University of Southern California · BiologyThe Cognition Connection Lab
David Raichlen · Los Angeles, California
Research Focus
David Raichlen's research lab focuses on understanding how sedentary behavior affects brain health and the risk of developing Alzheimer's disease. By examining the relationship between how much time people spend sitting and their cognitive functions, the lab aims to uncover important factors that could help in preventing Alzheimer's disease. The lab uses large datasets like the UK Biobank to assess the impact of lifestyle changes on brain health in older adults.
Alzheimer's Diseasesedentary behaviorcognitionbrain healthphysical activitydementiabehavioral interventionsaging
Research Aims
3AIM 01Determine how sedentary behavior is associated with incident Alzheimer's disease and all-cause dementia.
AIM 02Evaluate relationships between sedentary behavior and aspects of cognition and brain structure affecting Alzheimer's disease risk.
AIM 03Investigate how displacing sedentary behavior with physical activity influences Alzheimer's disease risk.
Skills the Lab Values
data analysisstatistical modelingcognitive testingbehavior assessmentaccelerometer data collectionlongitudinal study designprogramming for data analysis (e.g., R or Python)literature reviewsurvey designpartnerships with community organizations
Output against the department
Publications212top 30% of dept.313th of 1,033
this lab
most publishedleast published
Citations8.9ktop 43% of dept.444th of 1,033
this lab
most citedleast cited
Career totals from OpenAlex, compared against labs that share a department. A department spans everything from one paper to tens of thousands, so bar heights are on a log scale — otherwise the largest lab would flatten every other bar to a line.