Dr Ji Hyun (Julia) Yang
Postdoctoral Research Officer
UQ Centre for Clinical Research
Researcher biography
Ji Hyun (Julia) completed her PhD in 2020 at the Dementia & Neuro Mental Health Research Unit at the University of Queensland Centre for Clinical Research and currently working as a postdoctoral research officer. Key areas of her current research focus are developing state-of-the-art neuroimaging analysis techniques related to emotional and cognitive dysfunctions in older persons and those with progressive neurodegenerative disease including Parkinson's disease and dementia.
Her primary research themes include:
1. Identification of markers and mechanisms of mild cognitive impairment in Parkinson's disease
2. Neuroimaging biomarker and repurposed therapeutic discovery to reduce risk of dementia in Parkinson's disease
3. Understand the neurobiology of anxiety in ageing and its role in cognition.
Journal Articles
Pacas Fronza, Gabriela, Mitchell, Leander K., Pachana, Nancy A., Byrne, Gerard J., Liddle, Jacki, Yang, Jihyun, Brooks, Deborah, Au, Tiffany, Pourzinal, Dana, Worthy, Peter, Comans, Tracy, Beattie, Elizabeth, Bennett, Sally, Russell, Trevor and Dissanayaka, Nadeeka N. (2024). Telehealth Cognitive Behavior Therapy to Reduce Anxiety in People Living with Cognitive Impairment: A Randomized Feasibility Pilot Study. Clinical Gerontologist, 1-15. doi: 10.1080/07317115.2024.2336187
Dissanayaka, Nadeeka, Pourzinal, Dana, Byrne, Gerard J., Yang, Jihyun, McMahon, Katie L., Pontone, Gregory M., O'Sullivan, John D., Adam, Robert, Littleford, Roberta, Chatfield, Mark, Lehn, Alexander, Mari, Zoltan and Bakker, Arnold (2023). Levetiracetam for the treatment of mild cognitive impairment in Parkinson's disease: a double-blind controlled proof-of-concept trial protocol. Pilot and Feasibility Studies, 9 (1) 189, 189. doi: 10.1186/s40814-023-01406-y
Li, Yanjun, Yang, Jihyun, Evans, Kristine, Wong, Jasmine Bow-Wah, Dissanayaka, Nadeeka N. and Vogel, Adam P. (2023). Optimising verbal fluency analysis in neurological patients with dysarthria: examples from Parkinson’s disease and hereditary ataxia. Journal of Clinical and Experimental Neuropsychology, 45 (5), 452-463. doi: 10.1080/13803395.2023.2249172
Pourzinal, Dana, Yang, Jihyun, Sivakumaran, Kumareshan, McMahon, Katie L., Mitchell, Leander, O'Sullivan, John D., Byrne, Gerard J. and Dissanayaka, Nadeeka N. (2023). Longitudinal follow up of data‐driven cognitive subtypes in Parkinson's disease. Brain and Behavior, 13 (10) e3218, e3218. doi: 10.1002/brb3.3218
Yang, Jihyun, Pourzinal, Dana, Byrne, Gerard J., McMahon, Katie L., Copland, David A., O’Sullivan, John D., Mitchell, Leander and Dissanayaka, Nadeeka N. (2023). Global assessment, cognitive profile, and characteristics of mild cognitive impairment in Parkinson's disease. International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, 38 (6) e5955, e5955. doi: 10.1002/gps.5955
Pourzinal, Dana, Yang, Jihyun, Lawson, Rachael A., McMahon, Katie L., Byrne, Gerard J. and Dissanayaka, Nadeeka N. (2022). Systematic review of data‐driven cognitive subtypes in Parkinson’s disease. European Journal of Neurology, 29 (11), 3395-3417. doi: 10.1111/ene.15481
