Research Program Mission: Utilizing innovative, interdisciplinary, and translational science, Dr. Holtzer's work aims to identify modifiable mechanisms implicated in cognitive and motor function and decline in aging and disease populations. Specifically, we focus on assessing and improving brain efficiency and plasticity in the context of cognitive and mobility outcomes

Dr. Holtzer teaches "Introduction to Clinical Neuropsychology I and II". This is a two-semester didactic sequence that  is designed to introduce the student to the field of Clinical Neuropsychology.  Concurrent with the course work students are required to complete a formal year-long externship in Clinical Neuropsychology. Training in Clinical Neuropsychology is consistent with the educational guidelines recommended in Division 40 of the APA.   He also teaches "Neuropsychology and Cognition Research Seminar". This is a two-semester didactic research seminar that is designed to introduce doctoral students in the lab to research and support the development and successful completion of their pre-doctoral and dissertation projects.

Dr. Holtzer is director for the Clinical Neuropsychology minor.

Select recent publications.*Denotes current or former students as co-authors

Holtzer, R., Choi, J., Motl, R. W., Foley, F. W., Wagshul, M. E., Hernandez, M. E., & Izzetoglu, M. (2024). Brain control of dual-task walking can be improved in aging and neurological disease. Geroscience.https://doi.org/10.1007/s11357-023-01054-3

*Cote, S. E., Wagshul, M., Foley, F. W., Picone, M. A., Lipton, M., Lee, J. S., & Holtzer, R. (2024). Frontal-striatal tract integrity and depression in older adults with and without multiple sclerosis. Neurol Sci. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10072-024-07316-y  

Motl, R. W., Foley, F. W., Picone, M. A., Lipton, M. L., Izzetoglu, M., Hernandez, M. E., & Holtzer, R. (2023). Initial validation of the university of Alabama Birmingham study of aging life-space assessment in older adults with multiple sclerosis. Mult Scler Relat Disord, 82, 105354. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.msard.2023.105354 

Ma, D., Izzetoglu, M., Holtzer, R., & Jiao, X. (2023). Deep Learning Based Walking Tasks Classification in Older Adults Using fNIRS. IEEE Trans Neural Syst Rehabil Eng, 31, 3437-3447. https://doi.org/10.1109/tnsre.2023.3306365 

*Brundage, K., Holtzer, R. (2023). Presence and Persistence of Perceived Subjective Cognitive Complaints and Incident Mild Cognitive Impairments Among Community-Residing Older Adults. The American Journal Geriatric Psychiatry. doi: 10.1016/j.jagp.2023.07.001. Online ahead of print.

*Cote S.E., Wagshul, M.E., Foley, F.W., Lipton, M.L., Holtzer, R. (2023). Caudate Volume and Symptoms of Apathy in Older Adults with Multiple Sclerosis. Multiple Sclerosis Journal. doi: 10.1177/13524585231188096. Online ahead of print.

*Cohen, H.R., Holtzer, R. (2023). The Association Between Perceived Social Support and Cognition in Older Adults with and without Multiple Sclerosis. Multiple Sclerosis and Related Disorders. doi: 10.1016/j.msard.2023.104913. Online ahead of print.

*Ross, D., Wagshul, M.E.,Izzetoglu, M., Holtzer, R. (2023). Cortical Thickness Moderates Intraindividual Variability in Prefrontal Cortex Activation Patterns of Older Adults During Walking. Journal of the International Neuropsychological Society. doi: 10.1017/S1355617723000371. Online ahead of print.

*Jacobs, S., Izzetoglu, M., Holtzer, R. (2023).   The Impact of Music Making on Neural Efficiency & Dual-Task Walking Performance in Healthy Older Adults.  Aging Neuropsychology and Cognition. Mar 31:1-19. doi: 10.1080/13825585.2023.2195615. Online ahead of print

*Wasserman, J., Holtzer, R. (2023).   Depresseive Symptoms Are Associated With Decline Over Time in Verbal Fluency Performance in Female But Not Male Community-Residing Older Adults.  Experimental Aging Research. Mar 29:1-16. doi: 10.1080/0361073X.2023.2195295. Online ahead of print

Holtzer, R., Choi, J., Motl, R., Foley, F.W., Picone, M.A., Lipton, M.L., Izzetoglu, M., Hernandez, M.E., Wagshul, M.E. (2023).   Individual reserve in aging and neurological disease.  Journal of Neurology. 270(6), 3179-3191. doi: 10.1007/s00415-023-11656-8. 

Holtzer, R., Feldman, J., Jariwala, S.P., Izzetoglu, M.  (2023).   Asthma History Influences Gait Performance and Associated Prefrontal Cortex Activation Patterns in Older Adults.  Aging Clinical and Experimental Research. 35(2):407-411. doi: 10.1007/s40520-022-02306-6.

Wagshul, M.,, Foley, F.W., Chaudhary, K., Lipton, M.L., Robert Motl, R., Izzetoglu, M., Hernandez, M.E., Picone, M.A., & Holtzer, R., (2023).   Differential Associations of Mobility with Fronto-Striatal Integrity and Lesion Load in Older Adults with and without Multiple Sclerosis.  Neurorehabilitation and Neural Repair. Apr;37(4):205-217. doi: 10.1177/15459683231164787.

