{"id":9603,"date":"2026-07-20T15:46:11","date_gmt":"2026-07-20T13:46:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/interdem.org\/?p=9603"},"modified":"2026-07-20T15:49:25","modified_gmt":"2026-07-20T13:49:25","slug":"outcome-interdem-academy-publication-award-25-26","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/interdem.org\/?p=9603","title":{"rendered":"Outcome INTERDEM Academy Publication award 25\/26"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

On behalf of the jury<\/em><\/strong>:<\/em> Georgina Charlesworth, PhD, chair of the jury committee<\/em><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The INTERDEM Academy award goes from strength to strength. We were delighted to see a further expansion of countries represented. We were also very pleased to see a resurgence of patient and public involvement (PPI) in research after a dip last year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Our Early Career authors covered many diversities of dementia: specific dementia sub-types; under-represented communities (e.g. those living in socioeconomic deprivation; people with a migration history); and interventions suitable for different points along the dementia trajectory (primary care through to advanced dementia; people living at home and in care homes). In addition, as we have come to expect, there was also diversity in methodologies, including qualitative and quantitative primary research, plus secondary research reviews. We also noted that some topics of long-standing interest and relevance have been revisited using new methods made possible by modern computing capacity, such as network analyses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

With an expanded Jury, busy schedules, competing commitments and illness, it proved impossible to find a time when the full Jury could meet. However, collation of independent, pre-meeting ratings and commentaries on the papers and motivation letters, plus within-meeting support from Fania and Sara ensured that all Jury members views were represented. Discussion included: consideration of disciplinary differences in approach to theoretical concepts and research methodologies; the changing trends and preferences in terminology over time; opportunities within different research settings; and, for the first time this year, whether this award \u2013 designed in part to offer a boost to the career of an Early Career Researcher \u2013 could be bestowed upon the same person twice. After intense discussion, and rather over-running our scheduled time, our consensus was that the best approach for this year would be to award a shared first place to two very different entries, namely:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Electra Chatzidimitriou for her paper \u201cThe predictive value of social cognition assessment for 1-year follow-up functional outcomes in behavioral variant frontotemporal dementia\u201d<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

and<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jacoba Huizenga\u2019s write-up entitled: “We Do This Together: A Reflective Analysis on Collaborative Research With People With Dementia\u201d<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

These are two very different entries, representing contrasting but important elements of dementia research. Together they fulfill our criteria for work aligned to the INTERDEM mission.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Electra\u2019s neuroscientific paper includes use of an impressive array of assessment relevant to executive functioning and social cognition. Jacoba\u2019s paper is a strong examples of reflection on the process of public involvement and participatory methods in dementia research, including the important issue of supporting a member to step back from involvement as abilities or circumstances change over time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Congratulations to both our winners. We look forward to hearing more from you at the INTERDEM meeting in Dublin in October.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At this point, we generally mention the runners-up, or recipients of \u2018honorable mentions\u2019. This year, we would like to highlight the topic of epistemic and social justice <\/em>for people with dementia. We had not seen mention of epistemic justice in dementia in previous years, so finding it referenced in multiple papers this year seems worthy of note. We hope that it is a consideration that will go from strength to strength.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On behalf of Electra:<\/em><\/strong><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

My name is Electra Chatzidimitriou, and I am a Clinical Neuropsychologist currently pursuing a PhD in Clinical Neurosciences at the Department of Cognition, Brain, and Behavior, School of Psychology, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (AUTh), Greece. My doctoral research focuses on identifying predictive factors of longitudinal changes in everyday functioning in individuals diagnosed with the behavioral variant of frontotemporal dementia (bvFTD), integrating clinical, neuropsychological, and neuroimaging data.<\/p>\n\n\n

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I am pleased to present our article entitled \u201cThe predictive value of social cognition assessment for 1-year follow-up functional outcomes in behavioral variant frontotemporal dementia\u201d, published in the \u201cJournal of Neurology\u201d in 2025. This research was conducted within the framework of an \u201cIKY\u2013Fulbright\u201d Scholarship Award, which enabled my research placement at the Socioemotional Neuropsychology Lab, directed by Dr. Kate Rankin, at the Memory and Aging Center of the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF).<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

This study examined key socioemotional predictors of functional outcomes in bvFTD and evaluated whether social cognition assessment provides prognostic value over and above structural neuroimaging, a gold standard for assessing disease severity in dementia. Using a longitudinal design, we demonstrated that social cognition measures significantly improved prognostic accuracy beyond neuroimaging alone. In particular, socioemotional semantic knowledge, sarcasm perception, and cognitive perspective taking emerged as the strongest predictors of 1-year functional outcomes. Our findings suggest that integrating socioemotional assessments into neuropsychological evaluations may substantially enhance clinicians\u2019 prognostic estimates of future functional decline, thereby supporting refined treatment strategies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This work is directly relevant to people with dementia and their supporters. By improving early identification of patients at higher risk for faster disease progression, these findings may inform individualized clinical decision-making and tailored care planning, ultimately contributing to improved quality of life for affected individuals. In this way, this study aligns closely with INTERDEM\u2019s mission to advance timely interventions and promote person-centered approaches in dementia care and research.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To read the full article: https:\/\/link.springer.com\/article\/10.1007\/s00415-025-13254-2<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

On behalf of Jacoba:<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n

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“We do this together. We are together.” These words from one of our co-researchers with dementia gave our article its title. They capture what three and a half years of collaborative research feel like from the inside.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

My name is Jacoba Huizenga, researcher and lecturer at HU University of Applied Sciences Utrecht, where I also conduct my PhD research together with Tilburg University. My research explores the everyday lives of people with dementia and their family carers. On 16 October 2026 I will defend my thesis, A New Horizon: An Everyday Life Perspective on Dementia<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In 2021 I started a co-researcher group of people with dementia, the first of its kind in the Netherlands. The group named itself Brain Power. What began as a sounding board grew into a research partnership. Members took part in data analysis and interpretation, co-created a book, and became co-authors of this article. The article reflects on that journey and describes the four themes that carried our collaboration:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \n
  1. Forging a group identity<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  2. Learning together as a driving force of co-creation<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  3. Sharing experiences to transform perceptions of dementia<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  4. Carrying on our work together<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

    The article contains working principles for researchers who want to build a similar partnership. A practical guide based on these principles is in preparation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    The article sits at the heart of INTERDEM’s mission by placing people with dementia at the centre of research through active involvement. Brain Power shows what that looks like in practice. And we are not done yet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

    To read the full article: https:\/\/journals.sagepub.com\/doi\/10.1177\/16094069251394256<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Congratulations to the winners!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    We would like to thank Georgina Charlesworth, Ren\u00e9 Thyrian, Melanie Handley, Duygu Sezgin, Juanita Hoe, Kate Turley and Ajda Flissar for contibuting to this year\u2019s jury and providing us with their careful considerations and final ranking.<\/p>\n\n\n

    \n
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