Yang, Jihyun, McMahon, Katie L., Copland, David A., Pourzinal, Dana, Byrne, Gerard J., Angwin, Anthony J., O’Sullivan, John D. and Dissanayaka, Nadeeka N (2022). Semantic fluency deficits and associated brain activity in Parkinson’s disease with mild cognitive impairment. Brain Imaging and Behavior, 16 (6), 1-12. doi: 10.1007/s11682-022-00698-7
Yang, Jihyun, Pourzinal, Dana, Rheinberger, Toby, Copland, David A., McMahon, Katie L., Byrne, Gerard J. and Dissanayaka, Nadeeka N. (2022). The Attention Network Test in Parkinson and Lewy body disease: a systematic review. Cognitive and Behavioral Neurology, 35 (1), 1-13. doi: 10.1097/WNN.0000000000000292
Zhang, Angeline, Mitchell, Leander K., Pachana, Nancy A., Yang, Ji Hyun J., Au, Tiffany R., Byrne, Gerard J., O’Sullivan, John D. and Dissanayaka, Nadeeka N. (2022). Caring for a loved one with Parkinson’s disease: the role of coping styles and relationship quality. International Psychogeriatrics, 34 (7), 1-8. doi: 10.1017/s1041610221002866
Dissanayaka, Nadeeka N., Forbes, Elana J., Yang, Ji Hyun J., Pourzinal, Dana, O’Sullivan, John D., Mitchell, Leander K., Copland, David A., McMahon, Katie L. and Byrne, Gerard J. (2021). Anxiety disorders are associated with verbal memory impairment in patients with Parkinson’s disease without dementia. Journal of Neurology, 269 (3), 1600-1609. doi: 10.1007/s00415-021-10736-x
Pourzinal, Dana, Yang, Ji Hyun J., Bakker, Arnold, McMahon, Katie L., Byrne, Gerard J., Pontone, Gregory M., Mari, Zoltan and Dissanayaka, Nadeeka N. (2021). Hippocampal correlates of episodic memory in Parkinson's disease: A systematic review of magnetic resonance imaging studies. Journal of Neuroscience Research, 99 (9) jnr.24863, 2097-2116. doi: 10.1002/jnr.24863
Forbes, Elana J., Byrne, Gerard J., O'Sullivan, John D., Yang, Jihyun, Marsh, Rodney and Dissanayaka, Nadeeka N. (2021). Defining atypical anxiety in Parkinson's disease. Movement Disorders Clinical Practice, 8 (4), 571-581. doi: 10.1002/mdc3.13193
Yang, Jihyun, Pourzinal, Dana, McMahon, Katie L., Byrne, Gerard J., Copland, David A., O’Sullivan, John D. and Dissanayaka, Nadeeka N. (2021). Neural correlates of attentional deficits in Parkinson’s disease patients with mild cognitive impairment. Parkinsonism and Related Disorders, 85, 17-22. doi: 10.1016/j.parkreldis.2021.02.009
Pourzinal, Dana, Yang, Ji Hyun J., Byrne, Gerard J., O’Sullivan, John D., Mitchell, Leander, McMahon, Katie L., Copland, David A. and Dissanayaka, Nadeeka N. (2020). Identifying subtypes of mild cognitive impairment in Parkinson’s disease using cluster analysis. Journal of Neurology, 267 (11), 3213-3222. doi: 10.1007/s00415-020-09977-z
Conference Papers
Forbes, E., Byrne, G. J., Yang, J. H. J., O'Sullivan, J., Copland, D. A., McMahon, K. L., Mitchell, L. K. and Dissanayaka, N. N. (2020). Defining atypical anxiety in Parkinson’s disease. Herston Health Precinct Symposium 2020, Brisbane, QLD, Australia, 7-11 December 2020.
Dissanayaka, N., Byrne, G. J., Mitchell, L. K., O'Sullivan, J. D., Padmassini, A., White, E. X., Yang, J. H. J., Forbes, E., Thangavelu, K., Au, T., Lehn, A., Adam, R. and Pachana, N. A. (2020). Improving diagnosis and treatment of anxiety in Parkinson’s disease: IDATA-PD study update. Herston Health Precinct Symposium 2020, Brisbane, QLD Australia, 7-11 December 2020.
