Esmée Bakker obtained a Marie Skłodowska-Curie European Postdoctoral Fellowships (160k) of the Horizon 2020 of the European Union. In this project, Esmée will investigate if exercise could improve cognitive functioning and positively affect the brain in individuals with cardiovascular diseases.
Cognitive impairment and dementia are major health problems in individuals with coronary artery disease. Currently, there is no effective treatment for the prevention or cure of cognitive impairment and dementia. However, lifestyle changes, such as a physically active lifestyle, might prevent cognitive decline in this population. Esmée aims to examine the effect of certain types of exercise (such as aerobic and muscle-strengthening activities) and physical activity behaviour (such as reduced sitting) on the brain. During this project, she will visit the world-leading PROFITH research group of prof. Francisco Ortega at the University of Granada, Spain, for two years.
The Marie Curie fellowships are Europe’s most competitive and prestigious awards, and are aimed at fostering interdisciplinary research and international collaborations. In her project, Esmée will connect her physiology, epidemiology, cardiology and sport sciences background with prof. Ortega’s world leading expertise in physical fitness, accelerometry and the brain related benefits of exercise.