Ashley F. Curtis, PhD

Ashley Curtis, PhD
Assistant Professor

573-884-7487

Profile

Dr. Curtis’ research focuses on the bidirectional associations between sleep and cognition in healthy and pathological aging populations. Current research investigates how cognitive training paradigms impact sleep and cognition. She is also interested in sex differences and other risk factors (e.g., pain, medication) that alter sleep and cognitive profiles across the lifespan. She employs clinical, behavioral, and neuroscience methods to examine novel research questions in these areas.

Cognition, Aging, Sleep, and Health Lab

Academic Information

Assistant Professor

Office

1 Hospital Drive
RM PC3015
Columbia, MO 65212
United States

P. 573-884-7487

Research Interests

  • Cognitive Aging
  • Cognitive Interventions
  • Sleep
  • Sex Differences

Areas of Expertise

  • Cognition
  • Sleep Research
  • Meta-Analyses
  • Sex Differences in Neurodegeneration

Education & Training

PhD

2017 York University

MA

2010 York University

BSc (Honors)

2007 York University

Awards & Honors

  • Member, American Academy of Sleep Medicine - 2018-present
  • Member, Sleep Research Society - 2018-present
  • American Academy of Sleep Medicine Young Investigator Research Forum, Funded Attendee - 2019
  • Sleep Research Society Trainee Grant Writing Workshop Award - 2018
  • MU Postdoctoral Association Travel Grant Award - 2018
  • Canadian Institutes of Health Research Student Travel Award - 2016
  • Council of Canadian Departments of Psychology Teaching Assistantship Award - 2014

