Dr Laura McWhirter

Baillie Gifford Clinical Research Fellow

Centre for Dementia Prevention
Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences

Email: laura.mcwhirter@ed.ac.uk

Street: University of Edinburgh,
Royal Edinburgh Hospital,
Morningside Terrace
City: Edinburgh
Post code: EH10 5HF

Biography

Background

Laura McWhirter graduated MBChB from the University of Edinburgh in 2008, having taken an unusual route to medicine after a degree in music from the University of York in 2001. Dr McWhirter completed specialist training in General Adult and Liaison Psychiatry in South East Scotland in June 2018. Her research is primarily in the areas of Functional Neurological Disorders, cognitive disorders, and brain injury.

Qualifications

MBChB - University of Edinburgh, 2008

BA (Hons) in Music - University of York, 2001

Responsibilities & affiliations

Member of the Royal College of Psychiatrists - 2012

Member of the Royal College of Physicians (Edinburgh) - 2011

Member of the British Neuropsychiatry Association

Research

Research summary

Laura McWhirter's research interests are in cognitive disorders, functional neurological disorders, and brain injury.

Current research interests

Dr McWhirter's current primary research project aims to improve understanding of Functional Cognitive Disorder phenotypes in the differential diagnosis of dementia prodromes.

Past research interests

Somatosensory attention in functional neurological disorders, Foreign Accent Syndrome, transcranial magnetic stimulation, the history of physical treatments for functional neurological disorder

Publications

I think, therefore I forget - using experimental simulation of dementia to understand functional cognitive disorders (8 pages) 30 Sep 2019 In: CNS Spectrums, pp. 1-8
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/S1092852919001329
Contribution to journal › Article (E-pub ahead of print)
Understanding foreign accent syndrome 2 Mar 2019 In: Journal of Neurology Neurosurgery & Psychiatry, pp. jnnp-2018-319842
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1136/jnnp-2018-319842
Contribution to journal › Article (E-pub ahead of print)
Attention and sensation in functional motor disorder Nov 2017 In: Neuropsychologia, vol. 106, pp. 207-215
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2017.09.031
Contribution to journal › Article (Published)
Chapter 28 – Functional coma 17 Oct 2016
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-801772-2.00028-X
Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Chapter (Published)
Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation as a treatment for Functional (Psychogenic) Upper Limb Weakness. Oct 2016 In: Journal of Psychosomatic Research, vol. 89, pp. 102-106
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpsychores.2016.08.010
Contribution to journal › Article (Published)
Functional neurological disorders : mechanisms and treatment 26 Sep 2015 In: Journal of Neurology
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00415-015-7893-2
Contribution to journal › Article (Published)
The body electric : a long view of electrical therapy for functional neurological disorders (8 pages) Apr 2015 In: Brain, vol. 138, no. Pt 4, pp. 1113-20
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/brain/awv009
Contribution to journal › Article (Published)

View all 9 publications on Research Explorer

This article was published on 4 Dec, 2019