Kathrine Skak Madsen

Senior Researcher, Senior Associate Professor

Research Interests

My research is mainly within the fields of developmental cognitive neuroscience, developmental psychiatry, and pediatric neuroimaging. My research focuses on individual differences in human brain and behavioral development, and on how environmental and hormonal factors modulate such development. I am particularly interested in characterizing typical and atypical brain and behavioral developmental trajectories and in mapping developing brain-behavioral relationships. In my research, I employ multimodal neuroimaging techniques, behavioral and clinical assessments, and sampling of biomarkers in cross-sectional and longitudinal studies of typically developing and at-risk pediatric populations.

Employments

2015 – Present

Senior Researcher, DRCMR

2016 – 2023

Senior Associate Professor (Docent), University College Copenhagen

2011 – 2015

Cimbi work package leader: Brain maturation, DRCMR & Cimbi

2011 – 2014

Postdoc, DRCMR & Cimbi

2008 – 2011

PhD Student, DRCMR & Cimbi

2006 – 2008

Research Assistant, DRCMR & Cimbi

2004 – 2006

Research Volunteer and member of the Unit of Cognitive Neuroscience, Department of Psychology, University of Copenhagen

Education

2015

Higher Educational Teaching, University of Copenhagen, Denmark

2011

PhD in Neuroscience, DRCMR & Cimbi, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Denmark

2006

MSc in (Neuro)biology, University of Copenhagen, Denmark

Publications

Carrick C, Baaré WFC, Vitoratou S, Madsen KS and Fuhrmann D (2025), 'Individual Differences in Developmental Trajectories of Global and Subcortical Brain Volumes Between Late Childhood and Late Adolescence: Findings From a 12-Wave Neuroimaging Study', Human Brain Mapping, 46(14), doi:10.1002/hbm.70348

Madsen KS, Baaré WFC, Hernandez-Torres E, Larsen KM, Kaminski A, Johnsen LK, Hemager N, Gregersen M, Brandt JM, Krantz MF, Weye N, Søndergaard A, Greve AN, Knudsen CB, Andreassen AK, Veddum L, Lund TE, Mors O, Elgaard Thorup AA, Østergaard L, Nordentoft M and Siebner HR (2025), 'Sex-specific cortical brain differences in children at familial high risk for schizophrenia or bipolar disorder', Biological Psychiatry: Cognitive Neuroscience and Neuroimaging, doi:10.1016/j.bpsc.2025.08.005

Johnsen LK, Larsen KM, Fuglsang SA, Ver Loren van Themaat AH, Baaré WFC, Madsen KS, Madsen KH, Hemager N, Andreassen AK, Veddum L, Greve AN, Nejad AB, Burton BK, Gregersen M, Eichele H, Lund TE, Bliksted V, Thorup AAE, Mors O, Plessen KJ, Nordentoft M and Siebner HR (2023), 'Executive Control and Associated Brain Activity in Children With Familial High-Risk of Schizophrenia or Bipolar Disorder: A Danish Register-based Study', Schizophrenia Bulletin, 50(3):567-578, doi:10.1093/schbul/sbad134

Fjell AM, Sørensen Ø, Wang Y, Amlien IK, Baaré WFC, Bartrés-Faz D, Bertram L, Boraxbekk C, Brandmaier AM, Demuth I, Drevon CA, Ebmeier KP, Ghisletta P, Kievit R, Kühn S, Madsen KS, Mowinckel AM, Nyberg L, Sexton CE, Solé-Padullés C, Vidal-Piñeiro D, Wagner G, Watne LO and Walhovd KB (2023), 'No phenotypic or genotypic evidence for a link between sleep duration and brain atrophy', Nature Human Behaviour, 7(11):2008-2022, doi:10.1038/s41562-023-01707-5

Binnewies J, Nawijn L, Brandmaier AM, Baaré WF, Boraxbekk C, Demnitz N, Drevon CA, Fjell AM, Lindenberger U, Madsen KS, Nyberg L, Topiwala A, Walhovd KB, Ebmeier KP and Penninx BW (2023), 'Lifestyle-related risk factors and their cumulative associations with hippocampal and total grey matter volume across the adult lifespan: a pooled analysis in the European Lifebrain consortium', Brain Research Bulletin, 200:1-9, doi:10.1016/j.brainresbull.2023.110692

