Multiple Sclerosis Rehabilitation Research Program

Abbey J. Hughes, Ph.D., and Meghan Beier, Ph.D., are clinical psychologists and grant-funded clinical researchers specializing in neurorehabilitation psychology and multiple sclerosis in the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Division of Rehabilitation Psychology and Neuropsychology.

Co-Investigators

Dr. Hughes’ research focuses on health behaviors and their impact on cognitive dysfunction in people with multiple sclerosis (MS). She is currently investigating the relationship between sleep disturbance and cognitive dysfunction in MS. As part of this line of research, she is developing and testing an Internet-based program to help people with MS learn strategies for improving and managing sleep problems.

Dr. Beier’s research focuses on characterizing emotional and cognitive symptoms common among people with MS, refining neuropsychological assessment techniques in this population, and developing interventions to ameliorate or slow MS-related cognitive decline. As part of this line of research, she is currently working to validate a new neuropsychological assessment tool that can be delivered online in patients’ homes.

Training Programs

Hughes and Beier are committed to training graduate students and postdoctoral fellows in MS rehabilitation research. Accordingly, the Multiple Sclerosis Rehabilitation Research Program is home to two training programs:

• The Mentor-based Postdoctoral Fellowship in Rehabilitation Research is funded by the National Multiple Sclerosis Society (NMSS). This program provides clinically-focused research training in MS-related rehabilitation science.
• The Multiple Sclerosis Clinical Psychology Predoctoral Research Externship hosts a yearlong clinical psychology research externship for two to three master’s or doctoral level students.

Contact

Multiple Sclerosis Rehabilitation Research Program
Church Professional Building
98 N. Broadway, 4th floor, Suite 413
Baltimore, MD 21231