My primary research interest involves finding better ways to identify those individuals at greatest risk for vascular cognitive decline and, ultimately, finding ways to prevent or at least attenuate this process. A secondary line of research involves the assessment of decisional capacity for informed consent in various vulnerable populations, determining what factors (e.g. cognitive dysfunction, mental illness) are most likely to impair this capacity, and finding new ways to improve this capacity in those who are unable to make informed decisions on their own behalf.