Plachti A, Latzman RD, Balajoo SM, Hoffstaedter F, Madsen KS, Baare W, Siebner HR, Eickhoff SB and Genon S (2023), 'Hippocampal anterior- posterior shift in childhood and adolescence', Progress in Neurobiology, 225:1-12, doi:10.1016/j.pneurobio.2023.102447

Budin-Ljøsne I, Friedman BB, Baaré WFC, Bartrés-Faz D, Carver RB, Drevon CA, Ebmeier KP, Fjell AM, Ghisletta P, Henson RN, Kievit R, Madsen KS, Nawijn L, Suri S, Solé-Padullés C, Walhovd KB and Zsoldos E (2023), 'Stakeholder engagement in European brain research: Experiences of the Lifebrain consortium', Health Expectations, 26(3):1318-1326, doi:10.1111/hex.13747

Vaughn KA and Madsen KS (2023), 'An Opportunity to Increase Collaborative Science in Fetal, Infant, and Toddler Neuroimaging', Biological Psychiatry, 93(10):864-866, doi:10.1016/j.biopsych.2022.07.005

Spann MN, Wisnowski JL, Smyser CD, Howell B, Dean DC and Madsen KS (2022), 'The Art, Science, and Secrets of Scanning Young Children', Biological Psychiatry, 93(10):858-860, doi:10.1016/j.biopsych.2022.09.025

Nyberg L, Andersson M, Lundquist A, Baaré WFC, Bartrés-Faz D, Bertram L, Boraxbekk C, Brandmaier AM, Demnitz N, Drevon CA, Duezel S, Ebmeier KP, Ghisletta P, Henson R, Jensen DEA, Kievit RA, Knights E, Kühn S, Lindenberger U, Plachti A, Pudas S, Roe JM, Madsen KS, Solé-Padullés C, Sommerer Y, Suri S, Zsoldos E, Fjell AM and Walhovd KB (2022), 'Individual differences in brain aging: heterogeneity in cortico-hippocampal but not caudate atrophy rates', Cerebral Cortex, 33(9):5075-5081, doi:10.1093/cercor/bhac400

Plachti A, Baaré WFC, Johansen LB, Thompson WK, Siebner HR and Madsen KS (2022), 'Stability of associations between neuroticism and microstructural asymmetry of the cingulum during late childhood and adolescence: Insights from a longitudinal study with up to 11 waves', Human Brain Mapping, 44(4):1548-1564, doi:10.1002/hbm.26157

Fuhrmann D, Madsen KS, Johansen LB, Baaré WFC and Kievit RA (2022), 'The midpoint of cortical thinning between late childhood and early adulthood differs between individuals and brain regions: Evidence from longitudinal modelling in a 12-wave neuroimaging sample', NeuroImage, 261:1-11, doi:10.1016/j.neuroimage.2022.119507

Carver RB, Fredheim NAG, Mowinckel AM, Ebmeier KP, Friedman BB, Rosness TA, Drevon CA, Suri S, Baaré WFC, Zsoldos E, Solé-Padullés C, Bartrés-Faz D, Ghisletta P, Nawijn L, Düzel S, Madsen KS, Fjell AM, Lindenberger U, Walhovd KB and Budin-Ljøsne I (2022), 'People's interest in brain health testing: Findings from an international, online cross-sectional survey', Frontiers in Public Health, 10:1-19, doi:10.3389/fpubh.2022.998302

Walhovd KB, Nyberg L, Lindenberger U, Amlien IK, Sørensen Ø, Wang Y, Mowinckel AM, Kievit RA, Ebmeier KP, Bartrés-Faz D, Kühn S, Boraxbekk C, Ghisletta P, Madsen KS, Baaré WFC, Zsoldos E, Magnussen F, Vidal-Piñeiro D, Penninx B and Fjell AM (2022), 'Brain aging differs with cognitive ability regardless of education', Scientific Reports, 12(1):1-12, doi:10.1038/s41598-022-17727-6

