Degenerative & Chronic Diseases, Movement

Prof. Dr. med. Notger Müller has been the new FGW Professor for Degenerative and Chronic Diseases, Movement at the University of Potsdam since 01. October 2021.

The professorship team is active nationally and internationally in the field of research on degenerative and chronic diseases with a focus on therapy and prevention through physical activity.
One focus of the professorship is the work on mechanisms, dose-response and efficiency of physical activity in patients of all age groups.

In addition, Prof. Dr. Müller is involved in the new FGW master’s program in Public Health, Exercise and Nutrition, which is currently in the accreditation process and expected to start in the 2022/2023 winter semester.

Prof. Dr. Notger Müller
Prof. Dr. Notger Müller
Dean/ Head of the Professorship for Degenerative and Chronic Diseases, Movement
phone: +49 331 977 203140

Location: University of Potsdam, Am Mühlenberg 9, Building 62 (H-Lab), Office 204, 14476 Potsdam – Golm

Research Focus Areas

  • Personalized prevention of degenerative and chronic diseases
  • Neuroplasticity in healthy and damaged brains
  • Modification of health behavior
  • Early diagnosis of neurodegenerative diseases
  • Interaction of memory and attention

Dr. rer. medic. Fabian Herold
Dr. rer. medic. Fabian Herold
Associate Researcher
phone: +49 331 977 213858
Dr. rer. medic. Milos Dordevic
Dr. rer. medic. Milos Dordevic
Associate Researcher
phone: +49 331 977 297253
Paula Theobald, M. Sc.
Paula Theobald, M. Sc.
Associate Researcher
Asst. Prof. Dr. Egemen Manci
Asst. Prof. Dr. Egemen Manci
Guest Researcher
Miriam Londoño
Miriam Londoño
Medical technical assistant
phone: +49 (0)331 977 256376
  • PD Dr. Dr. Bernhard Baier, Edith-Stein-Fachklinik Rehaklinik für Neurologie und Orthopädie, Bad Bergzabern
  • Prof. Dr. Marianne Dieterich, FANA, Neurologische Klinik und Poliklinik & Deutsches Schwindel- und Gleichgewichtszentrum -IFB, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität, München
  • Prof. Anita Hökelmann, Institut für Sportwissenschaften, Otto-von-Guericke Universität Magdeburg
  • Prof. Jens-Max Hopf, Visual Attention and Perceptual Learning Group, Leibniz Institute for Neurobiology, Magdeburg
  • Prof. Thomas Gronwald, Institute of Interdisciplinary Exercise Science and Sports Medicine, MSH Medical School Hamburg
  • Prof. Liye Zou, Body-Brain-Mind Laboratory, School of Psychology, Shenzhen University, China

Current publications (selection)

All publications can also be found on https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5483-6423

2022

Herold F, Behrendt T, Meissner C, Müller NG, Schega L (2022). The Influence of Acute Sprint Interval Training on Cognitive Performance of Healthy Younger Adults. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. DOI: 10.3390/ijerph19010613

2021

Herold F, Behrendt T, Torpel A, Hamacher D, Müller NG, Schega L. Cortical hemodynamics as a function of handgrip strength and cognitive performance: a cross-sectional fNIRS study in younger adults. BMC Neurosci. 2021;22(1):10.

Müller P, Vellage AK, Schmicker M, Müller NG. Structural MRI of the basal forebrain as predictor of cognitive response to galantamine in healthy older adults – a randomized controlled double-blinded crossover study. Alzheimer’s & Dementia Translational Research & Clinical Interventions 2021.

Keute M, Demirezen M, Graf A, Müller NG, Zaehle T. No modulation of pupil size and event-related pupil response by transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation (taVNS). Scientific Reports. In press.

Baier B; Cuvenhaus HS; Müller NG; Birklein F; Dieterich M (2021): The importance of the insular cortex for vestibular and spatial syndromes. In: European journal of neurology. DOI: 10.1111/ene.14660.

Grässler B; Herold F; Dordevic M; Gujar TA; Darius S; Böckelmann I; Müller NG et al. (2021): Multimodal measurement approach to identify individuals with mild cognitive impairment: study protocol for a cross-sectional trial. In: BMJ open. DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2020-046879.

Li L; Yu Q; Zhao W; Herold F; Cheval B; Kong Z; Müller NG et al. (2021): Physical Activity and Inhibitory Control: The Mediating Role of Sleep Quality and Sleep Efficiency. In: Brain sciences. DOI: 10.3390/brainsci11050664.

