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. My thesis work involved aspects of neurocognitive impairment after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest. The insufficient blood flow to the brain which follows cardiac arrest may cause heterogeneous brain damage. The thesis reported that neurocognitive impairment following out-of-hospital cardiac arrest is relatively common, even as far as over half a year after the event. The doctoral dissertation contributes with an informant questionnaire to indicate cognitive impairment, information on how four neurocognitive outcome methods (screening test, health care professional rating, survivor rating, informant rating) are related to each other and to early brain injury assessed by a biomarker, and the most comprehensive and detailed investigation of neuropsychological function after cardiac arrest to date. This latter investigation is a part of a neuropsychological sub-study to the international multicenter TTM2-trial (Targeted hypothermia versus targeted normothermia after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest trial). Here we examine the prevalence of cognitive impairments in cardiac arrest survivors, as well as its relation to self-rated emotional problems, behavioral difficulties, fatigue, and insomnia.

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. Learning more about cognitive and emotional impairment after cardiac arrest is of interest for healthcare providers, patients and relatives as well as for future studies. Only when cognitive and emotional problems following cardiac arrest have been correctly identified, adequate care, support and rehabilitation can be offered.

Alongside my research, I work as a licensed psychologist at Skane University Hospital, Clinic of Rehabilitation Medicine. Here I perform neuropsychological assessment and treatment of patients who has suffered an acquired brain injury such as stroke, in specialized out-patient neurorehabilitation. We work interdisciplinary in teams.

I have previous experience working as a psychologist with in-patient neurorehabilitation of moderate to severe aquired brain injury, among others involving rehabilitation of patients surviving cardiac arrest, and as a consultant for an in-patient general neurorehabilitation service. Earlier I have been active as a school psychologist and at a memory clinic.

Beside my professional work, I am a member of the national board of the Swedish Neuropsychological Society. Our society is a professional compound within the Swedish Psychological Association. Our focus is distributing current research and clinical experience within the neuropsychological field to our members and the society.

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