Budin-Ljøsne I, Mowinckel AM, Friedman BB, Ebmeier KP, Drevon CA, Carver RB, Zsoldos E, Fredheim NAG, Sørensen Ø, Baaré WFC, Madsen KS, Fjell AM, Kievit RA, Ghisletta P, Bartrés-Faz D, Nawijn L, Solé-Padullés C, Walhovd KB, Düzel S, Zasyekina L, Iulita MF and Ferretti MT (2022), 'Public perceptions of brain health: an international, online cross-sectional survey', BMJ Paediatrics Open, 12(4):1-15, doi:10.1136/bmjopen-2021-057999

Pollatou A, Filippi CA, Aydin E, Vaughn K, Thompson D, Korom M, Dufford AJ, Howell B, Zöllei L, Martino AD, Graham A, Scheinost D, Spann MN and Madsen KS (2022), 'An ode to fetal, infant, and toddler neuroimaging: Chronicling early clinical to research applications with MRI, and an introduction to an academic society connecting the field', Developmental cognitive neuroscience, 54:1-12, doi:10.1016/j.dcn.2022.101083

Vestergaard M, Baaré WFC, Holm SK, Madsen CG, Paulson OB, Born AP, Uldall P, Siebner HR and Madsen KS (2022), 'Glucocorticoid treatment for non-cerebral diseases in children and adolescents is associated with differences in uncinate fasciculus microstructure', Pediatric Research, 91(4):879-887, doi:10.1038/s41390-021-01394-w

Solé-Padullés C, Macià D, Andersson M, Stiernstedt M, Pudas S, Düzel S, Zsoldos E, Ebmeier KP, Binnewies J, Drevon CA, Brandmaier AM, Mowinckel AM, Fjell AM, Madsen KS, Baaré WFC, Lindenberger U, Nyberg L, Walhovd KB and Bartrés-Faz D (2022), 'No Association Between Loneliness, Episodic Memory and Hippocampal Volume Change in Young and Healthy Older Adults: A Longitudinal European Multicenter Study', Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience, 14:1-13, doi:10.3389/fnagi.2022.795764

Walhovd KB, Fjell AM, Wang Y, Amlien IK, Mowinckel AM, Lindenberger U, Düzel S, Bartrés-Faz D, Ebmeier KP, Drevon CA, Baaré WFC, Ghisletta P, Johansen LB, Kievit RA, Henson RN, Madsen KS, Nyberg L, R Harris J, Solé-Padullés C, Pudas S, Sørensen Ø, Westerhausen R, Zsoldos E, Nawijn L, Lyngstad TH, Suri S, Penninx B, Rogeberg OJ and Brandmaier AM (2021), 'Education and Income Show Heterogeneous Relationships to Lifespan Brain and Cognitive Differences Across European and US Cohorts', Cerebral Cortex, 32(4):839-854, doi:10.1093/cercor/bhab248

Korom M, Camacho MC, Filippi CA, Licandro R, Moore LA, Dufford A, Zöllei L, Graham AM, Spann M, Howell B, Shultz S, Scheinost D and Madsen KS (2022), 'Dear reviewers: Responses to common reviewer critiques about infant neuroimaging studies', Developmental cognitive neuroscience, 53:101055, doi:10.1016/j.dcn.2021.101055

Kruuse-Jensen K, Madsen KS, Bruun DM and Pilegaard M (2022), 'Do outpatients with cancer and their relatives want to use an online booking system to book the appointment and radiographer for their CT examination?: A small-scale study in Denmark', Radiography, 28(1):174-179, doi:10.1016/j.radi.2021.10.005

Binnewies J, Nawijn L, Brandmaier AM, Baaré WFC, Bartrés-Faz D, Drevon CA, Düzel S, Fjell AM, Han LKM, Knights E, Lindenberger U, Milaneschi Y, Mowinckel AM, Nyberg L, Plachti A, Madsen KS, Solé-Padullés C, Suri S, Walhovd KB, Zsoldos E, Ebmeier KP and Penninx BWJH (2022), 'Associations of depression and regional brain structure across the adult lifespan: Pooled analyses of six population-based and two clinical cohort studies in the European Lifebrain consortium', NeuroImage: Clinical, 36:1-9, doi:10.1016/j.nicl.2022.103180