Dordevic M; Sulzer S; Barche D; Dieterich M; Arens D; Müller NG (2021): Chronic, Mild Vestibulopathy Leads to Deficits in Spatial Tasks that Rely on Vestibular Input While Leaving Other Cognitive Functions and Brain Volumes Intact. In: Life. DOI: 10.3390/life11121369.

Schmicker M; Menze I; Schneider C; Taubert M; Zaehle T; Müller NG (2021): Making the rich richer: Frontoparietal tDCS enhances transfer effects of a single-session distractor inhibition training on working memory in high capacity individuals but reduces them in low capacity individuals. In: NeuroImage. DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2021.118438

Trabelsi K; Ammar A; Masmoudi L; Boukhris O; Chtourou H; Bouaziz B; Müller NG et al. (2021): Sleep Quality and Physical Activity as Predictors of Mental Wellbeing Variance in Older Adults during COVID-19 Lockdown: ECLB COVID-19 International Online Survey. In: International journal of environmental research and public health. DOI: 10.3390/ijerph18084329.

Yu Q; Cheval B; Becker B; Herold F; Chan CCH; Delevoye-Turrell YN; Müller NG et al. (2021): Episodic Memory Encoding and Retrieval in Face-Name Paired Paradigm: An fNIRS Study. In: Brain sciences. DOI: 10.3390/brainsci11070951.

Zhu L; Yu Q; Herold F; Cheval B; Dong X; Cui L; Müller NG et al. (2021): Brain Structure, Cardiorespiratory Fitness, and Executive Control Changes after a 9-Week Exercise Intervention in Young Adults: A Randomized Controlled Trial. In: Life (Basel, Switzerland). DOI: 10.3390/life11040292.

Ammar A; Boukhris O; Halfpaap N; Labott BK; Langhans C; Herold F;..Müller NG et al. (2021): Four Weeks of Detraining Induced by COVID-19 Reverse Cardiac Improvements from Eight Weeks of Fitness-Dance Training in Older Adults with Mild Cognitive Impairment. In: International journal of environmental research and public health. DOI: 10.3390/ijerph18115930.

Ammar A; Trabelsi K; Brach M; Chtourou H; Boukhris O; Masmoudi L; Müller NG et al. (2021): Effects of home confinement on mental health and lifestyle behaviours during the COVID-19 outbreak: insights from the ECLB-COVID19 multicentre study. In: Biology of sport. DOI: 10.5114/biolsport.2020.96857.

Merkel C, Bartsch MV, Schoenfeld MA, Vellage AK, Müller NG, Hopf JM (2021). A direct neural measure of variable precision representations in visual working memory. J Neurophysiol. 2021 Oct 1;126(4):1430-1439. doi: 10.1152/jn.00230.2021

Franchi MV, Badiali F, Sarto F, Müller P, Müller NG, Rehfeld K, Monti E, Rankin D, Longo S, Lund J, Hökelmann A, and Narici MV (2021). Neuromuscular aging: a case for the neuroprotective effects of dancing Journal of Gerontology: Biological Sciences.

Klaus B, Müller P, van Wickeren Nora, Dordevic M, Schmicker M, Zdunczyk Y, Brigadski T, Leßmann V, Vielhaber S, Schreiber S, Müller NG (2021). Structural and functional brain alterations in patients with myasthenia gravis. Brain Communications.

2020

Cai K, Yu Q, Herold F, Liu Z, Wang J, Zhu L, Müller NG et al. Mini-Basketball Training Program Improves Social Communication and White Matter Integrity in Children with Autism. Brain Sci. 2020;10(11).

Cui J, Zou L, Herold F, Yu Q, Jiao C, Zhang Y, Müller NG et al. Does Cardiorespiratory Fitness Influence the Effect of Acute Aerobic Exercise on Executive Function? Front Hum Neurosci. 2020;14:569010.

Dordevic M, Taubert M, Müller P, Riemer M, Kaufmann J, Hokelmann A, Müller NG. Which Effects on Neuroanatomy and Path-Integration Survive? Results of a Randomized Controlled Study on Intensive Balance Training. Brain Sci. 2020;10(4).

Herold F, Hamacher D, Torpel A, Goldschmidt L, Müller NG, Schega L. Does squatting need attention? A dual-task study on cognitive resources in resistance exercise. PLoS One. 2020;15(1):e0226431.

