Research Interests
Dr Sunny Lah is an academic and clinician with extensive specialised knowledge and expertise in Clinical Neuropsychology. She has carried out research and clinical work with children and adults who sustained brain damage through a variety of causes as well as with patients with developmental disorders since 1986. She is also a Consultant Neuropsychologist (Medical Dispute Assessor) for the Motor Accidents Authority and Transcultural Mental Health Centre.
Her main areas of research interest include memory disorders in adults and children. In adults, she has been investigating disorders of episodic (autobiographical) and semantic memory in patients with neurological disorders, such as epilepsy, stroke or encephalitis. In children, impact of epilepsy, epilepsy surgery and head injury on everyday memory and development of new learning/retention skills have been focus of her research. In the past, she has carried out studies investigating executive functions and social/moral reasoning in children who were born premature and in children who sustained head injury respectively.
Moreover, Dr Lah has ongoing interest in neuropsychological rehabilitation and impact of neurological insults on psychosocial functioning of patients and their families. Dr Lah’s research is clinically based and she has ongoing collaboration with colleagues from a number of different hospital, including: Sydney Children’s Hospital (Randwick), Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Children’s Hospital at Westmead, Prince of Wales Hospital, Westmead Hospital, Royal North Shore Hospital, Liverpool Hospital and John Hunter Children’s Hospital
Academic Qualifications
• Doctor of Philosophy (Psychology), Macquarie University, Sydney, 2003.
• Master of Science in Clinical Neuropsychology, Macquarie University, Sydney, 1994.
• Postgraduate degree in Social Psychiatry, Department of Medicine, University of Zagreb, 1990.
• Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in Psychology, Department of Psychology, Zagreb University, 1984.
Professional Qualifications
• Registered Psychologist (NSW Psychologists Registration Board)
• Member, APS College of Clinical Neuropsychologists
Professional Memberships
• The Australian Society for the Study of Brain Impairment
• Epilepsy Society of Australia
Current Appointments
• Lecturer, School of Psychology University of Sydney
• Consultant Neuropsychologist, Medical Assessment Service, Motor Accidents Authorities
• Consultant Neuropsychologist, Transcultural Mental Health Centre
Current Teaching Responsibilities
Co-ordination and teaching of the following postgraduate units of study:
• Psychological Assessment of Children
• Developmental Disorders
• Paediatric Neuropsychological Disorders
• Neuropsychology Clinical Internship 3
• Neuropsychology Case Seminars 1 & 2
Previous Appointments
• 1997 - 2002: Clinical Neuropsychologist, Sydney Children’s Hospital
• 1997 - 2002: Honorary Associate, University of New South Wales
• 1996 - 2002: Honorary Associate, Macquarie University
• 1995 - 1997: Clinical Neuropsychologist, Brain Injury Rehabilitation Department, Royal Alexandra Hospital for Children
• 1990 - 1995: Clinical Neuropsychologist, Chatswood Assessment Centre and Paediatric Head Injury Service (Royal North Shore Hospital)
• 1990: Psychologist. Riverglade Centre (Gladesville Hospital)
• 1985 - 1990: Developmental Psychologist, Marijan Krajacic (Zagreb, Croatia).
• 1983 - 1985: Research Assistant, Institute for Medical Research and Medicine of Work (Zagreb, Croatia).
Research Grants Awarded
Chief investigator: Lah S.
Research and Development Grant, The University of Sydney, amount: $21 000.
chronicity and site of lesion.”
Chief investigators: Lah S., Miller, L.
Brain Foundation, amount: $12 000.
Chief investigators: Lah, S., Miller, L., Coltheart, M.
Epilepsy Association, amount: $25 728.
Chief investigators: Lah, S., Mandalis, A., Brookes, N.
The Motor Accident Authority, amount: $19 268.41 - deferred.
Chief investigators: Lah, S., Bye, A., Bleasel, A., Lawson, J.
Brain Foundation, amount: $10 000;
Chief investigators: Hendy, J., Lah, S., Ault, J., Epps, A., Howman-Giles, R., Bernard, E.
The Motor Accident Authority, amount: $111 993;
Publications
Lah, S., Lee, T., Grayson, S., Miller L. (in press). Changes in retrograde memory following temporal lobectomy. Epilepsy & Behavior.
Smith, ML, Eliot, I., Lah, S. (in press). Postoperative cognitive and psychosocial issues. In O. Cataltepe and G. Jallo (Eds). Pediatric Epilepsy Surgery: Preoperative Assessment and Surgical Treatment. New York: Thieme.
Lah, S., Miller, L. (2008). Effects of temporal lobe lesions on retrograde memory: A critical review. Neuropsychology Review, 18, 24-42.
Sambuco, M., Brookes, N., Lah, S. (2008). Paediatric brain injury: A review of siblings’ outcome. Brain Injury, 22, 7-17.
Ho, J., Lah, S., Epps, A., Parry, L., Poole, M. (2007). Self-instruction memory remediation for paediatric brain injury. Brain Impairment, 8, 203.