Vidal-Pineiro D, Wang Y, Krogsrud SK, Amlien IK, Baaré WF, Bartres-Faz D, Bertram L, Brandmaier AM, Drevon CA, Düzel S, Ebmeier K, Henson RN, Junqué C, Kievit RA, Kühn S, Leonardsen E, Lindenberger U, Madsen KS, Magnussen F, Mowinckel AM, Nyberg L, Roe JM, Segura B, Smith SM, Sørensen Ø, Suri S, Westerhausen R, Zalesky A, Zsoldos E, Walhovd KB and Fjell A (2021), 'Individual variations in 'brain age' relate to early-life factors more than to longitudinal brain change', eLife, 10:1-19, doi:10.7554/eLife.69995

Demnitz N, Madsen KS, Johnsen LK, Kjaer M, Boraxbekk C and Siebner HR (2021), 'Right-left asymmetry in corticospinal tract microstructure and dexterity are uncoupled in late adulthood', NeuroImage, 240:1-9, doi:10.1016/j.neuroimage.2021.118405

Gonzalez MR, Baaré WFC, Hagler DJ, Archibald S, Vestergaard M and Madsen KS (2021), 'Brain structure associations with phonemic and semantic fluency in typically-developing children', Developmental cognitive neuroscience, 50:1-13, doi:10.1016/j.dcn.2021.100982

Madsen KS, Johansen LB, Thompson WK, Siebner HR, Jernigan TL and Baaré WFC (2020), 'Maturational trajectories of white matter microstructure underlying the right presupplementary motor area reflect individual improvements in motor response cancellation in children and adolescents', NeuroImage, 220:1-18, doi:10.1016/j.neuroimage.2020.117105

Friedman BB, Suri S, Solé-Padullés C, Düzel S, Drevon CA, Baaré WFC, Bartrés-Faz D, Fjell AM, Johansen-Berg H, Madsen KS, Nyberg L, Penninx BWJH, Sexton C, Walhovd KB, Zsoldos E and Budin-Ljøsne I (2019), 'Are People Ready for Personalized Brain Health?: Perspectives of Research Participants in the Lifebrain Consortium', The Gerontologist, 60(6):1050-1059, doi:10.1093/geront/gnz155

Budin-Ljøsne I, Friedman BB, Suri S, Solé-Padullés C, Düzel S, Drevon CA, Baaré WFC, Mowinckel AM, Zsoldos E, Madsen KS, Carver RB, Ghisletta P, Arnesen MR, Bartrés Faz D, Brandmaier AM, Fjell AM, Kvalbein A, Henson RN, Kievit RA, Nawijn L, Pochet R, Schnitzler A, Walhovd KB and Zasiekina L (2020), 'The Global Brain Health Survey: Development of a Multi-Language Survey of Public Views on Brain Health', Frontiers in Public Health, 8:1-13, doi:10.3389/fpubh.2020.00387

Bachmann R, Ingebrigtsen RL, Madsen KS, Holm O, Christensen AF and Lauridsen CA (2020), 'CO-score; a new method for quality assessment of radiology reports', Radiography, 26(3):152-157, doi:10.1016/j.radi.2020.01.003

Johnsen LK, Ver Loren van Themaat AH, Larsen KM, Burton BK, Baaré WFC, Madsen KS, Nordentoft M, Siebner HR and Plessen KJ (2020), 'Alterations in Task-Related Brain Activation in Children, Adolescents and Young Adults at Familial High-Risk for Schizophrenia or Bipolar Disorder - A Systematic Review', Frontiers in Psychiatry, 11:1-16, doi:10.3389/fpsyt.2020.00632

Baaré WFC, Madsen KS, Arnesen M, Carver RB, Drevon CA and Budin-Ljøsne I (2020), 'Brain researchers wants to know how you take care of your brain'

Baaré WFC, Madsen KS, Arnesen M, Carver RB, Drevon CA and Budin-Ljøsne I (2020), 'Hjælp forskerne: Hvordan passer du på din hjerne?'

