 
            Frontotemporal Lobar Degeneration and Early Onset Dementia
Research group
                                    
                         01.01.2019 -                     
                                    
                                Institute of Clinical Medicine, School of Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences                            
                                            Leaders
- Research group has a wide expertise in clinical research as well as molecular genetics in early onset dementias, especially in frontotemporal dementia (FTD). During the last years, the main focus has been in the C9orf72 repeat expansion-associated FTD.
We aim to identify and characterize novel diagnostic tools, imaging methods (including functional MRI), biomarkers and etiological factors as well as the underlying pathogenesis of FTD and other early onset neurodegenerative disorders.
Our research focuses also on psychiatric manifestations of the behavioral variant of frontotemporal dementia (bvFTD) and cognitive decline in psychiatric disorders.
Our major research areas are:
- Psychiatric manifestations in frontotemporal dementia
- Role and etiology of cognitive decline in psychiatric disorders
- Imaging and biomarkers in diagnostics and predicting the clinical course of frontotemporal lobar degeneration
- Genetics of frontotemporal dementia and other early onset dementias
We are partner in
- FinFTD reserach network
- SynaDeg JPND EU-funded project
- GENFI ( Genetic FTD Initiative, www.genfi.org)
- FPI (FTD prevention Initiative, www.thefpi.org)
- NIC-FTD (Neuropyschiatric International Consortium on Frontotemporal Dementia (https://www.alzheimercentrum.nl/wetenschap/lopend-onderzoek/nic-ftd/#1470052967796-59f78775-9a7f)
- FRONTIERS (FRONTotemporal dementia Incidence European Research Network)
Cooperation
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                     Finnish FTD Research Network (FinFTD) 01.05.2016 - Finnish FTD Research Network (FinFTD) 01.05.2016 -
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                     Annakaisa Haapasalo Group (Molecular Neurodegeneration) 01.06.2015 - Annakaisa Haapasalo Group (Molecular Neurodegeneration) 01.06.2015 -
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                     Molecular Genetics of Alzheimer's Disease - Hiltunen Lab 01.01.2022 - Molecular Genetics of Alzheimer's Disease - Hiltunen Lab 01.01.2022 -
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                     Biomarkers for Neurological Disorders 08.06.2004 - Biomarkers for Neurological Disorders 08.06.2004 -
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                     Neuro-Ethics and Law Research Team 01.08.2020 - Neuro-Ethics and Law Research Team 01.08.2020 -
Keywords
Leaders
Professors
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                              Anna Mäki-Petäjä-LeinonenProfessorLaw School, Faculty of Social Sciences and Business Studies
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                              Mikko AaltonenProfessorLaw School, Faculty of Social Sciences and Business Studies
Senior Researchers
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                              Laura SäisänenSenior ResearcherInstitute of Clinical Medicine, School of Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences
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                              Kasper KatiskoSenior ResearcherInstitute of Clinical Medicine, School of Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences
Post-doctoral Researchers
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                        Sanna-Maria NurmiProject ResearcherInstitute of Clinical Medicine, School of Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences
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                        Anndra ParviainenVisiting ResearcherInstitute of Clinical Medicine, School of Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences
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                              Abbe UllgrenSenior ResearcherInstitute of Clinical Medicine, School of Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences
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                        Miika KorhonenClinical LecturerInstitute of Clinical Medicine, School of Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences
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                              Henna NikumaaPostdoctoral ResearcherLaw School, Faculty of Social Sciences and Business Studies
Doctoral Researchers
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                        Tomi HietanenDoctoral ResearcherA.I. Virtanen Institute for Molecular Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences
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                              Kaisa NäkkiDoctoral ResearcherLaw School, Faculty of Social Sciences and Business Studies
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                        Ave KivisildVisiting ResearcherInstitute of Clinical Medicine, School of Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences
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                              Jenni NiinimäkiVisiting ResearcherInstitute of Clinical Medicine, School of Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences
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                        Annemari KilpeläinenVisiting ResearcherInstitute of Clinical Medicine, School of Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences
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                              Elena PpaliEarly Stage ResearcherA.I. Virtanen Institute for Molecular Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences
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                              Alex BergDoctoral ResearcherLaw School, Faculty of Social Sciences and Business Studies
Research Nurses
Other group members
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                                            Päivi Hartikainen neurologist, Adjunct Professor, MD, PhD
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                                            Sami Heikkinen neurologist, PhD student
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                                            Helmi Soppela PhD student
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                                            Kalle Aho BM, Phd student
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                                            Laura Leppänen PhD student
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                                            Jouni Hintikka PhD student
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                                            Mika Kinnunen BM
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                                            Tanja Saarela Senior researcher
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                                            Tanja Kumpulainen Reserach nurse
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                                            Arja Halkoaho Senior researcher
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                                            Matti Tyrväinen BM
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                                            Kenske Kärnä BM
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                                            Konsta Mäntyvaara BM
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                                            Clarissa Attwood BM
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                                            Sanna Hannonen Clinical researcher
