Dr Matthew Lennon | Meet Our Researcher Series

Dr Matthew Lennon is optimistic about a future with better treatments for dementia, and believes there will eventually be a shift in the correlation between ageing and cognitive decline. His research investigates the genetic and epidemiological risk factors for dementia, with a focus on how conditions like high blood pressure and traumatic brain injury affect cognitive function. His passion for advancing brain science is paralleled by his aspirations to contribute to a well-informed population about maximising brain health and reducing risk of dementia. 

How did you first get into research?

It's actually a funny story. I got into research because I knew I wanted to pursue a medical career, and at the time, I thought I wanted to become a neurologist. I also knew that if I was going to go into neurology, I would need to engage in research. So, in 2015, I joined Professor Bruce Brews's lab as an honours research student, where I focused on cerebrospinal fluid analysis, looking at a specific protein. I was investigating whether this protein was associated with motor neuron disease. We got some interesting results, but the work was incredibly demanding and involved a lot of bench-side lab research.

At one point, I had an epiphany: research is really tough, and while I wanted to contribute to science, what I was truly after was publication. So, I decided to diversify a bit. I started writing poems and submitting them to journals—and I actually managed to get a few published. But when I asked Professor Brew about publishing poetry instead of doing research, he looked at me and said, "If the hospital ever wants to hire a poet, we'll come to you. Otherwise, don't worry about it."

After that, I figured I’d just return to writing poetry for fun.

Did you experience a ‘defining moment’ which led you to this field?

I’d say the defining moment came from both my experiences with family members and patients who have dementia. It was this heavy realisation that I had known these individuals for extended periods of time —some of them my entire life—and I was watching them slowly fade away. During conversation I could see them becoming increasingly paranoid, acting in unusual ways, and becoming forgetful. These were once very competent people.

We had our first child when I was 25, and now at 30, we have two, with more hopefully in the future. Having kids keeps you young in the sense that it adds responsibility to your life. There’s much more at stake, and it motivates me to behave more responsibly. I know that I need to stay healthy and well because I have bigger responsibilities now than just taking care of myself.

What are you currently researching?

My research background is somewhat unconventional. I completed medical school from 2012 to 2017, during which I took a year off to focus on motor neuron disease research and during my fifth and sixth years worked on rural medical workforce projects. In the midst of my internship, I began my PhD under Perminder's supervision at CHeBA. During the first couple of years of my PhD that I realised my understanding of neuroscience was quite limited given medical school had not provided extensive training in this field.

Recognising this gap, I sought to expand my knowledge and in 2020 was honoured to be awarded the inaugural Tim Fischer John Monash Scholarship. This enabled me the privilege of studying neuroscience at Oxford University where I engaged in coursework and two significant research projects – one involving the use of very advanced techniques which was invaluable in familiarising me with their potential applications in dementia diagnosis, and the second focused on evaluating the impact of concussion and traumatic brain injury on cognitive function. This area of research has since become a key focus of my work and has garnered considerable public interest.

I’m also researching the link between hypertension and cognitive decline and with  funding from the Royce Simmons Foundation and Dementia Australia am also looking at treatment of vascular cognitive impairment and dementia. This is an exciting area to be involved in given that the evidence in this area is not yet well defined and in many countries, including Australia, approved therapies for vascular dementia are lacking. As a result, clinicians like myself often face a sense of pessimism. However, by synthesising the existing literature more effectively, we hope to provide clinicians with a more balanced perspective, highlighting potential treatment options that could be considered.

Why is your research important?

The importance of my research largely stems from my perspective as a clinician. When I look at other fields, I'm struck by the incredible revolutions in medicine that have resulted from rigorous science and progress. Take hepatitis C, for example: 15 years ago, a diagnosis of hepatitis C was essentially a death sentence, often leading to cirrhosis and liver failure. Now, thanks to advancements in research, 90% of cases can be cured—not just managed, but completely cleared of the virus. This is a remarkable achievement.

Similarly, in the case of metastatic melanoma, it used to be one of the most devastating diagnoses. Once the cancer spread, there was little that could be done. Now, new immunotherapies have revolutionised treatment options. These kinds of breakthroughs in medicine seem almost beyond our reach, especially when it comes to conditions like dementia.

I am optimistic that in the next 10 to 20 years, we will have much better treatments for dementia. I truly believe that the strong correlation between ageing and cognitive dysfunction will eventually be broken. After all, we see people in their 80s, 90s, and even beyond, who remain sharp and mentally agile. While they may not be as quick as they once were, they are still intellectually vibrant. They prove that just because you’re old, it doesn’t mean that you have poor cognitive function.

What do you love about working for CHeBA?

I really appreciate the enthusiasm and passion that everyone brings to their work. What I find particularly exciting is that it's not just the people I work with every day at CHeBA, but the energy you feel when you see them. There's a sense of positivity and shared purpose—everyone is genuinely motivated because we know we're making a meaningful difference.  This fosters a strong sense of conscientiousness and attracts great people to work with. It’s very different from some other organisations where you might feel like certain individuals slow things down—where emails take forever to get responses or things just don't get done. I’ve never experienced that at CHeBA. Here, everyone is aligned with the critical mission, and that motivates people to act quickly, stay organised, and produce results. It’s not just about being competent; the people I work with are also genuinely lovely people.

What is the ultimate hope you have for your research?

I hope to contribute to a population that is well-informed about their health and the decisions they can make to improve their brain health. A key part of this mission involves advancing the science on the connections between factors like high blood pressure, concussion, dietary intake, and brain health.

For example, people know that being overweight is bad for their health, yet 70% of Australians are overweight or obese. People know high blood pressure is harmful, but a significant portion—at least a third—don’t have it under control, and another 50% don’t even know they have it. There are many areas where we could be doing better.

Imagine if we could reduce the rate of overweight or obesity in Australia from 70% to 30%. What a difference that would make to the overall health of the population! People have the perception that this isn’t possible or feasible. We just need to be optimistic and ambitious about what we can achieve in public health.

_{^{Dr Matt Lennon is a psychiatry registrar and researcher at the Centre for Healthy Brain Ageing. He completed his medical degree at UNSW with the University Medal and Class I Honours in Neuroscience. His research focuses on the epidemiological and genetic risk factors for dementia, with recent work on high blood pressure’s impact on cognitive function and identifying druggable targets for vascular cognitive impairment. Dr Lennon’s research also includes clinical trials aimed at developing new treatments for dementia. He has a Masters of Neuroscience from Oxford University, supported by the Tim Fischer John Monash Scholarship, and has been recognised with numerous research awards.}}