Su, P., Yang, J. H., McMahon, K. L., Byrne, G. J. and Dissanayaka, N. N. W. (2020). A neuroimaging paradigm for exploring ageing, anxiety, and cognition. Herston Health Precinct Symposium 2020, Brisbane, QLD, Australia, 7-11 December 2020.
Pourzinal, D., Yang, J. H., Byrne, G. J., O'Sullivan, J. D., Mitchell, L. K., McMahon, K. L., Copland, D. A. and Dissanayaka, N. N. W. (2020). Altered functional connectivity of the hippocampus in posterior-cortical subtype of cognitive impairment in Parkinson’s disease. Australian Society for Medical Research Queensland Postgraduate Student Conference, Online, 11 November 2020.
Pourzinal, D., Bakker, A., Byrne, G. J., McMahon, K., O'Sullivan, J., Adam, R., Copland, D., Yang, J. H. J., Au, T., Littleford, R., Chatfield, M., Pontone, G., Mari, G. and Dissanayaka, N. (2020). Therapy to reduce dementia risk in Parkinson’s disease (TRIP): proof-of-concept protocol. Herston Health Precinct Symposium 2020, Brisbane, QLD Australia, 7-11 December 2020.
Pourzinal, D., Bakker, A., Byrne, G. J., McMahon, K., O'Sullivan, J., Adam, R., Copland, D., Yang, J. H. J., Au, T., Littleford, R., Chatfield, M., Pontone, G., Mari, Z. and Dissanayaka, N. (2020). Therapy to Reduce dementia risk In Parkinson’s disease (TRIP): proof-of-concept protocol. UQ Faculty of Medicine Higher Degree by Research Student Symposium, Brisbane, QLD Australia, 23-27 November 2020.
Yang, J., Copland, D., McMahon, K., Byrne, G., O'Sullivan, J. and Dissanayaka, N. (2020). Neural correlates of semantic fluency deficits in Parkinson’s disease patients with mild cognitive impairment. Herston Health Precinct Symposium 2020, Brisbane, QLD, Australia, 7-11 December 2020.
Forbes, E., Byrne, G. J., Yang, J. H. J., O'Sullivan, J., Copland, D. A., McMahon, K. L., Mitchell, L. K. and Dissanayaka, N. N. (2020). Anxiety disorders are associated with verbal memory impairment in patients with Parkinson’s disease without dementia. Herston Health Precinct Symposium 2020, Brisbane, QLD, Australia, 7-11 December 2020.
Yang, J., Forbes, E., Pourzinal, D., McMahon, K., Copland, D., Byrne, G., O'Sullivan, J., Mitchell, L. and Dissanayaka, N. (2020). Identification and clinical characteristics of mild cognitive impairment in Parkinson's disease. Herston Health Precinct Symposium 2020, Brisbane, QLD, Australia, 7-11 December 2020.
Forbes, E. J., Byrne, G. J., Yang, J. H. J., O'Sullivan, J., Copland, D. A., McMahon, K. L., Mitchell, L. and Dissanayaka, N. N. (2020). Anxiety is associated with verbal memory impairment in Parkinson’s disease. 5th Annual NHMRC National Institute for Dementia Research (NNIDR) Australian Dementia Forum, Adelaide, Australia, 31 May - 2 June 2020.
Forbes, E. J., Byrne, G. J., Yang, J. H., O'Sullivan, J., Copland, D. A., McMahon, K. L., Mitchell, L. M. and Dissanayaka, N. N. (2020). Anxiety is associated with verbal memory impairment in Parkinson’s disease. Australian Dementia Forum, Adelaide, SA, Australia, 31 May – 2 June 2020. Canberra, ACT, Australia: NHMRC National Institute for Dementia Research (NNIDR).
