Erik Blennow Nordström

Erik Blennow Nordström

PhD, Neuropsychologist, Timlärare

Personal profile

Research

I am a member of the multidisciplinary research group Center for Cardiac Arrest at Lund University. Here, my PhD thesis in clinical medicine with a focus on neuropsychology was defended in 2022. 

Recently I returned to Sweden after a postdoctoral research fellowship at Columbia University Irving Medical Center in New York, NY as a Fulbright Scholar. During the postdoctoral fellowship in 2023–2024, I studied the consequences of cardiac arrest among U.S. cardiac arrest survivors.

My research interest centers on cognitive impairment following acquired brain injury in adults, primarily after cardiac arrest but also post-stroke. Common cognitive impairments include problems with memory, attention, and problem-solving skills. Adjacent areas of interest are psychological distress, such as anxiety and depression, and fatigue. Another research focus is the evaluation of questionnaires and cognitive tests after acquired brain injury. Questionnaires take important perspectives of patients and relatives into account, and may also identify impaired self-awareness after brain injury. Rating scales and cognitive tests with acceptable feasibility, validity and reliability are a prerequisite for adequate clinical care, support, and rehabilitation.

The insufficient blood flow to the brain which follows cardiac arrest may cause heterogeneous brain injury and cognitive impairment. Cognitive impairment following cardiac arrest could lead to reduced quality of life, reduced societal participation including return to work, as well as a heavy caregiver and relational burden. More research on cognitive impairment and psychological distress after cardiac arrest is of interest for healthcare providers, patients, relatives, and for future studies.

Professional work

Alongside my research, I work as a licensed psychologist at Skane University Hospital, Department of Rehabilitation Medicine. Here I perform neuropsychological assessment and treatment of patients who have suffered acquired brain injury, including cardiac arrest survivors, mostly vis-a-vis the hospital's outpatient neurorehabilitation unit. We work in interdisciplinary teams. My professional work also includes clinical supervision of students and professionals, as well as educational assignments concerning stroke, cardiac arrest, cognition after acquired brain injury, and teamwork towards the public and other healthcare providers.

I have previous experience working as a psychologist with inpatient neurorehabilitation of moderate to severe acquired brain injury, on a consulting basis for an inpatient general neurorehabilitation service, and with neurologic disorders for outpatient neurology units. Earlier I have been active as a school psychologist and at a memory clinic.

Besides my professional work, I am secretary of the national board of the Swedish Neuropsychological Society. Our society is a professional compound within the Swedish Psychological Association. Our focus is to distribute current neuropsychological research and good clinical practice to our members and to the public.

Teaching

I teach in cognition and clinical neuropsychology at the Psychology Program (Master of Science in Psychology Program), previously at first cycle courses and now at second cycle courses, the latter more specifically related to acquired brain injury, neuropsychological assessment, rehabilitation methods, and team work.

Outreach

In addition to Lund University and Skane University Hospital, I am affiliated with Karolinska Institute (Sweden). I have ongoing collaborations with research groups at, among others, Linnaeus University (Sweden), Linköping University (Sweden), Anglia Ruskin University (UK), and Hammel Neurorehabilitation Centre and University Research Clinic (Denmark).

Expertise related to UN Sustainable Development Goals

In 2015, UN member states agreed to 17 global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure prosperity for all. This person’s work contributes towards the following SDG(s):

  • SDG 3 - Good Health and Well-being

Subject classification (UKÄ)

  • Psychology
  • Neurology
  • Applied Psychology (including Clinical Psychology, Psychotherapy)

Free keywords

  • Neuropsychology
  • Rehabilitation
  • Brain injury
  • Cardiac arrest
  • Cognition
  • Neurological disorders

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Collaborations the last five years

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