Davalos Lab

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Deana earned her Ph.D. and M.S. in Psychology from Colorado State University and her B.A. in Psychology from Texas A&M University. Her research and clinical work has focused on neuropsychological and neurophysiological assessments of populations with chronic mental illness. She completed her predoctoral internship at Yale University Medical School and postdoctoral fellowship in the Developmental Psychobiology Research Group at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus before joining the CU Medical Campus, Department of Psychiatry faculty as Assistant Professor. She joined the Department of Psychology at Colorado State University in 2005.

She currently serves as Director of the Aging Clinic of the Rockies, Associate Director of the Columbine Health Systems Center for Healthy Aging and is part of the Enriched Aging Research Group at CSU. Her lab studies a variety of clinical populations across development, with a focus on emerging adults and older adults. One line of research focuses on time processing across the lifespan in healthy and clinical populations and how it relates to higher cognitive skills, such as planning, sequencing and executive functioning. Research in young adults focuses on how we can use neurophysiological measures to better understand the relationship between psychopathology and cognition. Research in the lab also focuses on older adults and cognitive health. She studies neurocognitive functioning in healthy older adults and those experiencing pathological aging as well as caregiver cognitive health. Recent research has focused on the effects of both community-based arts engagement for individuals with dementia-related diseases and their caregivers and the effects of nature in both young and older adults.