Pourzinal, D., Bakker, A., Byrne, G., McMahon, K.L., O'Sullivan, J.D., Adam, R., Lehn, A., Copland, D., Yang, J.H., Au, T., Littleford, R., Chatfield, M., Pontone, G., Mari, Z. and Dissanayaka, N.N.W. (2020). Therapy to Reduce dementia risk In Parkinson’s disease (TRIP): Proof-of-concept protocol. Macquarie University BioNetwork 3rd Annual Research Symposium on Dementia, Online, 14-15 September 2020.
Yang, J. H. J., Copland, D. A., McMahon, K. L., Byrne, G. J., O'Sullivan, J. D. and Dissanayaka, N. N. (2020). Neural correlates of semantic fluency deficits in Parkinson’s disease patients with mild cognitive impairment. 5th Annual NHMRC National Institute for Dementia Research (NNIDR) Australian Dementia Forum, Adelaide, Australia, 31 May-2 June 2020.
Yang, J., Copland, D., McMahon, K., Byrne, G., O'Sullivan, J. and Dissanayaka, N.N. (2020). Neural correlates of semantic fluency deficits in Parkinson's Disease with mild cognitive impairment. MDS Virtual Congress 2020, Online, 12-16 September 2020.
Su, P., Hennessy, D., Au, T. R., Angwin, A. J., Iyer, K., Yang, J. H., Copland, D. A., O'Sullivan, J. D. and Dissanayaka, N. N. (2020). Emotional inhibition in Parkinson’s disease: a HD-EEG ERP study. Herston Health Precinct Symposium 2020, Brisbane, QLD Australia, 7-11 December 2020.
Yang, J.H., Forbes, E., Pourzinal, D., McMahon, K., Copland, D.A., Byrne, G.J., O'Sullivan, J., Mitchell, L. and Dissanayaka, N.N. (2020). Identification and clinical characteristics of mild cognitive impairment in Parkinson’s disease. MDS Virtual Congress 2020, Online, 12-16 September 2020.
Yang, J., Copland, D., McMahon, K., Byrne, G., O'Sullivan, J. and Dissanayaka, N. (2020). Neural correlates of semantic fluency deficits in Parkinson’s disease patients with mild cognitive impairment. Macquarie University BioNetwork 3rd Annual Research Symposium on Dementia, Online, 14-15 September 2020.
Yang, J., Forbes, E., Pourzinal, D., McMahon, K., Copland, D., Byrne, G., O'Sullivan, J., Mitchell, L. and Dissanayaka, N. (2020). Identification and clinical characteristics of Mild Cognitive Impairment in Parkinson's disease. Macquarie University BioNetwork 3rd Annual Research Symposium on Dementia, Online, 14-15 September 2020.
Yang, J. H., McMahon, K. L., Copland, D. A., Byrne, G. J., Mitchell, L. K., O'Sullivan, J. D. and Dissanayaka, N. N. W. (2019). Identifying altered resting-state network in Parkinson's disease with mild cognitive impairment. 23rd Annual Meeting of the Organisation for Human Brain Mapping, Rome, Italy, 9-13 June 2019.
Yang, J., McMahon, K., Copland, D. A., Byrne, G. J., O'Sullivan, J. D., Mitchell, L. and Dissanayaka, N. N. (2019). Identifying Altered Resting-State Networks in Parkinson’s disease Patients with Mild Cognitive Impairment. International Congress of Parkinson’s Disease and Movement Disorders, Nice, France, 22-26 September 2019. Hoboken, NJ United States: John Wiley & Sons.
Forbes, E. J., Byrne, G. J., O'Sullivan, J. D., Yang, J. H. J., Marsh, R. and Dissanayaka, N. N. W. (2019). Profiling atypical anxiety in Parkinson's disease. University of Queensland Science Student Research Conference, Brisbane, QLD Australia, 12 October 2019.
