Personal profile
Biography
Dissociation between the processing of nouns/objects & verbs/actions, crosscultural and crosslinguistic aspects of cognitive evaluation, cognitive & linguistic symptoms in neurodegenerative diseases (Motor Neuron Disease/MND, Corticobasal Degeneration/CBD, Progressive Supranuclear Palsy/PSP, Primary Progressive Aphasia, ALS/Parkinsonism/Dementia Complex of Guam).
Research Interests
- The relationship between language, cognition and movement in neurodegenerative brain diseases (in particular Motor Neuron Disease (MND), Progressive Supranuclear Palsy (PSP), Corticobasal Degeneration (CBD) and Frontotemporal Dementia (FTD)
- Dissociation between the processing of verbs/actions and nouns/objects
- Cognitive assessment of dementias in different cultural and linguistic environments, cross-linguistic studies of aphasia and the impact of bilingualism on cognitive functions
- Cognitive aspects of Multiple Sclerosis
Biography
Research Groups
President of the World Federation of Neurology Research Group on Aphasia and Cognitive Disorders WFN RG ACD (Since May 2010):
Qualifications
1988 Degree in medicine (“Staatsexamen”) at the University of Hamburg (Germany)
1991 Doctoral Thesis "Acute Aphasias", at the University of Freiburg im Breisgau (Germany), completed with “Magna cum laude”
Teaching
Since 2011 - Cognitive Assessment and Dementia for Medical Students
Since 2010 - Organisation and teaching at international courses of cognitive neurology for clinicians, supported by the World Federation of Neurology; completed courses in Hyderabad (2010) and Kolkata (2012), planned courses in 2012 in Beijing and in 2013 in Cali (Colombia) and Bangalore
2008-2011 - Frontotemporal Dementias. Clinical Psychology Course, Tunbridge Wells.
Nominated for teaching award in 2009/10 and 2010/11.
Administrative Roles
Since 2010 - Designed (and since course organiser of) the new Y4 Tutorial Course
Since 2008 – Established (and since organiser of) PPLS Interdisciplinary Seminars
Since 2007 – Convenor of the Colloquium CommitteeSince 2007 - Course organiser of Biological Psychology (Year 3), Literature Review (Year 3) and Disorders of Language Functions (MSc)
Websites
Keywords
- RZ Other systems of medicine
- Cognitive Neurology
- Behavioural Neurology
- Aphasia
- Neurodegeneration
- Motor Cognition
Research Themes and Networks
- Health & Wellbeing
- Cultural Heritage
- Identities & Inequalities
- Edinburgh Mental Health Network
Fingerprint
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Collaborations and top research areas from the last five years
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Healthy linguistic diet: A framework for people, planet and social justice
Bak, T. H. & Mehmedbegović-Smith, D., Oct 2025, In: European Journal of Language Policy. 17, 2, p. 165 - 188 24 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open AccessFile -
How language proficiency and age of acquisition affect executive control in bilinguals: Continuous versus dichotomous analysis approaches
Xia, L., Sorace, A., Vega-Mendoza, M. & Bak, T., Aug 2025, In: Bilingualism: Language and Cognition. 28, 4, p. 1163-1176 14 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open AccessFile -
The effect of language proficiency, usage, and exposure on cognitive control: A study in early adulthood Chinese learners of English
Xia, L., Sorace, A., Vega-Mendoza, M., Deng, X. & Bak, T., 23 Jan 2025, (E-pub ahead of print) In: International Journal of Bilingualism. 30, 1, p. 249-266 18 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open AccessFile -
The 2022 symposium on dementia and brain aging in low- and middle-income countries: Highlights on research, diagnosis, care and impact
Kalaria, R., Maestre, G., Mahinrad, S., Acosta, D., Akinyemi, R. O., Alladi, S., Allegri, R. F., Arshad, F., Babalola, D. O., Baiyewu, O., Bak, T. H., Bellaj, T., Brodie-Mends, D. K., Carrillo, M. C., Celestin, K.-K.-M., Damasceno, A., de Silva, R. K., de Silva, R., Djibuti, M. & Dreyer, A. J. & 62 others, , Jun 2024, In: Alzheimer's & Dementia: The Journal of the Alzheimer's Association. 20, 6, p. 4290-4314Research output: Contribution to journal › Review article › peer-review
Open AccessFile -
Language learning for people living with dementia and their caregivers: Feasibility and the quality of experience
Vega Mendoza, M., Norval, R. S., Blankinship, B. & Bak, T., Apr 2024, In: Healthcare. 12, 7, 717.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open AccessFile
Activities
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Open Lecture Series: How to love learning of languages
Bak, T. (Invited speaker) & Skarabela, B. (Contributor)
4 Dec 2023Activity: Participating in or organising an event types › Public Engagement – Festival/Exhibition
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Healthy Linguistic Diet: what languages can contribute to wellbeing in healthy ageing, stroke and dementia.
Bak, T. (Invited speaker)
26 Oct 2023Activity: Academic talk or presentation types › Invited talk
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Language Learning from a Cognitive scientist’s perspective
Bak, T. (Invited speaker)
24 Oct 2023Activity: Academic talk or presentation types › Invited talk
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Learning Languages in 21st Century: a cognitive neuroscientist’s perspective.
Bak, T. (Keynote speaker)
22 Oct 2023Activity: Academic talk or presentation types › Invited talk
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Cabaret of Dangerous Ideas
Bak, T. (Speaker)
27 Aug 2023Activity: Participating in or organising an event types › Public Engagement – Public lecture/debate/seminar
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Stochastic PDEs meet QFT: Large deviations, Uhlenbeck compactness, and Yang–Mills
Chevyrev, I. (Principal Investigator), Bak, T. (Co-investigator), Elvira Arregui, V. (Co-investigator), MacPherson, S. E. (Co-investigator), Pak, N. (Co-investigator) & Perkins, C. (Co-investigator)
1/09/24 → 31/08/26
Project: Research
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God, Language, and Diversity: Spiritual Flourishing in Neurodiverse and Multilingual Communities
Eglinton, J. (Principal Investigator) & Bak, T. (Co-investigator)
1/03/24 → 30/11/26
Project: Research
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Multiscale data-driven failure prediction of hydrogen composite vessels under static and dynamic impact loading
Yang, D. (Principal Investigator), Bak, T. (Co-investigator), Elvira Arregui, V. (Co-investigator), Haeri, S. (Co-investigator), Li, W. (Co-investigator), MacPherson, S. E. (Co-investigator), Pak, N. (Co-investigator) & Perkins, C. (Co-investigator)
18/09/23 → 17/09/25
Project: Research
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Supporting children with language disorders in primary Gaelic-medium schools
Chondrogianni, V. (Principal Investigator) & Bak, T. (Co-investigator)
18/09/17 → 17/09/18
Project: Research
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ESRC Impact Grant: The impact of language learning in early dementia on well-being, confidence, and cognitive functions in patients and on the satisfaction and empowerment of the carers
Bak, T. (Principal Investigator)
1/06/17 → 31/03/18
Project: University Awarded Project Funding
Press/Media
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Naoi gu Deich - Cèiliche na Seachdainne
Nicholson, C., Eglinton, J. & Bak, T.
25/06/25
1 Media contribution
Press/Media: Public Engagement Activities
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Gaelic speakers and Polish speakers sought for exciting new study
Nicholson, C., Eglinton, J. & Bak, T.
6/06/25 → 9/06/25
2 items of Media coverage
Press/Media: Press Release
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Bilingualism Matters - Voice of Islam Radio
26/09/24
1 Media contribution
Press/Media: Public Engagement Activities
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