Prof. Dr. Vjera Holthoff
Group Leader
German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE)
Fetscherstr. 74
01307 Dresden
vjera.holthoff(at)uniklinikum-dresden.de
+49 (0) 351 / 458 2034
+49 (0) 351 / 458 5316
More information
Areas of investigation/research focus
- Fig.1 Lack of specific activation in preclinical AD when recalling relevant and recent autobiographical memories (top: normal controls, bottom: a MCI patients)
The research of our group is primarily aimed at investigating behavioural and cognitive processes associated with healthy and pathological brain aging. We are specifically interested in memory disorders, with a major emphasis on mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and Alzheimer’s disease. Within our various research projects in the field of translational brain research, we investigate the neural networks associated with personal familiarity and prospective memory during healthy aging, preclinical and early dementia applying functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) techniques (Fig.1).
We are also interested in whether non-pharmacological therapies and interventions would be able to modulate progression of dementia. We utilize cognitive and physical exercise programs to study their influence on cognitive abilities and brain structure and function in patients with early dementia.
- Fig.2 Cortical unfolding and 2D-visualization of hippocampal subfields
Imaging methods include high-resolution structural and functional MRI (Fig.2). Finally we are developing and refining scales and other techniques for use in early disease detection and for measuring longitudinal effects in intervention studies. These methods are aimed at characterizing specific cognitive abilities and their dysfunctions that would not be detectable using standard neuropsychological assessments. We also investigate caregiver burden and the patients’ ability to perform complex activities of daily living using novel assessment methods. This may ultimately complement quantitative prediction models for future cognitive and behavioral deterioration, and could be helpful to better characterize or measure therapeutic effects in patients with dementia and its preclinical stages.
Publications (last five years)
Memantine effects measured with the Relevant Outcome Scale for Alzheimer's disease in an open-label, single-arm, multicenter clinical study.
Holthoff V, Ferris S, Gauthier S, Ihl R, Robert P, Winblad B, Sternberg K, Tennigkeit F; The ROSA Study Group. Int J Geriatr Psychiatry. 2012 Apr 11. doi: 10.1002/gps.3805. [Epub ahead of print]
Visual personal familiarity in amnestic mild cognitive impairment.
Jurjanz L, Donix M, Amanatidis EC, Meyer S, Poettrich K, Huebner T, Baeumler D, Smolka MN, Holthoff VA, PLoS One. 2011;6(5):e20030. Epub 2011 May 20.
Age-dependent differences in the neural mechanisms supporting long-term declarative memories
Poettrich K, Donix M, Weiss P, Werner A, von Kummer R, Fink GR, Holthoff VA, Arch Clin Neuropsychol. 2010 Aug;25(5):383-95. Epub 2010 May 25 IF:2.161
Overgenerality of autobiographical memory in people with amnestic mild cognitive impairment and early Alzheimer's disease
Donix, M, Brons C, Jurjanz L, Winiecki P, Holthoff VA, Arch Clin Neuropsychol. 2010 Feb;25(1):22-7. Epub 2009 Dec 1.
Altered neural network supporting declarative long-term memory in mild cognitive impairment.
Poettrich K, Weiss PH, Werner A, Lux S, Donix M, Gerber J, von Kummer R, Fink GR, Holthoff VA, Neurobiol Aging. 2009 Feb;30(2):284-98 IF: 5.959
On the multivariate nature of brain metabolic impairment in Alzheimer's disease.
Salmon E, Kerrouche N, Perani D, Lekeu F, Holthoff V, Beuthien-Baumann B, Sorbi S, Lemaire C, Collette F, Herholz K, Neurobiol Aging. 2009 Feb; 30(2): 186-97 IF: 5.959
Education and occupation as proxies for reserve in aMCI converters and AD: FDG-PET evidence.
Garibotto V, Borroni B, Kalbe E, Herholz K, Salmon E, Holthoff V, Sorbi S, Cappa SF, Padovani A, Fazio F, Perani D., Neurology. 2008 Oct 21;71(17):1342-9. IF: 7.542
Multicenter standardized 18F-FDG PET diagnosis of mild cognitive impairment, Alzheimer's disease, and other dementias.
Mosconi L, Tsui WH, Herholz K, Pupi A, Drzezga A, Lucignani G, Reiman EM, Holthoff V, Kalbe E, Sorbi S, Diehl-Schmid J, Perneczky R, Clerici F, Caselli R, Beuthien-Baumann B, Kurz A, Minoshima S, de Leon MJ, J Nucl Med. 2008 Mar;49(3):390-8. Epub 2008 Feb 20. IF: 6.662
A method for the detection of amyloid-beta1-40, amyloid-beta1-42 and amyloid-beta oligomers in blood using magnetic beads in combination with Flow cytometry and its application in the diagnostics of Alzheimer's disease
Santos AN, Simm A, Holthoff V, Boehm G, J Alzheimers Dis. 2008 Jun;14(2):127-31. IF: 5.101
Effektivität einer optimierten Ergotherapie bei Demenz im häuslichen Setting (ERGODEM)
Reuster T, Jurjanz L, Schützwohl M, Holthoff V, Zeitschrift für Gerontopsychologie & -psychiatrie, 2008; 21(3):185-189
A comparison of unawareness in frontotemporal dementia and Alzheimer's disease.