Pourzinal, D., Yang, J., Byrne, G. J., O'Sullivan, J D., Mitchell, L., McMahon, K., Copland, D. A. and Dissanayaka, N. N. (2019). Identifying subtypes of Mild Cognitive Impairment in Parkinson’s Disease Using Cluster Analysis. International Congress of Parkinson’s Disease and Movement Disorders, Nice, France, 22-26 September 2019. Hoboken, NJ United States: John Wiley & Sons.
Yang, J. H., McMahon, K. L., Copland, D. A., Byrne, G. J., Mitchell, L. K., O'Sullivan, J. D. and Dissanayaka, N. N. W. (2018). Altered network connectivity during resting state in Parkinson's disease patients with mild cognitive impairment as a marker for dementia. NNIDR Australian Dementia Forum, Sydney, NSW Australia, 4-5 June 2018.
Yang, J. H., McMahon, K. L., Copland, D. A., Byrne, G. J., Mitchell, L. K., O'Sullivan, J. D. and Dissanayaka, N. N. W. (2018). Altered network connectivity during resting state in Parkinson's disease patients with mild cognitive impairment as a marker for dementia. Imaging@Brisbane 2018, Brisbane, QLD Australia, 22-24 August 2018.
Yang, J. H., McMahon, K. L., Copland, D. A., Byrne, G. J., Mitchell, L. K., O'Sullivan, J. D. and Dissanayaka, N. N. W. (2018). Altered network connectivity during resting state in Parkinson's disease patients with mild cognitive impairment as a marker for dementia. 8th Australasian Cognitive Neuroscience Society Conference, Melbourne, VIC Australia, 22-25 November 2018.
Yang, J. H., McMahon, K. L., Copland, D. A., Byrne, G. J., Toft, A. J. H., Rheinberger, T. J., Mitchell, L. K., O'Sullivan, J. D. and Dissanayaka, N. N. W. (2017). Impairments in functional networks linked to attentional deficits in mild cognitive impairment MCI in patients with Parkinson’s disease. 7th Australasian Cognitive Neuroscience Society Conference, Adelaide, SA Australia, 23-26 November 2017.
Dissanayaka, N. N. W., Pachana, N. A., O'Sullivan, J. D., Marsh, R., Silburn, P. A., White, E. X., Torbey, E., Pye, D., Mitchell, L. K., Yang, J. H., Toft, A. J., Au, T. R., Mellick, G. D., Copland, D. A. and Byrne, G. J. (2017). Improving Diagnosis and Treatment of Anxiety in Older Adults with Parkinson’s Disease (IDATA-PD STUDY). Psychology & Ageing Interest Group National Conference - Empowering older adults through psychology, Brisbane, QLD Australia, 6-7 October 2017.
Dissanayaka, N., Hennessy, D., Au, T., Angwin, A., Yang, J., O’Sullivan, J. and Copland, D. (2017). EEG Markers for Emotional Inhibition in Parkinson’s Disease. International Congress of Parkinson's Disease and Movement Disorders, Vancouver, BC, Canada, 4-8 June 2017.
Yang, J. H., McMahon, K. L., Copland, D. A., Byrne, G. J., Toft, A. J. H., Mitchell, L. K. and Dissanayaka, N. N. W. (2017). Attention network in Parkinson’s disease with mild cognitive impairment: an event-related fMRI study. 23rd Annual Meeting of the Organisation for Human Brain Mapping, Vancouver, BC, Canada, 25-29 June 2017.
Yang, J. H., McMahon, K. L., Copland, D. A., Byrne, G. J., Toft, A. J. H., Mitchell, L. K., O'Sullivan, J. D. and Dissanayaka, N. N. W. (2017). Understanding neural activation in semantic fluency in Parkinson’s disease with mild cognitive impairment. International Congress of Parkinson's Disease and Movement Disorders, Vancouver, BC Canada, 4-8 June 2017. Hoboken, NJ United States: Wiley-Blackwell.
