Staff Profile

After attaining undergraduate and postgraduate masters degrees in psychology from the University of Edinburgh in 2013, and Loughborough University in 2014, I worked as a researcher in cognitive ageing at Nottingham Trent University before moving to Newcastle in 2017.

I completed my PhD in Neuroscience/Translational and Clinical Research in 2020, exploring the longitudinal progressions of mild cognitive impairment with Lewy bodies and Alzheimer's disease, before joining Newcastle University as a postdoctoral Research Associate in 2021.

My research concerns changes in cognitive impairment, clinical function, and biomarkers over the course of normal ageing and developing neurodegenerative diseases, with a particular focus on early-stage Lewy body disease. I am particularly interested in characterising variation within clinical syndromes; for example, in identifying declining and non-declining phenotypes, and considering how life events, local deprivation, and frailty may contribute to better or worse cognitive health in ageing.

My current research contributions involve the LewyPro and SUPErB cohort studies at Newcastle University, and the national Brains for Dementia Research programme.

I have contributed to the School of Psychology Research Methods modules for a number of years, and supervise undergraduate and postgraduate projects in the Biomedical Sciences and Neuroscience.

• Hamilton C, Matthews FE, Erskine D, Attems J, Thomas AJ. Neurodegenerative brain changes are associated with area deprivation in the United Kingdom: findings from the Brains for Dementia Research study. Acta Neuropathologica Communications 2021, 9, 198.
• Hamilton CA, Matthews FE, Donaghy PC, Taylor JP, O'Brien JT, Barnett NA, Olsen K, Durcan R, Roberts G, Ciafone J, Barker S, Firbank MJ, McKeith IG, Thomas AJ. Progression to dementia in mild cognitive impairment with Lewy bodies or Alzheimer’s disease. Neurology 2021, 96(22), e2685-e2693.
• Hamilton CA, Matthews FE, Allan LM, Barker S, Ciafone J, Donaghy PC, Durcan R, Firbank MJ, Lawley S, O'Brien JT, Roberts G, Taylor JP, Thomas AJ. Utility of the pareidolia test in mild cognitive impairment with Lewy bodies and Alzheimer’s disease. International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry 2021, 36(9), 1407-1414.
• Hamilton CA, Matthews FE, Donaghy PC, Taylor JP, O'Brien JT, Barnett N, Olsen K, McKeith IG, Thomas AJ. Prospective predictors of decline versus stability in mild cognitive impairment with Lewy bodies or Alzheimer’s disease. Psychological Medicine 2020, 51(15), 2590-2598.
• Hamilton CA, Matthews FE, Donaghy PC, Taylor JP, O'Brien JT, Barnett N, Olsen K, Lloyd J, Petrides G, McKeith IG, Thomas AJ. Cognitive decline in mild cognitive impairment with Lewy bodies or Alzheimer’s disease: a prospective cohort study. American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry 2021, 29(3), 272-284.
• Hamilton C, Schumacher J, Matthews FE, Taylor JP, Allan L, Barnett N, Cromarty R, Donaghy P, Durcan R, Firbank M, Lawley S, O'Brien JT, Roberts G, Thomas A. Slowing on quantitative EEG is associated with transition to dementia in mild cognitive impairment. International Psychogeriatrics 2021, 33(Special Issue 12), 1321-1325.
• Thomas AJ, Hamilton CA, Barker S, Durcan R, Lawley S, Barnett N, Firbank M, Roberts G, Allan L, O'Brien J, Taylor JP, Donaghy PC. Olfactory Impairment in Mild Cognitive Impairment with Lewy Bodies and Alzheimer’s Disease. International Psychogeriatrics 2022, 34(Special Issue 6), 585-592.
