Dr William McGeown
Reader
Psychology
Personal statement
I joined the Department of Psychological Sciences and Health in August 2013. I was previously employed as a Lecturer for 5 years within the Department of Psychology (University of Hull) and prior to that I held research positions for 3 years within The Clinical Neuroscience Centre (University of Hull). In 2016 I was promoted to Senior Lecturer, and in 2020 to Reader.
My research interests are mostly centred on the cognitive and neuropsychiatric symptoms that are found in Alzheimer’s disease and the other dementias. A secondary research interest relates to suggestibility and hypnosis.
I am an Associate Fellow within the BPS, a member of the Division of Neuropsychology, and a Chartered Psychologist. I am also a Senior Associate of the Royal Society of Medicine and I am President Elect of the Section of Hypnosis and Psychosomatic Medicine.
Area of Expertise
Memory
Neuropsychiatric symptoms
Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias
Normal ageing
Hypnosis and suggestibility
Neuroimaging and neuropsychological research methods
Qualifications
Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (HEA)
Postgraduate Certificate in Higher Education (PGCHE) (University of Hull)
PhD (University of Hull)
Master in Research Methods (MRes) Diploma (University of Aberdeen)
BSc (Hons) Psychology (University of Aberdeen)
Publications
- Alpha rhythm and Alzheimer's disease : has Hans Berger's dream come true?
- Babiloni Claudio, Arakaki Xianghong, Baez Sandra, Barry Robert J, Benussi Alberto, Blinowska Katarzyna, Bonanni Laura, Borroni Barbara, Bayard Jorge Bosch, Bruno Giuseppe, Cacciotti Alessia, Carducci Filippo, Carino John, Carpi Matteo, Conte Antonella, Cruzat Josephine, D'Antonio Fabrizia, Della Penna Stefania, Percio Claudio Del, De Sanctis Pierfilippo, Escudero Javier, Fabbrini Giovanni, Farina Francesca R, Fraga Francisco J, Fuhr Peter, Gschwandtner Ute, Güntekin Bahar, Guo Yi, Hajos Mihaly, Hallett Mark, Hampel Harald, Hanoğlu Lutfu, Haraldsen Ira, Hassan Mahmoud, Hatlestad-Hall Christoffer, Horváth András Attila, Ibanez Agustin, Infarinato Francesco, Jaramillo-Jimenez Alberto, Jeong Jaeseung, Jiang Yang, Kamiński Maciej, Koch Giacomo, Kumar Sanjeev, Leodori Giorgio, Li Gang, Lizio Roberta, Lopez Susanna, Ferri Raffaele, Maestú Fernando, Marra Camillo, Marzetti Laura, McGeown William, Miraglia Francesca, Moguilner Sebastian, Moretti Davide V, Mushtaq Faisal, Noce Giuseppe, Nucci Lorenzo, Ochoa John, Onorati Paolo, Padovani Alessandro, Pappalettera Chiara, Parra Mario Alfredo, Pardini Matteo, Pascual-Marqui Roberto, Paulus Walter, Pizzella Vittorio, Prado Pavel, Rauchs Géraldine, Ritter Petra, Salvatore Marco, Santamaria-García Hernando, Schirner Michael, Soricelli Andrea, Taylor John-Paul, Tankisi Hatice, Tecchio Franca, Teipel Stefan, Kodamullil Alpha Tom, Triggiani Antonio Ivano, Valdes-Sosa Mitchell, Valdes-Sosa Pedro, Vecchio Fabrizio, Vossel Keith, Yao Dezhong, Yener Görsev, Ziemann Ulf, Kamondi Anita
- Clinical Neurophysiology Vol 172, pp. 33-50 (2025)
- https://doi.org/10.1016/j.clinph.2025.02.256
- Random Forest Classifiers to predict psychotic symptoms in Alzheimer's disease
- Scarfo Sara, Moshfeghi Yashar, McGeown William
- Alzheimer's & Dementia: The Journal of the Alzheimer's Association Vol 20 (2025)
- https://doi.org/10.1002/alz.092242
- Neuroanatomical correlates and predictors of psychotic symptoms in Alzheimer's disease : a systematic review and meta-analysis
- Scarfo Sara, Marsella Antonella MA, Grigoriadou Loulouda, Moshfeghi Yashar, McGeown William
- Neuropsychologia Vol 204 (2024)
- https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2024.109006
- Public engagement with science : a novel researcher-led collaboration with a major UK science centre
- Robertson David J, McGeown William J, Wodehouse Andrew, Lang Gillian, Woodside William, Capaldi Janine
- International Journal of Science Education, Part B: Communication and Public Engagement , pp. 1-13 (2024)
- https://doi.org/10.1080/21548455.2024.2398825
- Assessing the stability of clusters of neuropsychiatric symptoms in Alzheimer’s disease and mild cognitive impairment
- Scarfo Sara, Moshfeghi Yashar, McGeown William
- Current Alzheimer Research Vol 21, pp. 258-275 (2024)
- https://doi.org/10.2174/0115672050309014240705113444
- The relationship between transliminality, hypnotic and imaginative suggestibility, and other personality traits
- Irving Abbie J, Nikolova Niia, Robinson Susan, Ionita Iris, Kelly Steve W, Kirsch Irving, Mazzoni Giuliana, Venneri Annalena, McGeown William J
- Acta Psychologica Vol 243 (2024)
- https://doi.org/10.1016/j.actpsy.2024.104125
Teaching
I previously co-developed the MSc in Clinical Health Psychology course and was Director of this programme for 3 years. I now contribute as class leader and lecturer on the “Neuropsychology relating medical conditions” class.
