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Melanie Lucas

Melanie Lucas

Health Sciences Assistant Clinical Professor, Department of Neurology, School of Medicine

Biography

Melanie Lucas, Ph.D., is a Health Sciences Assistant Clinical Professor in the Department of Neurology at the University of California, Irvine. She received her Ph.D. in psychology from Yeshiva University in 2020, followed by a postdoctoral fellowship at VA Long Beach Healthcare System from 2020 to 2022. Lucas is a licensed psychologist in California and works as a clinical neuropsychologist specializing in epilepsy, neurodegenerative disorders, and cognitive aging.

Lucas has contributed to research examining brain structure and function in aging populations, with publications in journals such as the Journal of Gerontology: Biological Sciences and Neuroimage. Her work has explored the relationship between white matter integrity and brain activation during dual-task walking in older adults. She has also participated in clinical trials ranging from magnetic seizure therapy for depression to investigational treatments for drug-resistant epilepsy, serving roles from study coordinator to sub-investigator.

Lucas maintains active involvement in neuropsychology training at UC Irvine, where she supervises practicum students and, as of 2025, postdoctoral fellows. She has provided didactic instruction on topics including the neuropsychology of epilepsy and Parkinson's disease. Lucas is a member of the International Neuropsychological Society, National Academy of Neuropsychology, and American Academy of Clinical Neuropsychology, and participates in the INS Dementia and Epilepsy Special Interest Groups.

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Education

  • B.Psych in Psychology, Charles Sturt University, 2013
  • M.A., Yeshiva University, 2017
  • Ph.D., Yeshiva University, 2020
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Distinctions

  • Dr. Morton Berger Memorial Prize for Excellence in Research, 2020
  • New York Neuropsychology Group – Graduate Student Research Award, 2018-2019
  • Ferkauf Graduate School Scholarship, 2015-2019
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Areas of Expertise

  • Clinical Neuropsychology
  • Dual-Task Walking Brain Activation
  • White Matter Integrity Moderation
  • Cognitive Aging Patterns
  • Epilepsy Surgical Prehabilitation
  • Psychogenic Non-Epileptic Seizures
  • Amygdala-Hippocampal Beta Synchrony

Recent Publications

  • Lucas, M., Wagshul, M. E., Holtzer, R., “Sex-based differences in brain activation during active walking according to white matter integrity”, 2020. Presented at International Neuropsychological Society 48th Annual Meeting, Denver, CO, February 5-8, 2020.
  • Wagshul, M. E., Lucas, M., Ye, K., Izzetoglu, M., Holtzer, R., “Multi-modal neuroimaging of dual-task walking: Structural MRI and fNIRS analysis reveals prefrontal grey matter volume moderation of brain activation in older adults” (opens in new tab), Neuroimage, vol. 189, pp. 745-754, 2019.
  • Ravdin, L. D., Lucas, M., Katzen H. L., “Idiopathic normal pressure hydrocephalus”, Handbook of the Neuropsychology of Aging and Dementia (2nd ed.), Springer, 2019.
  • Lucas, M., Wagshul, M. E., Holtzer, R., “Moderating effect of white matter integrity on intraindividual variation during verbal fluency in older adults”, 2019. Presented at International Neuropsychological Society 47th Annual Meeting, New York, NY, February 20-23, 2019.
  • Lucas, M., Wagshul, M. E., Izzetoglu, M., Holtzer, R., “Moderating effect of white matter integrity on brain activation during dual-task walking in older adults” (opens in new tab), Journal of Gerontology: Biological Sciences, 2018.
  • Lucas, M., Wagshul, M. E., Izzetoglu, M., Holtzer, R., “Moderating effect of corpus callosum white matter on brain activation during dual-task walking in older adults”, 2018. Presented at National Association of Neuropsychology 38th Annual Conference, New Orleans, LA, October 17-20, 2018.
  • Rowny, S. B., Lucas, M., “Other brain stimulation methods”, Kaplan and Sadock's Comprehensive Textbook of Psychiatry (10th ed.), Wolters Klewin, 2017.
  • Lucas, M., “Moderating effect of tract-specific white matter integrity on brain activation during dual-task walking in older adults”, 2017. Presented at Integrated Divisions of Cognitive and Motor Aging (Neurology) and Geriatrics (Medicine) Winter Research Symposium, Bronx, NY, December 7, 2017.
  • Lucas, M., Holtzer, R., Blumen, M., “Moderating effect of white matter integrity on cortical activation during dual-task walking”, 2017. Presented at Cognitive Neuroscience Society Annual meeting, San Francisco, CA, March 25-28, 2017.
  • Lucas, M., Choi, J., Fiszdon, J. M., Srihari, V. H., Deasy, M., Callaghan, J, Haber, L. C., Roberts, D. L., Horan, W. P., Assaf, M., Pearlson, G. D., “Mentalizing Ability in Individuals at Clinical High Risk for Psychosis: Comparisons to Schizophrenia and First Episode Psychosis”, 2016. Presented at Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies' 50th Annual Convention, New York, NY, October 27-30, 2016.
  • Lucas, M., “Moderating effect of white matter integrity on brain activation during dual-task walking”, 2016. Presented at Integrated Divisions of Cognitive and Motor Aging (Neurology) and Geriatrics (Medicine) Winter Research Symposium, Bronx, NY, December 9, 2016.
  • Tyson, G., Lucas, M., Castillo, P., “Impact of context on attributions of rape victim culpability: are online dating victims blamed more?”, Violence in Clinical Psychiatry—Proceedings of the 9th European Congress on Violence in Clinical Psychiatry, Kavanah, Dwingeloo & Oud Consultancy, 2015. Presented at 9th European Congress on Violence in Clinical Psychiatry.
  • Curcio, N., Fiszdon, J.M., Lysaker, P.H., Twamley, E.W., Wilkins, K., Kirwin, P., Devanand, D.P., Mervis, J.E., Bisoglio, J., Lucas, M., Choi, J., “Cognitive behavioral therapy to enhance cognitive rehabilitation efficacy in Alzheimer's disease”, 2015. Presented at International Neuropsychological Society, Denver, CO.
  • Lucas, M., Mervis, J. E., Corcoran, C., Dixon, L., Choi, J., “Psychological predictors of motivation and treatment attendance in adolescents at clinical high risk for psychosis”, 2015. Presented at 15th International Congress on Schizophrenia Research, Colorado Springs, CO.
  • Lucas, M., Mervis, J. E., Fiszdon, J. M., Roberts, D., Horan, W., Choi, J., “Mentalizing ability in individuals at clinical high risk for psychosis”, 2015. Presented at 15th International Congress on Schizophrenia Research, Colorado Springs, CO.
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Contact Information

Email: mlucas3@uci.edu

Phone: (714) 456-8311

Address: 200 S. Manchester, Room 2065, Orange, CA 92868

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This profile was created with the help of AI.

Last updated on 3/19/2026.