticobasal syndrome are due to problems in translating visual gestural information into movement and not in processing that information BRAIN AND COGNITION Roy EE, Stamenova V, Masellis M, Black SE 1219464000 Abstract
Disentangling indirect (semantic) and direct (visual-motor) routes to action in Corticobasal Syndrome BRAIN AND COGNITION Stamenova V, Roy EA, Masellis M, Black SE 1216094400 Abstract
Gesture imitation in stroke: Analysis of two routes to action BRAIN AND COGNITION Vorontsova Z, Clark A, Roy EA, Desmarais G, Black SE, Stamenova V, Park N 1212292800 Abstract
The role of vision in meaningless gesture imitation: Differences observed in right and left hemisphere stroke BRAIN AND COGNITION Bradley NL, Roya EA, Stamenova V, Black SE, Park N, Dixon M, Desmarais G, Almeida Q 1172725200 Abstract
Hemispheric differences in the production and recognition of gesture errors BRAIN AND COGNITION Stamenova V, Almeida QA, Black SE, Dixon M, Park N, Desmarais G, Roy EA 1172725200 Abstract
Brain injury in a forensic psychiatry population Brain injury : [BI] Colantonio A, Stamenova V, Abramowitz C, Clarke D, Christensen B 1167627600 Journal Article
Tool-related and communicative gestures in apraxia: Evidence for separate semantic representations? Scapps 2006 Clark AJ, Roy EA, Desmarais G, Black SE, Stamenova V, Almeida Q, Dixon M, Park N, Danckert J 1160884800 Presentation
Tactile information in gesture performance in patients with right hemisphere stroke BRAIN AND COGNITION Mamolo CM, Desmarais G, Roy EA, Black SE, Almeida QJ, Stamenova V, Dixon MJ, Park NW 1143867600 Abstract

Education

  • 2010: PhD, Rehabilitation Science/Neuroscience, University of Toronto Toronto, ON
  • 2003: BSc., Psychology/Neuroscience, University of Toronto at Scarborough Toronto, ON

Academic Appointments

  • 2009–2012: Lecturer, School of Psychology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON
  • 2010–2012: Lecturer, Department of Psychology, Carleton University

Distinctions and Awards

  • 2013: Paul & Lea Reichmann Canadian Young Investigator Merit Award

Research Projects

External

    Contact

    3560 Bathurst St
    Toronto, ON
    M6A 2E1 Phone: 416 785 2500 x3439 Email: vstamenova@research.baycrest.org

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    3560 Bathurst Street
    Toronto, Ontario
    Canada M6A 2E1
    Phone: (416) 785-2500

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