In the News

Sleep, Aging, and Cognition with guest Dr. Ashley Curtis

Publications

  • Miller, M. B., Carpenter, R. W., Freeman, L. K., Curtis, A. F., Yurasek, A. M., & McCrae, C. S. (in press). Cannabis use as a moderator of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia.  Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine. https://doi.org/10.5664/jcsm.97      
  • Curtis, A. F., Schmiedeler*, A., Musich*, M., Connell*, M., Miller, M. B., & McCrae, C. S. (2022). COVID-19 related anxiety and cognition in middle-aged and older adults: Examining sex as a moderator.  Psychological Reports. https://doi.org/10.1177/00332941211064820
  • McCrae, C. S., Mazurek, M. O., Curtis, A. F., Beversdorf, D. Q., Deroche, C. B., Sohl, K. A., Ner, Z. H., Davis, B. E., Stearns, M. A., & Nair, N. (in press).
    Protocol for Targeting Insomnia in School Aged Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Randomized Controlled Trial.
    BMJ Open.
  • McCrae, C. S., Craggs, J. G., Curtis, A. F., Nair, N., Kay, D., Staud, R., Berry, R. B., & Robinson, M. E. (2021).
    Neural activation changes following cognitive behavioral therapy for patients with comorbid fibromyalgia and insomnia: A pilot study.
    Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine. https://doi.org/10.5664/jcsm.9540
  • Curtis, A. F., Rodgers*, M., Miller, M. B., & McCrae, C. S. (2021).
    Impact of sex on COVID-19 media exposure, anxiety and perceived risk in middle-aged and older adults.
    Journal of Aging and Health. https://doi.org/10.1177/08982643211025383
  • Roth, A. J., Curtis, A. F., Rowe, M. A., & McCrae, C. S. (2021).
    Using telehealth to deliver cognitive behavioral treatment of insomnia to a caregiver of a person with Alzheimer’s Disease.
    The Journal of Cognitive Psychotherapy: An International Quarterly.
  • McCrae, C. S., Curtis, A. F., Nair, N., Berry, J., Davenport, M., McGovney*, K., Berry, R. B., McCoy, K., Marsiske, M. (2021).
    Impact of a Brief Behavioral Treatment for Insomnia (BBTi) on Metacognition in Older Adults.
    Sleep Medicine, 80, 286-293. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sleep.2021.01.039
  • Miller, M.B., Curtis, A. F., Chan, W.S., Deroche, C. B., & McCrae, C. S. (2020).
    Daily associations between sleep and opioid use among adults with insomnia and chronic pain.
    Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine. https://doi.org/10.5664/jcsm.9002
  • McGovney*, K., Curtis, A. F., & McCrae, C. S. (2020).
    Associations between Objective Afternoon and Evening Physical Activity and Objective Sleep in Patients with Fibromyalgia and Insomnia.
    Journal of Sleep Research. https://doi.org/10.1111/jsr.13220         
  • Curtis, A. F., Dzierzewski, J. M., Buman, M. P., Giacobbi, P. R., Roberts, B. L., Aiken-Morgan, A. T., Marsiske, M., & McCrae, C. S. (in press).
    Preliminary Investigation of Interactive Associations of Sleep and Pain with Cognition in Sedentary Middle-aged and Older Adults.
    Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine. https://doi.org/10.5664/jcsm.8856
  • McCrae, C. S., Chan, W. S., Curtis, A. F., Nair, N., Deroche, C. B., Munoz, M., Takamatsu, S. M., McLean, D., Davenport, M., Muckerman, J., Takahashi, N., McCann, D., McGovney, K., Sahota, P., & Mazurek, M. O. (2020).
    Telehealth cognitive-behavioral therapy for insomnia in children with autism spectrum disorder: A pilot examining feasibility, satisfaction, and preliminary findings.
    Autism. https://doi.org/10.1177/1362361320949078
  • McCrae, C. S., Curtis, A. F., Craggs, J., Deroche, C., Sahota, P., Siva, C., Staud, R., & Robinson, M. E. (2020).
    Protocol for The Impact of CBT for Insomnia on Pain Symptoms and Central Sensitization in Fibromyalgia: A Randomized Controlled Trial.
    BMJ Open. http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2019-033760
  • Curtis, A. F., Roth, A. J., Sears, S. F., Conti, J. B., Berry, R. B., Dzierzewski, J. M., & McCrae, C. S. (2020).
    Associations between Pain, Objective Sleep Efficiency and Cognition in Patients with Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillators.
    Sleep Medicine. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sleep.2020.03.029
  • McCrae, C. S., Curtis, A. F., Miller, M. B., Nair, N., Rathinakumar, H.*, Davenport, M., Berry, J. R., McGovney, K.*, Staud, R., Berry, R., Robinson, M. (2020).
    Effect of cognitive behavioral therapy on sleep and opioid medication use in adults with fibromyalgia and insomnia.
    Journal of Sleep Research. https://doi.org/10.1111/jsr.13020
  • Yurasek, A. M., Miller, M. B., Pritshmann, R., Curtis, A. F., McCrae, C. S. (2020).
    Negative emotion as a mediator of the association between insomnia severity and marijuana problems in young adults.
    Journal of Sleep Research. https://doi.org/10.1111/jsr.12985
  • McCrae, C. S., Chan, W. S., Curtis, A. F., Deroche, C. B., Munoz, M.,Muckerman, J. E., Takahashi, N., McCann, D., McGovney, K., Sahota, P., Mazurek, M. O. (2019).