Lah, S., Lee, T., Grayson, S., Miller, L. (2006). Effects of temporal lobe epilepsy on retrograde memory. Epilepsia, 47, 615-625.
Lah, S., Lee, T., Grayson, S., Miller, L. (2005). Retrograde memory in patients with temporal lobe epilepsy. Journal of the International Neuropsychological Society, 11 (Supplement S2), 28.
Sambuco, M., Brookes, N., Hunt, C., Lah, S. (2005). Predictors of sibling adjustment to child traumatic brain injury. Brain Injury, 19, 1, 96.
Lah, S. (2004). Surgery for intractable epilepsy in children: A review of neuropsychological outcome. Australian Journal of Psychology, 56 (Supplement), 199.
Lah, S., Grayson, S., Lee, T., Miller, L. (2004). Impact of epilepsy and surgical variables on memory for the past after temporal lobectomy. Brain Impairment, 5 (Supplement), 24.
Lah, S. (2004). Neuropsychological outcome following focal cortical removal for intractable epilepsy in children. Epilepsy and Behavior, 5, 804-817.
Lah, S., Grayson, S., Lee, T., Miller, L. (2004). Memory for the past after temporal lobectomy. Impact of epilepsy and cognitive variables. Neuropsychologia, 42, 1666-1679.
Berroya, A. G., McIntyre, J., Webster, R., Lah, S., Sabaz, M., Lawson, J., Bleasel, A. F., Bye, A. (2004). Speech and language deterioration in benign retrorolandic epilepsy. Journal of Child Neurology, 19, 53-58.
Nolan, M. A., Redoblado, A., Lah, S., Sabaz, M., Lawson, J., Cunningham, A. M., Bleasel, A. F., & Bye, A. M. E. (2004). Memory function in childhood epilepsy syndromes. Journal of Paediatrics and Child Health, 40, 20-27.
Nolan, M.A., Redoblado, A., Lah, S., Szabaz, M., Lawson, J., Cunningham, A., Bye, A.M.E. (2003). Intelligence in paediatric epilepsy syndromes. Epilepsy Research, 53, 139-150.
Lah, S., Joy, P., Bakker, K., Miller, L. (2002) Verbal memory and IQ in children who undergo focal resection for intractable epilepsy: A clinical review. Brain Impairment, 3, 114 – 121.
Lah, S., Lawson, J., Joy, P., Bakker, K., Bleasel, A., Bye, A. (1999). The effect of epilepsy surgery on neuropsychological status in children. Epilepsia (Supplement 2), 40, 85.
Lah, S. (1998). K.P.: A paediatric case study of differential impact of the amnesic syndrome on development. Australian Journal of Psychology, 50, 141.
Lah, S., Miller, L. (1998). A case study of verbal memory reduction following right temporal lobectomy in a child. Australian Journal of Psychology, 50, 141.
Grayson, S., Batchelor, J., Joy, P., Lah, S., Wilcken, B. (1998). Neuropsychological outcome in children with early treated galactosaemia: A matched case control study. Australian Journal of Psychology, 50, 139.
Lah, S., Hendy, J. (1996). Psychosocial deficits in brain injured children: Case presentations. In J. Ponsford, P. Snow, V. Anderson (Eds.). International perspectives in traumatic brain injury. Proceedings of the 5th conference of the International Association for the Study of Traumatic Brain Injury and 20th conference of the Australian Society for the Study of Brain Impairment (pp. 217-220). Melbourne: The Australian Society for the Study of Brain Impairment.
Hendy, J., Lah, S. (1996). Cognitive fatigue and SPECT in children with acquired brain injury. In J. Ponsford, P. Snow, V. Anderson (Eds.). International perspectives in traumatic brain injury. Proceedings of the 5th conference of the International Association for the Study of Traumatic Brain Injury and 20th conference of the Australian Society for the Study of Brain Impairment (pp. 197-202). Melbourne: The Australian Society for the Study of Brain Impairment.
In preparation:
Lah, S., Levick, W., Epps, A., Parry, L. (in preparation). Implicit memory in children who have sustained severe traumatic brain injury: Impact of age at injury.
Ho, J., Lah, S., Epps, A., Parry, L., Poole, M. (in preparation). Memory remediation for paediatric brain injury: Self-instruction and diary training.
Frow, E., Lah, S. (in preparation). Autobiographical memory and emotional processing in patients with focal frontal lesions.
Presentations
Invited presentations
Lah, S., Miller, L. (2007). Impact of temporal lobectomy on retrograde memory. International Society for Behavioural Neuroscience, Greece.
Lah S. (2006). Memory in epilepsy: Through ages and stages. Comprehensive Epilepsy Centre, New York University, USA.
Lah S. (2006) Memory for the past in temporal lobe epilepsy. Rotman Research Institute. Toronto, Canada.
Lah S. (2006). Cognition in children with epilepsy. Royal Children’s Hospital. Melbourne, Australia.
Lah, S. (2004). Unraveling the Mysteries…Surviving Adolescence. Epilepsy Association Seminar, Sydney, Australia.
Lah, S., Miller, L., Grayson, S., Lee, T. (2003). Retrograde memory in temporal lobe epilepsy. Royal Prince Alfred Hospital.