Lab News

Recent Publications

  • Willoughby, K. A., Darwin, M. & Davalos, D. (2024) The Postoperative Effects of Anesthesia Exposure on Cognitive Decline: A Narrative Review. Current Alzheimer Research. 21 (1), 3-23. doi: 10.2174/0115672050288199240408035201
  • Davalos, D. B. & Miyawaki, E. (2023). Editorial: The Neurology and Psychology of Time Perception. Frontiers in Neurology: section Dementia and Neurodegenerative Diseases. 14:1282635. doi: 10.3389/fneur.2023.1282635
  • Malinin, L., Faw, M. & Davalos, D. (2023). Performing Arts as Non-pharmacological Intervention for People with Dementia and Care Partners: A Community Case Study. Frontiers in Psychology, Psychology of Aging, 14:1149711. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1149711
  • LoTemplio, S., McDonnell, A., Nadkarni, N., Walker, S., Gallegos-Riofrio, C. A., Scott, E., Bettmann, J. E., Rojas-Rueda, D., Dahl, J., Tomasso, L. P., Lawler, J., Davalos, D., & Strayer, D. (2023). Healthy by Nature: Policy Practices Aimed at Maximizing the Human Health Benefits of Nature Contact. Policy Insights from the Behavioral and Brain Sciences, Vol. 10(2) 247–255 doi.org/10.1177/23727322231197578
  • Lassell, R., Schmid, A. A., Cross, J. E., Davalos D. B. & Wood, W. (2022). The feasibility of an adaptive riding program and acceptability to dementia care partners: “Your Spirits are Lifted”. Complementary Therapies in Medicine, Oct 28;71:102897
  • Rice M, Davalos D, Thomas ML. (2022). A Systematic Review of Prospective Memory Interventions Across Stages of Dementia-Related Disorders. J Alzheimers Dis, 86(3):1001-1024. doi: 10.3233/JAD-215473.
  • Davalos, D.B., Teixeira, A., and Ikeda, M. (2022) Editorial: Biological Basis and Therapeutics of Behavioral and Psychological Symptoms of Dementia. Frontiers in Psychiatry, section Aging Psychiatry
  • Faw, M.H., Luxton, I., Cross, J.E., Davalos, D. (2021). Surviving and Thriving: Qualitative Results from a Multi-Year, Multidimensional Intervention to Promote Well-Being among Caregivers of Adults with Dementia. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18, 4755. https:// doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18094755
  • Ascenio, J., Wojtaszek, M. & Davalos, D. B. (2019). Horticultural therapy support group for older adult caregivers: Examining intervention effectiveness using psychometrically validated measures. The Journal of Therapeutic Horticulture, 24 (2), 14-26
  • Davalos, D. B., Luxton, I. Thaut, M., & Cross, J. E. (2019). B Sharp—The cognitive effects of a pilot community music program for people with dementia-related disorders. Alzheimer's & Dementia: Translational Research & Clinical Interventions, 5, 592-596.
  • Davalos, D., Mioni, G., Grondin, S. & Ortuño Sánchez-Pedreño, F. (2018). Editorial: Time Perception and Dysfunction: Clinical and Practical Implications. Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, 12:435. doi:10.3389/ fnhum.2018.00435
  • Banz, B. C. & Davalos, D. B. (2018). Attentional and neural processing of affective and alcohol related images in university-attending emerging adults. Emerging Adulthood, 6,3, 213-218​
  • Fisher, G., Chafee, D., Tetrick, L.E., Davalos, D.B., & Potter, G. G. (2017). Cognitive functioning, aging, and work: A review and recommendations for research and practice. Journal of Occupational Health Psychology, doi: 10.1037/ocp0000086
  • Miller, S. M., Harris, M. A., Baker, S. S., Davalos, D. B., Clark, A. M., & McGirr, K. A. (2016). Intake of total Omega-3 Docosahexaenoic Acid is associated with increased gestational length and improved cognitive performance at 1 year of age. Journal of Nutritional Health and Food Engineering, 5(3): 00176. doi: 10.15406/jnhfe.2016.05.00176
  • Pantlin, L. & Davalos, D. B. (2016). Neurophysiology for Detection of High Risk for Psychosis, Schizophrenia Research and Treatment, vol. 2016, Article ID 2697971, 5 pages, doi:10.1155/2016/2697971
  • DeLozier, S. & Davalos, D. (2016). A Review of Metacognitive Differences between Alzheimer’s and Frontotemporal Dementia. American Journal of Alzheimer's Disease and Other Dementias. Aug;31(5):381-8. doi: 10.1177/1533317515618899
  • Banz, B. C. & Davalos, D. B. (2016). Cognitive and emotional control in college drinkers and the relationship to comorbid disorders. Mental Health & Addiction Research, 1 (2), 27-31. doi: 10.15761/MHAR.1000108
  • Martinez, S. & Davalos, D. (2016). Investigating metacognition, cognition, and behavioral deficits of college students with acute traumatic brain injuries. Journal of American College Health, 64 (5), 1-7.
  • Davalos, D. B., *Pantlin, L. & *Crosby, H. (2016). Depression and executive dysfunction in young adults; Implications for therapy. Journal of Depression and Therapy, 1 (1), 18-24.
  • Campbell A.M. and Davalos D.B. (2015) Levels of attention and task difficulty in the modulation of interval duration mismatch negativity. Front. Psychol. 6:1619. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2015.01619
  • Yadon, C. A., Kisley, M. A. & Davalos, D. B. (2015). The effects of vigilance and visual distraction on the P50 mid-latency auditory evoked potential. Journal of Psychophysiology, 29 (1), 33-44.
  • Brodsky, K., Wilcutt, E., Davalos, D., & Ross, R. (2014). Neuropsychological functioning in childhood-onset psychosis and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. J of Child Psychology & Psychiatry, 55 (7): 811-818. NIHMS548740; doi: 10.1111/jcpp.12199.
  • Ordemann, G., Opper, J., & Davalos, D. B. (2014). Prospective memory in schizophrenia: A review. Schizophrenia Research, 155 1-3, 77-89.
  • Foster, S.M., Kisley, M.A., Davis, H. P., Diede, N. T., Campbell, A. M., & Davalos, D. B (2013). Cognitive function predicts neural activity associated with pre-attentive temporal processing. Neuropsychologia, 51, 211-219.
  • Kurth, L. & Davalos, D. B. (2012). Prenatal exposure to synthetic Oxytocin: Risk to neurodevelopment. Journal of Prenatal and Perinatal Psychology and Health, 27 (1), 273-294.
  • Davalos, D. B., Yadon, C., & Tregellas, H. (2012). Untreated prenatal maternal depression and the potential risks to offspring: A review. Archives of Women’s Mental Health, 15, 1-14.

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