    Cognitive behavioral treatment of insomnia in school-aged children with autism spectrum disorder: A pilot feasibility study.
    Autism Research. https://doi.org/10.1002/aur.2204
  • McCrae, C. S., Curtis, A. F., Williams, J., Dautovich, N. D., McNamara, J. P. H., Stripling, A., Dzierzewski, J., Berry, R. B., McCoy, K., & Marsiske, M. (2019).
    Effects of brief behavioral treatment for insomnia on daily associations between self-reported sleep and objective cognition in older adults.
    Behavioral Sleep Medicine. https://doi.org/10.1080/15402002.2019.1632201
  • Curtis, A. F., Miller, M. B., Rathinakumar, H.*, Robinson, M., Staud, R., Berry, R. B., McCrae, C. S. (2019).
    Opioid use, pain intensity, age and sleep architecture in patients with fibromyalgia and insomnia.
    PAIN. http://dx.doi.org/10.1097/j.pain.0000000000001600
  • Curtis, A. F., Roth, A., Sears, S. F., Conti, J. B., Berry, R. B., Dzierzewski, J. M., Rathinakumar, H.*, & McCrae, C. S. (2018).
    Cognitive performance in patients with Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillators (ICDs): Associations with objective sleep duration, age and anxiety.
    Journal of Sleep Research. https://doi.org/10.1111/jsr.12810
  • McCrae, C. S., Williams, J., Roditi, D., Anderson, R., Mundt, J. M., Miller, M. B., Curtis, A. F., Waxenberg, L. B., Staud, R., Berry, R. B., & Robinson, M. E. (2018).
    Cognitive behavioral treatments for insomnia and pain in adults with comorbid chronic insomnia and fibromyalgia: The SPIN randomized controlled trial.
    SLEEP. https://doi.org/10.1093/sleep/zsy234
  • Curtis, A. F., Masellis, M., Camicioli, R., Davidson, H., & Tierney, M. C. (2018).
    Cognitive profile of non-demented Parkinson’s disease: Meta-analysis of domain and sex- specific deficits.
    Parkinsonism & Related Disorders. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.parkreldis.2018.10.014
  • Curtis, A. F., Williams, J. M., McCoy, K., & McCrae, C. S. (2018).
    Chronic pain, sleep, and cognition in older adults with insomnia: A daily multilevel analysis.
    Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine. 14,1765–1772. http://dx.doi.org/10.5664/jcsm.7392
  • Miller, M. B., Chan, W. S., Curtis, A. F., Boissoneault, J., Robinson, M., Staud, R., Berry, R. B., & McCrae, C. S. (2018).
    Pain severity as a moderator of the association between prescription opioid use and insomnia symptoms among adults with chronic pain.
    Sleep Medicine, 52, 98-102.https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sleep.2018.08.015
  • McCrae, C. S., Mundt, J. M., Curtis, A. F., Craggs, J. G., O’Shea, A. M., Staud, R., Berry, R. B., & Perlstein, W. M. (2018).
    Gray matter changes following cognitive behavioral therapy for patients with comorbid fibromyalgia and insomnia: a pilot study.
    Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine, 14, 1595-1603. http://dx.doi.org/10.5664/jcsm.7344
  • Curtis, A. F., Miller, M. B., Boissoneault, J., Robinson, M., Staud, R., Berry, R. B., & McCrae, C. S. (2018).
    Discrepancies in sleep diary and actigraphy assessments in adults with fibromyalgia: Associations with opioid dose and age.
    Journal of Sleep Research. https://doi.org/10.1111/jsr.12746
  • McCrae, C. S., Curtis, A. F., Williams, J., Dautovich, N. D., McNamara, J. P. H., Stripling, A., Dzierzewski, J., Berry, R. B., McCoy, K., Chan, W. S., & Marsiske, M. (2018).
    Efficacy of brief behavioral treatment for insomnia in older adults: Examination of sleep, mood, and cognitive outcomes.
    Sleep Medicine, 51, 153-166. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sleep.2018.05.018
  • McLaughlin, P. M., Curtis, A. F., Comrie, J., Branscombe-Caird, L., & S. J. E., Murtha. (2018).
    The feasibility and potential impact of brain-training games on cognitive and emotional functioning in middle-aged adults.
    Games for Health Journal, 7, 67-74. https://doi.org/10.1089/g4h.2017.0032
  • Tierney, M. C., Curtis, A. F., Chertkow, H., Rylett, R. J. (2017).
    Integrating sex and gender into neurodegeneration research: a six-component strategy.
    Alzheimer’s & Dementia: Translational Research and Clinical Interventions, 3, 660-667. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.trci.2017.10.006
  • Curtis, A. F., Turner, G. R., Park, N. W., & Murtha, S. J. E. (2017).
    Improving visual spatial working memory in younger and older adults: Effects of cross-modal cues.
    Aging, Neuropsychology and Cognition, e-publish ahead of print: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/13825585.2017.1397096
  • Curtis, A. F., Masellis, M., Hsiung, G-Y. R., Moineddin, R., Zhang, K.*, Au, B., Millett, G.*, Mackenzie, I., Rogaeva, E., & Tierney, M. C. (2017).
    Sex differences in the prevalence of genetic mutations in FTD and ALS: A meta-analysis.
    Neurology, 89, 1633-1642. http://dx.doi.org/10. 1212/WNL.0000000000004494

(*denotes current or former mentee)