Salmon E, Perani D, Collette F, Feyers D, Kalbe E, Holthoff V, Sorbi S, Herholz K, J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry. 2007 Sep 26; [Epub ahead of print] IF: 3.857
Nonfluent aphasia in a patient with Waldenstrom's macroglobulinemia.
Donix M, Beuthien-Baumann B, von Kummer R, Gahn G, Thomas F, Holthoff V, J Clin Neurosci. 2007 Jun;14(6):601-3 IF: 1.190
Prefrontal cortex dysfunction and depression in atypical parkinsonian syndromes.
Herting B, Beuthien-Baumann B, Pottrich K, Donix M, Triemer A, Lampe JB, von Kummer R, Herholz K, Reichmann H, Holthoff VA, Mov Disord. 2007 Mar 15;22(4):490-7 IF: 3.898
Neuroimaging der Verhaltensstörungen bei Demenzen.
Holthoff VA, Beuthien-Baumann B, Herholz K, Zeitschrift für Gerontopsychologie und-psychiatrie, 2007;20(1):27-28
Severe chemotherapy-induced parosmia.
Muller A, Landis BN, Platzbecker U, Holthoff V, Frasnelli J, Hummel T, Am J Rhinol. 2006 Jul-Aug;20(4):485-6 IF: 1.553
Neural correlates of anosognosia for cognitive impairment in Alzheimer's disease.
Salmon E, Perani D, Herholz K, Marique P, Kalbe E, Holthoff V, Delbeuck X, Beuthien-Baumann B, Pelati O, Lespagnard S, Collette F, Garraux G, Hum Brain Mapp. 2006 Jul;27:588-97 IF: 5.395
Decomposition of metabolic brain clusters in the frontal variant of frontotemporal dementia.
Salmon E, Kerrouche N, Herholz K, Perani D, Holthoff V, Beuthien-Baumann B, Degueldre C, Lemaire C, Luxen A, Baron JC, Collette F, Garraux G, Neuroimage 2006 Apr;30:871-8 IF: 5.694
8FDG PET in Vascular Dementia: Differentiation from Alzheimer’s Disease using Voxel-Based Multivariate Analysis.
Kerrouche N, Herholz K, Mielke R, Holthoff V, Baron J-C, J Cereb Blood Flow and Metabol 2006;26:1213-21 IF: 5.741
Orbitofrontal dysfunction related to both apathy and disinhibition in frontotemporal dementia.
Peters F, Perani D, Herholz K, Holthoff V, Beuthien-Baumann B, Sorbi S, Pupi A, Degueldre C, Lemaire C, Colette F, Salmon E, Dement Geriatr Cogn Disord 2006;21:373-9 IF: 3.142
Regional cerebral metabolism in early Alzheimer’s Disease with clinically significant apathy or depression.
Holthoff V, Beuthien-Baumann B, Kalbe E, Lüdecke S, Lenz O, Zündorf G, Spirling S, Schierz K, Winiecki P, Herholz K, Biol Psychiatry 2005;57:412–421 IF: 8.672
Functional imaging of vegetative state applying single photon emission tomography and positron emission tomography.
Beuthien-Baumann B, Rudolf J, Holthoff VA, Neuropsychol Rehabil. 2005 Jul-Sep;15(3-4):276-82 IF: 1.667
Anosognosia in very mild Alzheimer´s disease but not in mild cognitive impairment.
Kalbe E, Salmon E, Perani D, Holthoff V, Sorbi S, Elsner A, Weisenbach S, Brand M, Kessler J, Luedecke S, Ortelli P, Herholz K, Dement Geriatr Cogn Disord 2005;19:349–356 IF: 2.511
Therapie der Depression beim idiopathischen Parkinson-Syndrom
Holthoff V, Herting B, Psychopharmakotherapie 2005;12:26-29
Affektive Symptome beim Morbus Parkinsonund atypischen Parkinson-Syndromen
Holthoff V, Herting B, Nervenheilkunde 2005;1:41-47 IF: 0.396
Heterogeneity of brain glucose metabolism in mild cognitive impairment and clinical progression to Alzheimer disease.
Anchisi D, Borroni B, Franceschi M, Kerrouche N, Kalbe E, Beuthien-Beumann B, Cappa S, Lenz O, Ludecke S, Marcone A, Mielke R, Ortelli P, Padovani A, Pelati O, Pupi A, Scarpini E, Weisenbach S, Herholz K, Salmon E, Holthoff V, Sorbi S, Fazio F, Perani D, Arch Neurol. 2005 Nov;62(11):1728-33 IF: 5.874
Cerebral metabolic correlates of four dementia scales in Alzheimer's disease.
Salmon E, Lespagnard S, Marique P, Peeters F, Herholz K, Perani D, Holthoff V, Kalbe E, Anchisi D, Adam S, Collette F, Garraux G, J Neurol. 2005 Mar;252(3):283-90 IF: 2.984