Quality of Life

Improving health is not only about treating disease. It is also about understanding and supporting the everyday wellbeing of people living with neurological conditions. Our research innovation 'Quality of Life' brings together researchers, clinicians, and patient communities to study how individuals function, adapt, and thrive over time, and to develop strategies that make a real difference in daily life. 

A key strength of our work lies in long-term cohort studies. By following individuals for many years, sometimes from infancy into adulthood, we can track changes in physical, cognitive, and emotional health. This unique perspective allows us to identify patterns in development, anticipate challenges, and measure the impact of interventions on people鈥檚 quality of life. 

By focusing on what truly matters to individuals, such as independence, participation, and fulfilment, we ensure that scientific progress translates into tangible benefits for daily living. This empowers individuals and creates a society where everyone can thrive, regardless of their neurological condition. 

Breakthroughs and impact

Our research combines insights from large-scale population data with in-depth, individual assessments to understand the full spectrum of human functioning: from mobility and cognition to emotional wellbeing and social participation. 

  • The YOUth cohort

    YOUth is a large scale,鈥痩ongitudinal cohort following Dutch children鈥痠n their development from pregnancy until early adulthood. The study consists of two subcohorts: The YOUth Baby and Child cohort (nearly 3,000 infants and their parents), and the Child and Adolescent cohort (over 1300 children). YOUth collects various kinds of data on neurocognitive development (e.g., neuroimaging, experimental, surveys, biomaterial, parent-child interaction), with a focus on social competence and behavioural control. The data supports diverse research projects, including studies on language development and the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on early brain development. All YOUth data is freely available to researchers. 

  • ALS Home-Monitoring and Coaching

    In co-creation with patients, caregivers, and healthcare professionals, the ALS Home-monitoring and Coaching service was developed to enable personalized, responsive care with reduced burden. Through a dedicated app, patients record data at home on swallowing, motor function, breathing, body weight, and wellbeing. Nurse specialists monitor this data remotely, and the app facilitates direct communication with healthcare professionals, minimizing unnecessary hospital visits.  

  • To predict cognitive outcome after stroke and better understand vascular contributions to cognitive deficits, we are identifying brain lesion locations associated with vascular cognitive impairment (VCI). Through the Meta VCI Map consortium, which was initiated and lead by Utrecht researchers, we harmonized imaging and cognitive data from over 40 cohorts, encompassing 25,000 participants worldwide. This effort resulted in for infarcts and key tracts affected by white matter hyperintensities, alongside detailed normative curves for small vessel disease. 

  • Working memory after brain damage

    Working memory is investigated as a dynamic system that flexibly balances internal storage with external sampling of information. This research shows how memory load is adapted to task demands and visual availability, uncovering a trade-off between memorizing and re-inspecting the environment. Advanced EEG decoding and eye-tracking methods are used to study these mechanisms in detail, and collaborations with clinical partners allow translation to patient populations with brain damage. Ultimately, this research informs potential techniques to alleviate working memory problems in clinical populations.

  • Developmental trajectories of children with Cerebral Palsy

    Cerebral Palsy (CP) is a lifelong condition due to a brain injury early in life. Motor impairments are key features of the condition. In the we have studied over 400 children and adolescents with CP for 15 years to gain insight in the long-term development of daily functioning. Through co-creation, we have recently developed for persons with CP, families, and professionals.