Degrees:B.A. Sociology, University of Minnesota (1967); Ph.D. Psychology, specialty in Developmental Psychology, University of Rochester (1974)
Research Interests:
Cardiovascular risk factors as precursors of poor cognitive functioning in middle and late age.
Psychosocial determinants of cognitive performance in adults.
Professional Activities:
Member, Council on Epidemiology and Prevention, Council on Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Metabolism of the American Heart Association.
Adjunct Associate Research Professor of Psychology, University of Maine.
Visiting Academic, Radcliffe Infirmary (OPTIMA project), University of Oxford.
Formerly, Managing Editor, Experimental Aging Research and Gerodontology; President, Beech Hill Publishing Company
Honors and Awards:
NIH/NIA Postdoctoral Fellow, Syracuse University (1974-1976).
Principal Investigator, NIH/NIA Special Career Emphasis Award, “Age, hypertension, and cognitive functioning” (1994-1999).
Selected Publications:
Elias, M.F., Elias, P.K., Robbins, M.A., Wolf, P.A., &D’Agostino, R.B. (in press). Cardiovascular risk factors and cognitive functioning: An epidemiological perspective. In S.Waldstein & M.F. Elias (Eds.), Neuropsychology of Cardiovascular Disease. Hillsdale, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum.
Elias, P.K., Elias, M.F., D’Agostino, R.B., Cobb, J., & Wolf, P.A. (1999). Alcohol consumption and cognitive performance in the Framingham Heart Study. American Journal of Epidemiology, 105, 580-589.
Elias, M. F., Elias, P. K., D'Agostino, R. B., Cobb, J., Wolf, P. A. (1999). Comparative effects of age and blood pressure on neuropsychological test performance. In S. Manuck, A. Baum, J. R. Jennings, R. Schultz, & B.S. Rabin (Eds.), Behavior, health and aging (pp. 199-223). Hillsdale, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum.
Elias, M. F., Robbins, M. A., Elias, P. K., & Streeten, D. H. P. (1998). A longitudinal analysis of blood pressure and hypertension in relation to performance scores on the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale. Health Psychology, 17, 486-493.
Elias, P. K., Elias, M. F., D'Agostino, R. B., Cupples, L. A., Wilson, P. W., Silbershatz, H., & Wolf, P. A. (1997). NIDDM and blood pressure as risk factors for poor cognitive performance: The Framingham Study. Diabetes Care, 10(9), 1388-1399.
Elias, M. F., Elias, P. K., D'Agostino, R. B., Silbershatz, H., & Wolf, P. A. (1997). Role of age, education, and gender on cognitive performance in the Framingham Heart Study: Community-based norms. Experimental Aging Research, 23(3), 201-236
Elias, M. F., & Elias, P. K. (1997). Active life expectancy: Conceptual model for research on competency? In S. Willis, K.W. Schaie, & M. Haward (Eds.). Societal mechanisms for maintaining competence in old age (pp. 35-49). New York: Springer.
Elias, M.F., Robbins, M.A., & Elias, P.K. (1996) A 15-year longitudinal study of Halstead-Reitan Neuropsychological Test performance. Journal of Gerontology, 51B, P331-P334.
Elias, P. K., D'Agostino, R. B., Elias, M. F., & Wolf, P. A. (1995). Blood pressure,
hypertension and age as risk factors for poor cognitive performance. Experimental Aging
Research, 21, 393-417.
Elias, M. F., Elias, P. K., Cobb, J., D'Agostino, R. B., White, L. R., & Wolf, P. A. (1995). Blood pressure affects cognitive functioning: The Framingham studies revisited. In J. E. Dimsdale & A. Baum (Eds.). Quality of life and behavioral medicine research (pp. 121-143). Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum.
Elias, J.W., Elias, M.F., & Elias, P.K. (1993). The distinction between normal aging and disease in the study of cognitive processing in again. In J. Sinott & J. Cavenaugh (Eds.). Bridging paradigms: Positive development in adulthood and cognitive aging. New York:
Praeger.
