Amber Watts
- Associate Professor
- ***Admitting Students for the Fall 2024 Semester***
Contact Info
Lawrence
Personal Links
Biography —
My research investigates health behaviors, prevention strategies, and bio-behavioral processes associated with cognitive decline & dementia. My current research projects focus on the effect of physical activity on health and cognitive function in older adults with and without Alzheimer's disease in cooperation with the KU Alzheimer's Disease Center in Kansas City. My research laboratory is called the Behavioral Research in Aging, Neuroscience, Cognition, and Health (BRANCH) Lab.
Education —
Research —
Some current research projects in my lab include: 1) use of portable electronic devices to measure physical activity, sedentary behavior, and sleep in older adults with and without Alzheimer's disease, 2) intervention to reduce sitting time in individuals with mild cognitive impairment 3) Lifestyle Enrichment for Alzheimer's Prevention (LEAP! program) 4) expectations about aging and how they influence health behaviors and health outcomes, 5) the interaction of genotypes and physical activity on cognitive function
Research Interests
- Alzheimer's Disease
- Aging
- Physical Activity
- Health
- Older Adults
- Accelerometry
- Sleep
- Sedentary Behavior
- Lifestyle Interventions
- Neighborhoods
Teaching —
I primarily teach graduate and undergraduate courses in Clinical Neuroscience, Behavioral Genetics, and Research Methods
Teaching Interests
- Clinical Neuroscience
- Behavioral Genetics
- Biological Foundations of Psychopathology
- Statistics and Research Methods