Yang, J. H., McMahon, K . L., Copland, D. A., Byrne, G. J., Toft, A. J. H., Mitchell, L. K., O'Sullivan, J. D. and Dissanayaka, N. N. W. (2017). Altered attention brain network in Parkinson’s disease with mild cognitive impairment. International Congress of Parkinson's Disease and Movement Disorders, Vancouver, BC Canada, 4-8 June 2017. Hoboken, NJ United States: Wiley-Blackwell.
Yang, J.H., McMahon, K.L., Copland, D.A., Byrne, G.J., Toft, A.J.H., Mitchell, L.K., O'Sullivan, J.D. and Dissanayaka, N.N.W. (2017). Altered attention brain network in Parkinson’s disease with mild cognitive impairment. Centre for Advanced Imaging 4th Annual Symposium, Brisbane, Australia, 29 September 2017.
Yang, J. H., McMahon, K. L., Copland, D. A., Byrne, G. J., Toft, A. J. H., Mitchell, L. K., O'Sullivan, J. D. and Dissanayaka, N. N. W. (2017). Altered attention brain network in Parkinson’s disease with mild cognitive impairment. The Movement Disorder Society of Australia and New Zealand Scientific Conference, Gold Coast, QLD Australia, 22 September 2017.
Yang, J. H., McMahon, K. L., Copland, D. A., Byrne, G. J., Toft, A. J. H., Mitchell, L. K., O'Sullivan, J. D. and Dissanayaka, N. N. W. (2017). Understanding neural activation in semantic fluency in Parkinson’s disease with mild cognitive impairment. The Movement Disorder Society of Australia and New Zealand Scientific Conference, Gold Coast, QLD Australia, 22 September 2017.
Dissanayaka, N. N. W., Toft, A., Yang, J. H., Pachana, N., O'Sullivan, J., Mitchell, L., Copland, D. and Byrne, G. (2017). Anxiety in patients with cognitive impairment and Parkinson’s disease. NNIDR Australian Dementia Forum, Melbourne, VIC Australia, 15-17 October, 2017.
Yang, J. H., McMahon, K. L., Copland, D. A., Byrne, G. J., Toft, A. J. H., Mitchell, L. K. and Dissanayaka, N. N. W. (2017). Impaired semantic fluency in Parkinson’s disease with mild cognitive impairment: a fMRI study. 23rd Annual Meeting of the Organisation for Human Brain Mapping, Vancouver, BC, Canada, 25-29 June 2017.
Toft, A., Yang, J., Byrne, G., O’Sullivan, J., Mitchell, L., Copland, D. and Dissanayaka, N. (2017). Investigating the Association between Anxiety and Cognitive Impairment in Parkinson’s Disease: A Descriptive Study. International Congress of Parkinson's Disease and Movement Disorders, Vancouver, BC Canada, 4-8 June 2017. Hoboken, NJ United States: Wiley-Blackwell.
Yang, J. H., Byrne, G. J., Copland, D. A., McMahon, K. L. and Dissanayaka, N. N. W. (2016). Systematic Review of Structural and Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) on Cognitive Impairment in Parkinson’s disease. 7th International Postgraduate Symposium in Biomedical Science, Brisbane, QLD Australia, 31 October - 1 November 2016.
Hennessy, D., Au, T. R., Angwin, A. J., Yang, J. H., Copland, D. A., O'Sullivan, J. D. and Dissanayaka, N. N. W. (2016). Emotional Inhibition In Parkinson’s Disease: An EEG Study. 25th Annual RBWH Healthcare Symposium, Brisbane, QLD Australia, 12-16 September 2016.
Yang, J. H., Byrne, G. J., Copland, D. A., McMahon, K. L. and Dissanayaka, N. N. W. (2016). Systemic Review of Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) on Cognitive Impairment in Parkinson’s Disease. 25th Annual RBWH Healthcare Symposium, Brisbane, QLD Australia, 12-16 September 2016.
Thesis
Yang, Ji Hyun Julia (2020). Markers and Mechanisms of Mild Cognitive Impairment in Parkinson’s disease. PhD Thesis, Faculty of Medicine, The University of Queensland. doi: 10.14264/uql.2020.1017