Thomas Wolbers

Prof. Dr. Thomas Wolbers serves as Group Leader at the German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE) in Magdeburg, Germany, directing the Aging and Cognition Group with a focus on neural mechanisms of cognitive decline in aging and dementia.

His research program centers on three interconnected domains:

• Neural Mechanisms of Decline: Characterizing age-related deterioration in spatial navigation and memory systems using fMRI, lesion studies, and virtual reality, with landmark findings on entorhinal grid cell signaling deficits.
• Diagnostic Innovation: Developing clinically applicable tools for early detection of cognitive dysfunction, including standardized grid cell integrity assessments and memory process measurements.
• Behavioral Interventions: Creating evidence-based methods to counteract memory decline, such as post-learning sensory minimization protocols that enhance spatial memory consolidation for up to seven days.

The group employs multimodal methodologies including electrophysiology, eye tracking, and computational modeling through extensive national and international collaborations.

DZNE Magdeburg serves as the operational base for this research, with partnerships extending to human lesion studies and animal model investigations to validate neural mechanisms across species.