*Pace, B., Holtzer, R., & Wagshul M. (2023).   Gray matter volume and within-task verbal fluency performance among older adults.  Brain and Cognition. Mar;166:105960. doi: 10.1016/j.bandc.2023.105960. Epub 2023 Mar 1.

*O’Brien, C., & Holtzer, R. (2023).   Physical reserve: construct development and predictive utility.  Aging Clinical and Experimental Research. 35(5), 1055-1062. doi: 10.1007/s40520-023-02371-5.

Holtzer, R., Zhu, X., Rosso, A. L., & Rosano, C. (2022). Cognitive reserve and risk of mobility impairment in older adults. J Am Geriatr Soc. 70(11), 3096-3104. doi:10.1111/jags.17979.

Holtzer R. (2022). Volitional control of walking in aging. Aging, 14(6):2440-2441. doi: 10.18632/aging.203986. Invited editorial.

Krasovsky, T., Madi, R., Fruchter, E., Jahjah, E., & Holtzer, R. (2022). Prefrontal cortex brain activation during texting and walking: a functional near-infrared spectroscopy feasibility study. Motor Control.16;26(3): 487-496. doi: 10.1123/mc.2022-0009

*Guharajan, D., & Holtzer, R. (2022). Association of Affect and Performance in Dual-Task Walking in Non-Demented Older Adults. Journal of Aging and Health. 34(6-8):1062-1070. doi: 10.1177/08982643221087836

Maidan, I, Hacham, R, Galperin, I, Giladi, N, Holtzer, R, Hausdorff, JM, and Mirelman, A. (2022). Neural Variability in the Prefrontal Cortex as a Reflection of Neural Flexibility and Stability in Patients With Parkinson Disease. Neurology. 22;98(8):e839-e847. doi: 10.1212/WNL.0000000000013217

Holtzer, R., *Ross, D., *O'Brien, C., Izzetoglu, M., &. Wagshul, M. E. (2022). Cognitive Reserve Moderates the Efficiency of Prefrontal Cortex Activation Patterns of Gait in Older Adults. The journals of gerontology. Medical Sciences.  1;77(9):1836-1844]. doi: 10.1093/Gerona/glab288 

Holtzer, R., *Ross, D., *O'Brien, C., Izzetoglu, M., &. Wagshul, M. E. (2021). Cognitive Reserve Moderates the Efficiency of Prefrontal Cortex Activation Patterns of Gait in Older Adults. The journals of gerontology. Medical Sciences.  [Epub ahead of print].DOI: 10.1093/gerona/glab288

*Ross, D., Wagshul, M. E., Izzetoglu, M., & Holtzer, R. (2021). Prefrontal cortex activation during dual-task walking in older adults is moderated by thickness of several cortical regions. GeroScience, 10.1007/s11357-021-00379-1. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11357-021-00379-1

*O'Brien, C., & Holtzer, R. (2021). Cognitive Reserve Moderates Associations Between Walking Performance Under Single and Dual-Task Conditions and Incident Mobility Impairment in Older Adults. The journals of gerontology. Series A, Biological sciences and medical sciences, glab178. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1093/gerona/glab178

*Kraut, R., & Holtzer, R. (2021). Recurrent but not single report of fear of falling predicts cognitive decline in community-residing older adults. Aging & mental health, 1–7. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1080/13607863.2021.1916878

*Holtzer, R., Ross, D., & Izzetoglu, M.  (2020). Intra-Individual-Variablity in Neural Activity in the Prefrontal Cortex During Active Walking in Older Adults. Psychology and Aging, 35(8), 12-01-1214.  Doi: 1037/pag0000583.

*Jacobs, S., Mercuri, G., & Holtzer R.  (2020). Assessing Within-Task Verbal Fluency Performance: The Utility of Individual Time Intervals in Predicting Incident Mild Cognitive Impairment.  Aging, Neuropsychology and Cognition. doi: 10.1080/13825585.2020.1817306 [Epub ahead of print].

Holtzer, R., & Izzetoglu, M.  (2020). Mild Cognitive Impairments Attenuate Prefrontal Cortex Activations during Walking in Older Adults. Brain Sci. doi: 10.3390/brainsci10070415. [Epub ahead of print].

Izzetoglu, M,. & Holtzer, R. (2020). Effects of Processing Methods on fNIRS Signal Assessed During Active Walking Task in Older Adults. IEEE Trans Neural Syst Rehabil Eng. Mar;28(3):699-709. doi: 10.1109/TNSRE.2020.2970407. 

*Holtzer, R., Jacobs, S., & Demetriou, E. (2020). Intra-Individual Variability in Verbal Fluency Performance is Moderated by and Predictive of Mild Cognitive Impairments. Neuropschology. doi: 10.1037/neu0000576. [Epub ahead of print].

*Wagshul, M. E., Lucas, M., Izzetoglu, M., Ye, K., & Holtzer, R. (2019). Multi- modal neuroimaging of dual-task walking: Structural MRI and fNIRS analysis reveals prefrontal grey matter volume moderation of brain activation in older adults. NeuroImage, 1:189, 745-754. doi: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2019.01.045.