Ian McDonough – The Conversation

Older people may confuse memories rather than forgetting them altogether. LWA/Stone via Getty Images

September 14, 2026

Why does your brain mix up memories? A new study examines how memories are misplaced in your brain’s filing cabinets

Ian McDonough, Binghamton University, State University of New York

Rather than simply forgetting a memory, your brain has likely misplaced it. Aging can make memory confusion worse.

Older adults generally have a good sense of their own financial abilities – unless they have dementia. shapecharge/E+ via Getty Images

June 12, 2025

Older adults with dementia misjudge their financial skills – which may make them more vulnerable to fraud, new research finds

Ian McDonough, Binghamton University, State University of New York

Older adults are generally good at judging their capacity for handling their finances, but cognitive impairment degrades that skill. Proactive planning can help protect them from fraud.

Brain-training games sell themselves as a way to maintain cognitive function, but the evidence isn’t there yet. Eva-Katalin/E+ via Getty Images

November 13, 2024

Brain‑training games remain unproven, but research shows what sorts of activities do benefit cognitive functioning

Ian McDonough, Binghamton University, State University of New York and Michael Dulas, Binghamton University, State University of New York

Brain-training games may have cognitive benefits, but other challenging activities are proven to help our brains function at their best.

Contact Ian for