Yue C, Yu Q, Zhang Y, Herold F, Mei J, Kong Z, Müller NG et al. Regular Tai Chi Practice Is Associated With Improved Memory as Well as Structural and Functional Alterations of the Hippocampus in the Elderly. Front Aging Neurosci. 2020;12:586770.

Ammar A, Müller P, Khaled T,…,Müller NG, Hökelmann A. Psychological consequences of COVID-19 home confinement: The ECLB-COVID19 multicenter study. PLoS ONE 2020

2019

Rumpf U, Menze I, Müller NG, Schmicker M. Investigating the Potential Role of Ecological Validity on Change-Detection Memory Tasks and Distractor Processing in Younger and Older Adults. Front Psychol. 2019;10:1046.

Schmicker M, Menze I, Koch D, Rumpf U, Müller P, Pelzer L, Müller NG. Decision-Making Deficits in Elderly Can Be Alleviated by Attention Training. J Clin Med. 2019;8(8).

Vellage AK, Müller P, Schmicker M, Hopf JM, Müller NG. High Working Memory Capacity at the Cost of Precision? Brain Sci. 2019;9(9).

2018

Becke A, Müller P, Dordevic M, Lessmann V, Brigadski T, Müller NG. Daily Intermittent Normobaric Hypoxia Over 2 Weeks Reduces BDNF Plasma Levels in Young Adults – A Randomized Controlled Feasibility Study. Front Physiol. 2018;9:1337.

Dordevic M, Schrader R, Taubert M, Müller P, Hokelmann A, Müller NG. Vestibulo-Hippocampal Function Is Enhanced and Brain Structure Altered in Professional Ballet Dancers. Front Integr Neurosci. 2018;12:50.

Dordevic M, Taubert M, Müller P, Kaufmann J, Hokelmann A, Müller NG. Brain Gray Matter Volume Is Modulated by Visual Input and Overall Learning Success but Not by Time Spent on Learning a Complex Balancing Task. J Clin Med. 2018;8(1).

Müller NG, Riemer M, Brandt L, Wolbers T. Author Correction: Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation reveals a causal role of the human precuneus in spatial updating. Sci Rep. 2018;8(1):13720.

Rehfeld K, Luders A, Hokelmann A, Lessmann V, Kaufmann J, Brigadski T, Müller NG. Dance training is superior to repetitive physical exercise in inducing brain plasticity in the elderly. PLoS One. 2018;13(7):e0196636.

2017

Dordevic M, Hokelmann A, Müller P, Rehfeld K, Müller NG. Improvements in Orientation and Balancing Abilities in Response to One Month of Intensive Slackline-Training. A Randomized Controlled Feasibility Study. Front Hum Neurosci. 2017;11:55.          

Dordevic M, Müller-Fotti A, Müller P, Schmicker M, Kaufmann J, Müller NG. Optimal Cut-Off Value for Locus Coeruleus-to-Pons Intensity Ratio as Clinical Biomarker for Alzheimer’s Disease: A Pilot Study. J Alzheimers Dis Rep. 2017;1(1):159-67.

Goerke M, Sobieray U, Becke A, Duzel E, Cohrs S, Müller NG. Successful physical exercise-induced weight loss is modulated by habitual sleep duration in the elderly: results of a pilot study. J Neural Transm (Vienna). 2017;124(Suppl 1):153-62.

Herold F, Orlowski K, Bormel S, Müller NG. Cortical activation during balancing on a balance board. Hum Mov Sci. 2017;51:51-8.

Müller P, Rehfeld K, Schmicker M, Hokelmann A, Dordevic M, Lessmann V, Müller NG. Evolution of Neuroplasticity in Response to Physical Activity in Old Age: The Case for Dancing. Front Aging Neurosci. 2017;9:56.

Rehfeld K, Müller P, Aye N, Schmicker M, Dordevic M, Kaufmann J, Müller NG. Dancing or Fitness Sport? The Effects of Two Training Programs on Hippocampal Plasticity and Balance Abilities in Healthy Seniors. Front Hum Neurosci. 2017;11:305.

Schmicker M, Müller P, Schwefel M, Müller NG. Attentional Filter Training but Not Memory Training Improves Decision-Making. Front Hum Neurosci. 2017;11:138.

Joint faculty
The University of Potsdam, the Brandenburg Medical School Theodor Fontane and the Brandenburg Technical University Cottbus-Senftenberg