collaborators
- Joel Gelemter
- Stephen Burgess
- Klaus Ebmeier
- Naomi Wray
- Thomas Nichols
- Stephen Smith
Public engagement
Drinking can leave your DNA vulnerable to damage - BBC Science Focus 2024
Gout linked to smaller brain volume, higher likelihood of neurodegenerative diseases - Rheumatology News 2023
Alcohol accelerates biological ageing, through damaging DNA - The Independent, 2022
High iron levels found in brains of moderate alcohol drinkers - Forbes, 2022
Genetic study provides new evidence that alcohol accelerates biological ageing - BBC Radio 4. Today, 2022
Any amount of alcohol consumption harmful to the brain - The Guardian, 2021
Drinking any amount of alcohol causes damage to the brain - CNN, 2021.
Anya Topiwala
BM BCh MRCPsych DPhil FHEA
Senior Clinical Researcher
- Principal Investigator
- Honorary Consultant Psychiatrist
- Adjunct Assistant Professor, Yale University
Research summary
My group studies the impact of and resilience factors on psychiatric and cognitive disorders of later life. We triangulate cutting edge neuro imaging indices of brain health, genetically informed methods for improved causal inference and real world clinical data. Our work has led to substantial advances in understanding relationships between alcohol and brain health. We showed associations between even small amounts of alcohol and a biomarker of Alzheimer's disease. More recently, we showed how alcohol intake links to markers of higher brain iron, providing a potential pathway to cognitive deficits. I also led the largest study to date showing links between alcohol consumption and accelerated biological aging, with implications for many aging-related diseases.
Researchers interested in joining my research group are invited to get in touch.
Biography
I studied clinical medicine at the University of oxford before undertaking specialist training in psychiatry, specialising in old age psychiatry. I see patients with memory problems as a consultant in Oxford Health Foundation Trust. I did my DPhil at Oxford, completing this in 2017 in the Department of Psychiatry. In 2019 I moved to the Big Data Institute supported by a Wellcome fellowship.
Research funding/awards
2024 - 2032 Wellcome Career Development Award
2019 - 2024 Wellcome Clinical Career Development Fellowship.
Current team
- Sara Javidnia, Post doctoral researcher
- Saba Ishrat, DPhil student
- Angeline Lee, Clinical DPhil student
- Louise Schindler, PhD student (Lausanne)
- Michal Graczyk, Academic Foundation doctor
Key publications
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Journal article
TOPIWALA A. et al, (2023), Nature Communications
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Journal article
Topiwala A. et al, (2022), PLoS Med, 19
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Journal article
Topiwala A. et al, (2022), Mol Psychiatry
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Preprint
TOPIWALA A. et al, (2021)
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Moderate alcohol consumption as risk factor for adverse brain outcomes and cognitive decline: longitudinal cohort study.
Journal article
Topiwala A. et al, (2017), BMJ, 357
Recent publications
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Journal article
McCracken C. et al, (2024), BMC Medicine, 22
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Association of metabolic syndrome with neuroimaging and cognitive outcomes in the UK Biobank
Journal article
Qureshi D., (2024), Diabetes Care
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Journal article
McCracken C. et al, (2024), BMJ Evid Based Med