Faculty/Staff/PhD

Affiliated Faculty

 

Aryn Harrison Bush

Harrison Bush, Aryn, Ph.D.

Research Assistant Professor 

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Phone: 863-800-0835
Office: 3647 Innovation Drive, Lakeland, FL 33812

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Neurophysiology of Aging Laboratory

Optimal Aging & Brain Health Research Laboratory

Dr. Aryn Harrison Bush specializes in the cognitive neuroscience and neurophysiology of normative aging, mild cognitive impairment (MCI), and early-stage Alzheimer's disease and related dementias (ADRD). She is a Research Assistant Professor at the University of South Florida (USF), where she began her professional academic career in 2006. She is also a courtesy faculty member in the USF School of Aging Studies. Dr. Bush serves as a faculty Co-Investigator in the Neurophysiology of Aging and Cognitive Aging Laboratories. She also serves as co-director of the USF Optimal Aging and Brain Health Research laboratory. Her research interests center on optimal aging, brain health, and cognitive impairment. She examines aspects of normative cognitive aging and aging secondary to aberrant, degenerative disease processes. Dr. Bush’s program of research includes (1) innovative preventive and therapeutic techniques geared toward the promotion of brain health and cognition among cognitively healthy older adults, individuals with MCI, and individuals with early-stage AD; (2) elucidating the relationship between sensory processes (e.g., auditory processing) and cognition; and (3) the use of technology-based cognitive screening tools to detect (and monitor) impairment at the earliest possible juncture, when treatments and interventions are most likely to be effective. Dr. Bush serves as a Co-Investigator and site director on the National Institute on Aging-funded Preventing Alzheimer’s with Cognitive Training (PACT) clinical trial which is the largest primary prevention trial to date to examine the effects of computer-based cognitive training on dementia risk. Additionally, PACT recently expanded to include the examination of blood-based biomarkers among study participants.

Dr. Bush’s work values and promotes community engagement and impact. She served for several years on the Alzheimer's Association FGCC Board of Directors, acting as chairperson of the Board's Program Committee for two terms. Dr. Bush currently serves on the Stephanie Nicole Ross Foundation Executive Board and on the Board’s Scholarship Committee. 

Dr. Bush was recognized by USF’s Student Government Association as the USF Outstanding Faculty Member on two different occasions due to her unwavering commitment to academic excellence, scholarship, innovation, and community health impact.

Education
Ph.D. The University of Akron  2006
M.A. The University of Akron  2003
B.A. The University of Akron  2001

Selected Scholarly Activity 

Presentations:

  • Lister, J. J., O’Brien, J., Harrison Bush, A. L., & Edwards, J. D. (2022). Auditory Behavior of Older Adults With and Without Mild Cognitive Impairment: Differences in the Right Ear Advantage. American Speech Language Hearing Association Convention, New Orleans, LA.
  • Lister, J. J., *Julbe-Delgado, Diana, Harrison Bush, A. L., & O’Brien, J. (2019). Hearing and Cognition: Relationships and Implications for Practice. American Speech-Language Hearing Association Convention, Orlando, FL.

Posters:

  • Lister, J. J., Harrison Bush, A. L., Conover, L., Sadeq, N., & O’Brien, J. (2023). Does Hearing Loss Moderate the Relationship Between Cognition and Depression? Gerontological Society of America (GSA) 2023 Annual Scientific Meeting, Tampa, FL.
  • Morgan, D., Harrison Bush, A. L., Houseknecht, A., O’Brien, J., & Edwards, J. D. (2019). Study Design for Preventing Alzheimer’s with Cognitive Training: The PACT Trial. Clinical Trials on Alzheimer’s Disease Conference, San Diego, CA.
  • Bell, K., Lister, J. J., O’Brien, J., Harrison Bush, A. L., & Conter, R. (2019). P3b Responses in Older Adults with Probable Mild Cognitive Impairment. American Academy of Audiology Conference, Columbus, OH.
  • Sadeq, N. A., Valdés, E. G., Harrison Bush, A. L., & Andel, R. (2018). Implementing Monthly Cognitive Monitoring Among Older Adults: Lessons from a One-Year Pilot Study. Gerontological Society of America 2018 Annual Scientific Meeting, Boston, MA.

Publications:

  • Bell, K. L., Lister, J. J., Conter, R., Harrison Bush, A. L., O’Brien, J. L. (2021). Cognitive event-related potential responses differentiate older adults with and without probable mild cognitive impairment. Experimental Aging Research, doi: 10.1080/0361073X.2020.1861838.
  • Edwards, J. D., Lister, J. J., Elias, M. N., Tetlow, A. M., Sardina, A. L., Sadeq, N. A., Brandino, A. D.  & Harrison Bush, A. L. (2017). Auditory processing of older adults with probable mild cognitive impairment.  Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research, 60, 1427-1435. doi: 10.1044/2016_JSLHR-H-16-0066.
  • Lister, J. J., Harrison Bush, A. L., Andel, R., *Matthews, C. R., & Edwards, J. D. (2016). Cortical auditory evoked responses of older adults with and without mild cognitive impairment. Clinical Neurophysiology, 127, 1279-1287. doi: 10.1016/j.clinph.2015.11.007.
  • Valdés, E. G., Andel, R., Lister, J. J., Gamaldo, A., Harrison Bush, A. L., & Edwards, J. D. (2016). The efficacy of cognitive speed of processing training among older adults with psychometrically-defined mild cognitive impairment. Alzheimer’s & Dementia: The Journal of the Alzheimer’s Association, 12(7), 426-427. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jalz.2016.06.812 .  
  • Valdés, E. G., Sadeq, N. A., Harrison Bush, A. L., Morgan, D., & Andel, R. (2016). Regular cognitive self-monitoring in community-dwelling older adults using an internet-based tool. Journal of Clinical and Experimental Neuropsychology, 38(9), 1026-1037. doi: 10.1080/13803395.2016.1186155. 
  • Harrison Bush, A. L., Lister, J. J., Lin, F. R., Betz, J., & Edwards, J. D. (2015). Peripheral hearing and cognition: Evidence from the Staying Keen in Later Life (SKILL) study. Ear and Hearing, 36(4), 395-407. doi: 10.1097/AUD.0000000000000142.