Famke Asberg

• Role: PhD Candidate

After completing my master’s in Neuropsychology, I gained experience as a neuropsychologist working in both elderly care and rehabilitation. Alongside my clinical work, I also worked as a lecturer at Utrecht University, where I taught Neuropsychology and other Psychology courses.

I started my PhD project in 2025, focusing on improving rehabilitation strategies for cognitive and behavioral changes in people with ALS, PMA, and PLS. Up to 50% of patients experience cognitive and behavioral changes, such as apathy, rigidity and difficulties with planning. These symptoms negatively impact patients and family carers. However, they are often under-appreciated, as motor impairments receive greater clinical attention. Dutch ALS guidelines recommend psycho-education and support in the case of these symptoms, but do not specify how to monitor symptoms or tailor interventions. Our aim is to improve management of cognitive and behavioral dysfunction in ALS, PMA, and PLS. We will evaluate current approaches and synthesize evidence on the effectiveness of interventions. Subsequently, we will develop a toolbox of targeted interventions and formulate recommendations for monitoring. The toolbox will be evaluated and integrated into clinical practice.

My PhD supervisors are Dr. Teuni ten Brink (PI), Dr. Esther Kruitwagen-van Reenen, Prof. Dr. Anne Visser-Meily and Dr. Anita Beelen.

Project website: https://www.kcrutrecht.nl/project/cognitie-bij-als/