Niall Costello
Niall Costello is a postdoctoral research fellow at TILDA, where he contributes to advancing the understanding of psychosocial and cognitive ageing to enhance the health and well-being of older adults in Ireland. With a MSc in Applied Social Research (2020) from Trinity College Dublin and a PhD (completed 2025) from University College Dublin, Niall’s research lies in the interplay of white matter integrity, cognitive processing speed, and cognitive reserve theory, exploring how these factors shape brain health in ageing populations. His doctoral thesis, leveraging TILDA data and a global systematic review, demonstrated processing speed’s pivotal role as a brain health proxy, its predictive power for dementia risk, and its modifiability through occupational and engagement activities. Published in leading journals and presented internationally, his work informs evidence-based policies to support cognitive health.
At TILDA, Niall applies his analytical rigor and interdisciplinary approach to investigate factors that lead to psychosocial resilience across time among caregivers for spouses with normal cognition, Alzheimer’s Disease, and Alzheimer’s Related Disease using TILDA, HRS, ELSA and SHARE data. Using equivalent international studies on ageing, Niall’s research seeks to determine the risks and protective factors associated with resilient groups and investigate what role societal and policy contexts play in shaping these trajectories. Collaborating with TILDA’s expert team, he aims to translate longitudinal insights into impactful interventions, aligning with the study’s mission to make Ireland the best place to grow old.