Lah, S. (2004 & 2003). Introduction to child neuropsychology. Australian National University.
Lah, S., Miller, L., Grayson, S., Lee, T. (2002). Remote memory in patients following temporal lobectomy. International Society for Behavioural Neuroscience 10th Meeting, Canada.
Conference presentations
Lah, S., Levick, W., Epps, A., Parry, L., Azizi, L. (2007). Implicit memory in children who have sustained severe traumatic brain injury: Preliminary findings. International Neuropsychological Society Mid-Year Meeting, Spain.
Ho, J., Lah, S., Epps, A., Parry, L., Poole, M. (2007). Self-instruction memory remediation for paediatric brain injury. Symposium on Neuropsychological Rehabilitation, Spain.
Richardson, K., Say, M., Thayer, Z., Lah, S., Miller, L. (2007). Memory training for epilepsy patients: A preliminary investigation. International Neuropsychological Society Mid-Year Meeting, Spain
Smith, M., Reitsma, T. Lah, S. (2007-submitted). Semantic memory in children with temporal lobe epilepsy. American Epilepsy Society Meeting, Philadelphia, USA.
Lah, S., Lee, T., Grayson, S., Miller, L. (2006) Temporal lobe epilepsy and temporal lobectomy: Impact of cognitive and seizure variables on retrograde memory. International Conference on Memory, Sydney, Australia.
Lah, S., Lee, T., Grayson, S., Miller, L. (2006) Retrograde memory in patients with temporal lobe epilepsy and temporal lobectomy. Conference of the International Brain Research Organisation, Santiago, Cuba.
Lah, S., Lee, T., Grayson, S., Miller, L. (2005). Retrograde Memory in Patients with Temporal Lobe Epilepsy. International Neuropsychology Conference. Dublin, Ireland.
Lah S. (2004). Surgery for intractable epilepsy in children: A review of neuropsychological outcome. 39th APS Annual Conference. Sydney.
Lah, S., Miller, L., Grayson, S., Lee, T. (2004). Impact of epilepsy and surgical variables on memory for the past after temporal lobectomy. 2004 Meeting of the Australian Society for Study of Brain Impairment (ASSBI) and the International Neuropsychological Society (INS). Brisbane.
Nolan, M.A., Redoblado, A., Lah, S., Sabaz, M., Lawson, J., Bleasel, A., Bye, A.M.E. (2002). Memory impairment in specific childhood epilepsy syndromes. RACP Annual Scientific Meeting, Brisbane.
Lah, S. (2000). Neuropsychology of paediatric epilepsy. Symposium. 24th Conference of the Australian Society for the Study of Brain Impairment, Melbourne.
Lah, S., Hendy, J., Joy, P. (1997). Paediatric acquired anomic aphasia. Second World Congress on Brain Injury, Seville, Spain.
Joy, P., Fagan, E., Lah, S., Ouvrier, R. (1997). A comparative neuropsychological study of 4 children with epilepsy and continuous spike and waves during sleep. Brain and Behaviour: Developmental Perspectives, Sydney.
Lah, S., Hendy, J. (1996). Psychosocial deficits in brain injured children: Case presentations. The 5th conference of the International Association for the Study of Traumatic Brain Injury and 20th Conference of the Australian Society for the Study of Brain Impairment, Melbourne.
Hendy, J., Lah, S. (1996). Cognitive fatigue and SPECT in children with acquired brain injury. The 5th conference of the International Association for the Study of Traumatic Brain Injury and 20th conference of the Australian Society for the Study of Brain Impairment, Melbourne.
Lah, S., Michie, P., Gibson, F.L., Bowen, J.R., Ma, P., Starte, D.R. (1996). Comparative study of executive function in five year old children born extremely prematurely and children born at term. Proceedings of the Australian Perinatal Society. Fourteenth Annual Congress. In conjunction with the New Zealand Perinatal Society, Adelaide.
Lah, S., Hendy, J. (1995). Towards an understanding of psychosocial deficits in the brain injured population. Advances in Child Neuropsychology: Theory and Practice, Melbourne.
Hendy, J., Lah, S. (1995). Cognitive fatigue in acquired brain injury. Advances in Child Neuropsychology: Theory and Practice, Melbourne.
Lah, S., Michie, P., Starte, D.R., Gibson, F.L., Bowen, J.R., Ma, P. (1994). Executive functions in five year old children born extremely prematurely and children born at term. The 18th Annual Brain Impairment Conference, Hobart and Prefrontal Cortex Symposium, Mudjimba Beach.
Lah, S., Michie, P., Starte, D.R., Gibson, F.L., Bowen, J.R., Ma, P. (1994). Relationship between planning and inhibition and intellectual functioning in five year old children who were extremely premature at birth. The Twelfth Annual Conference of the Australian Perinatal Society in conjunction with New Zealand Perinatal Society, Sydney.
Lah, S., Starte, D.R. (1991). Relationship between early Griffiths testing and later cognitive testing using the Stanford-Binet Fourth Edition. National Conference on Intellectual Disability, Geelong