In the past I have taught Neuropsychology, Neuroimaging, Neuropsychology of Ageing and Dementia, and Health Psychology, in addition to various sessions on statistics, research methods and cognitive psychology.
I am an HEA fellow.
Research Interests
I run the Neuroanalytics Laboratory within the Department of Psychological Sciences and Health, and lead the Dementia Research Network at the University of Strathclyde. Key research themes include:
Ageing and Dementia
My research is focused on the early detection, diagnosis, management and treatment of different types of dementia (e.g. Alzheimer’s disease, Vascular dementia, Fronto-temporal dementia). For this I adopt methods that include the use and analysis of cognitive, neuroimaging , neurophysiological, and blood-based biomarker data. I am also interested in the breakdown of cognition (episodic and semantic memory, language and attention) that occurs during the course of neurodegenerative disease, and in understanding the neural correlates of neuropsychiatric/behavioural symptoms. Within my research projects, I tend to use cortical thickness and voxel-based morphometry, functional connectivity assessment, event-related potential analysis, spectral analysis, network analysis methods, and machine learning techniques.
I am actively investigating sensory stimulation as a treatment/management technique for Alzheimer’s disease, and have applied pharmacoimaging in the past to assess the efficacy of drug treatments for Alzheimer’s disease. I am interested in predicting response to treatment and in tailoring various treatments to the individual (personalised medication).
Further interests include the effects of normal ageing (e.g., on cognitive function and on the brain).
Hypnosis and suggestibility
In recent years, as Principal Investigator, I have led two funded research projects to investigate hypnosis and suggestibility (funding from The Leverhulme Trust and the BIAL Foundation). I am interested in the effects of hypnosis on the brain, and in the cognitive, neural and genetic associations that may underpin suggestibility.
I am open to supervising PhD projects in the above areas.
Professional Activities
- Strategic Themes - Bioimaging Workshop
- Participant
- 17/9/2024
- Alzheimer's Association International Conference (AAIC) 2024
- Participant
- 28/7/2024
- Scottish Dementia Research Consortium Annual Conference 2024
- Participant
- 14/6/2024
- SINAPSE Annual Scientific Meeting 2024
- Participant
- 12/6/2024
- Royal Society of Medicine, London (External organisation)
- Advisor
- 14/4/2024
- A New Approach to Blood-based biomarkers
- Speaker
- 23/2/2024
Projects
- EPSRC-IAA GSC Citizen Science Project Phase 1-B [£29k]
- Robertson, David (Principal Investigator) McGeown, William (Co-investigator) Wodehouse, Andrew (Co-investigator) Lang, Gillian (Co-investigator)
- This project will professionalise and update the Phase 1 content, leading to an exhibit relaunch in later 2023/early 2024.
- 01-Jan-2023 - 01-Jan-2025
- Biosemi electroencephalography (EEG) amplifier
- McGeown, William (Principal Investigator) Parra Rodriguez, Mario (Co-investigator) Sakata, Shuzo (Co-investigator)
- 01-Jan-2023 - 30-Jan-2024
- EPSRC-IAA GSC Citizen Science Project Phase 1 [£9k]
- Robertson, David (Principal Investigator) McGeown, William (Academic) Wodehouse, Andrew (Academic) Lang, Gillian (Research Co-investigator)
- This project installed 4 digital touchscreen kiosks, with research and K.E. content, at the Glasgow Science Centre. During the initial 6-month proof-of-concept phase, the exhibit has recorded more than 10,000 user interactions.
- 05-Jan-2022 - 05-Jan-2024
- Electrophysiological and genetic factors associated with hypnosis and suggestibility.
- McGeown, William (Principal Investigator) Tate, Rothwelle (Co-investigator)
- Electrophysiological and genetic factors associated with hypnosis, suggestibility and hypnotic phenomenolog
- 01-Jan-2019 - 31-Jan-2024
- Doctoral Training Partnership 2018-19 University of Strathclyde | Pinkosova, Zuzana
- Moshfeghi, Yashar (Principal Investigator) McGeown, William (Co-investigator) Pinkosova, Zuzana (Research Co-investigator)
- 01-Jan-2018 - 27-Jan-2023
- An investigation of the neural bases of hypnosis and suggestibility
- McGeown, William (Principal Investigator)
- 01-Jan-2018 - 26-Jan-2021