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Liana Machado

Email liana.machado@otago.ac.nz
Tel:+64 3 479 7622


Professor Liana Machado's primary areas of expertise are neuropsychology and cognitive psychology. Research in her laboratory investigates the mechanisms and machinery underlying healthy brain functions and the cognitive deficits that emerge as a result of brain disease and healthy aging. Professor Machado has published extensively in high impact international journals, and these articles have been cited in many other research articles around the world. She collaborates with scientists in Europe and the USA, as well as within New Zealand.

In addition to lecturing on her areas of expertise to university students, Professor Machado serves the community through public presentations and media appearances, as well as through fundraising and service on scientific advisory committees.

Liana earned a bachelor's degree in psychology at UCLA in 1994 and a PhD in Neuroscience at UC Davis in 1998. After conducting postdoctoral research for five years in the laboratory of a neurologist in the UK, she joined the Department of Psychology at the University of Otago in 2003.

Teaching

Research Interests

  • Mechanisms and machinery underlying healthy brain functions
  • Cognitive deficits that emerge as a result of brain disease and healthy aging

Find out more about Professor  Machado's research interests

Media Links

Brain day lecture
Public lecture at Otago Museum, 7 March 2020

The brain on exercise
Brain Buzz Podcast, 13 September 2019

Using electrical brain stimulation (transcranial direct current stimulation) to enhance cognitive functioning
Saturday Morning with Kim Hill, Radio New Zealand National. Interview, 23 May 2015

Research findings from my laboratory on exercise and brain function
Dunedin Television Nightly Interview, 22 Jan 2015

Publications

Berryman, A., & Machado, L. (2025). Cognitive functioning in females with endometriosis-associated chronic pelvic pain: A literature review. Archives of Clinical Neuropsychology. Advance online publication. doi: 10.1093/arclin/acaf003 Journal - Research Other

McNeill, R., Marshall, R., Fernando, S. A., Harrison, O., & Machado, L. (2025). COVID-19 may enduringly impact cognitive performance and brain haemodynamics in undergraduate students. Brain, Behavior & Immunity, 125, 58-67. doi: 10.1016/j.bbi.2024.12.002 Journal - Research Article

Nasrollahi, N., Jowett, T., & Machado, L. (2024). Effects of wearing a surgical face mask on cognitive functioning and mood states: A randomised controlled trial in young adults. Cognitive Processing. Advance online publication. doi: 10.1007/s10339-024-01238-5 Journal - Research Article

Ramos, A. A., Bertola, L., Figueiredo da Mata, F. A., Barbosa, M. G., Boaventura, V., Machado, L., … Ferri, C. P. (2024). Socioeconomic determinants of cognition among older adults in the Brazilian longitudinal study of aging (ELSI-Brazil): A life-course approach. Social Psychiatry & Psychiatric Epidemiology. Advance online publication. doi: 10.1007/s00127-024-02734-x Journal - Research Article

Machado, L. (2024). Stair climbing improves cognition and affect in adults: Evidence from randomized controlled trials. International Journal of Psychology, 59(S1), (pp. 120). doi: 10.1002/ijop.13169 Conference Contribution - Published proceedings: Abstract

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