• Thomas AJ, Hamilton CA, Donaghy PC, Martin-Ruiz C, Morris CM, Barnett N, Olsen K, Taylor JP, O'Brien JT. Prospective Longitudinal Evaluation of Cytokines in mild cognitive impairment due to AD and Lewy Body Disease. International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry 2020, 35(10), 1250-1259.
• Revie L, Hamilton CA, Ciafone J, Donaghy PC, Thomas AJ, Metzler-Baddeley C. Visuo-Perceptual and Decision-Making Contributions to Visual Hallucinations in Mild Cognitive Impairment in Lewy Body Disease: Insights from a Drift Diffusion Analysis. Brain Sciences 2020, 10(8), 540.
• Schumacher J, Taylor J-P, Hamilton CA, Firbank M, Cromarty RA, Donaghy PC, Roberts G, Allan L, Lloyd J, Durcan R, Barnett N, O'Brien JT, Thomas AJ. Quantitative EEG as a biomarker in mild cognitive impairment with Lewy bodies. Alzheimer's Research & Therapy 2020, 12(1), 82.
• Schumacher J, Taylor J-P, Hamilton CA, Firbank M, Donaghy PC, Roberts G, Allan L, Durcan R, Barnett N, O'Brien JT, Thomas AJ. Functional connectivity in mild cognitive impairment with Lewy bodies. Journal of Neurology 2021, 268, 4707-4720.
• Donaghy PC, Ciafone J, Durcan R, Hamilton CA, Barker S, Lloyd J, Firbank M, Allan LM, O'Brien JT, Taylor JP, Thomas AJ. Mild cognitive impairment with Lewy bodies: neuropsychiatric supportive symptoms and cognitive profile. Psychological Medicine 2022, 52(6), 1147-1155.
• Schumacher J, Thomas AJ, Peraza LR, Firbank M, Cromarty R, Hamilton CA, Donaghy PC, O'Brien JT, Taylor JP. EEG alpha reactivity and cholinergic system integrity in Lewy body dementia and Alzheimer's disease. Alzheimers' Research & Therapy 2020, 12, 46.
• Roberts G, Donaghy PC, Lloyd J, Durcan R, Petrides G, Colloby SJ, Lawley S, Ciafone J, Hamilton CA, Firbank M, Allan L, Barnett N, Barker S, Olsen K, Howe K, Ali T, Taylor JP, O'Brien J, Thomas AJ. Accuracy of dopaminergic imaging as a biomarker for mild cognitive impairment with Lewy bodies. The British Journal of Psychiatry 2021, 218(5), 276-282.
• Firbank MJ, O'Brien JT, Durcan R, Allan LM, Barker S, Ciafone J, Donaghy PC, Hamilton CA, Lawley S, Lloyd J, Roberts G, Taylor J-P, Thomas AJ. Mild cognitive impairment with Lewy bodies: blood perfusion with arterial spin labelling. Journal of Neurology 2021, 268, 1284-1294.
• Firbank MJ, Durcan R, O'Brien JT, Allan LM, Barker S, Ciafone J, Donaghy PC, Hamilton CA, Lawley S, Roberts G, Taylor JP, Thomas AJ. Hippocampal and insula volume in mild cognitive impairment with Lewy bodies. Parkinsonism and Related Disorders 2021, 86, 27-33.
• Roberts G, Durcan R, Donaghy PC, Lawley S, Ciafone J, Hamilton CA, Colloby SJ, Firbank MJ, Allan L, Barnett N, Barker S, Howe K, Ali T, Petrides GS, Lloyd J, Taylor J-P, O'Brien J, Thomas AJ. Accuracy of Cardiac Innervation Scintigraphy for Mild Cognitive Impairment With Lewy Bodies. Neurology 2021, 96(23), e2801-e2811.
• Ciafone J, Thomas A, Durcan R, Donaghy P, Hamilton CA, Lawley S, Roberts G, Colloby S, Firbank MJ, Allan L, Petrides G, Taylor JP, O'Brien JT, Gallagher P. Neuropsychological Impairments and Their Cognitive Architecture in Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) with Lewy Bodies and MCI-Alzheimer’s Disease. Journal of the International Neuropsychological Society 2021, 28(9), 963-973.