Bauer C, Dyrby TB, Sellebjerg F, Madsen KS, Svolgaard O, Blinkenberg M, Siebner HR and Andersen KW (2020), 'Motor fatigue is associated with asymmetric connectivity properties of the corticospinal tract in multiple sclerosis', NeuroImage: Clinical, 28:1-12, doi:10.1016/j.nicl.2020.102393

Holm SK, Madsen KS, Vestergaard M, Born AP, Paulson OB, Siebner HR, Uldall P and Baaré WFC (2019), 'Previous glucocorticoid treatment in childhood and adolescence is associated with long-term differences in subcortical grey matter volume and microstructure', NeuroImage: Clinical, 23:1-11, doi:10.1016/j.nicl.2019.101825

Madsen KS, Jernigan TL, Vestergaard M, Mortensen EL and Baaré WFC (2018), 'Neuroticism is linked to microstructural left-right asymmetry of fronto-limbic fibre tracts in adolescents with opposite effects in boys and girls', Neuropsychologia, 114:1-10, doi:10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2018.04.010

Holm SK, Madsen KS, Vestergaard M, Paulson OB, Uldall P, Siebner HR, Born AP and Baaré WFC (2018), 'Total brain, cortical and white matter volumes in children previously treated with glucocorticoids', Pediatric Research, 83:804-812, doi:10.1038/pr.2017.312

Vestergaard M, Krøis Holm S, Uldall P, Siebner HR, Paulson OB, Baaré WFC and Madsen KS (2017), 'Glucocorticoid treatment earlier in childhood and adolescence show dose-response associations with diurnal cortisol levels', Developmental Psychobiology, 59(8):1010-1020, doi:10.1002/dev.21559

Hjordt LV, Stenbæk DS, Madsen KS, Mc Mahon B, Jensen CG, Vestergaard M, Hageman I, Meder D, Hasselbalch SG and Knudsen GM (2017), 'State-dependent alterations in inhibitory control and emotional face identification in seasonal affective disorder', Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 126(3):291-300, doi:10.1037/abn0000251

Angstmann S, Madsen KS, Skimminge A, Jernigan TL, Baaré WFC and Siebner HR (2016), 'Microstructural asymmetry of the corticospinal tracts predicts right-left differences in circle drawing skill in right-handed adolescents', Anatomy and Embryology, 221(9):4475-4489, doi:10.1007/s00429-015-1178-5

Knudsen GM, Jensen PS, Erritzoe D, Baaré WFC, Ettrup A, Fisher PM, Gillings N, Hansen HD, Hansen LK, Hasselbalch SG, Henningsson S, Herth MM, Holst KK, Iversen P, Kessing LV, Macoveanu J, Madsen KS, Mortensen EL, Nielsen FÅ, Paulson OB, Siebner HR, Stenbæk DS, Svarer C, Jernigan TL, Strother SC and Frokjaer VG (2016), 'The Center for Integrated Molecular Brain Imaging (Cimbi) database', NeuroImage, 124:1213-1219, doi:10.1016/j.neuroimage.2015.04.025

Krøis Holm S, Vestergaard M, Madsen KS, Baaré WFC, Hammer TB, Born AP, Siebner HR, Paulson OB and Uldall PV (2015), 'Children and adolescents previously treated with glucocorticoids display lower verbal intellectual abilities', Acta paediatrica, 104(8):784-791, doi:10.1111/apa.13010

Aarnink SH, Vos SB, Leemans A, Jernigan TL, Madsen KS and Baaré WFC (2014), 'Automated longitudinal intra-subject analysis (ALISA) for diffusion MRI tractography', NeuroImage, 86:404-416, doi:10.1016/j.neuroimage.2013.10.026

Klarborg B, Skak Madsen K, Vestergaard M, Skimminge A, Jernigan TL and Baaré WFC (2013), 'Sustained attention is associated with right superior longitudinal fasciculus and superior parietal white matter microstructure in children', Human Brain Mapping, 34(12):3216-3232, doi:10.1002/hbm.22139

Frøkjær V, Erritzoe D, Holst KK, Jensen PS, Rasmussen PM, Fisher P, Baaré WFC, Madsen KS, Madsen J, Svarer C and Knudsen GM (2013), 'Prefrontal serotonin transporter availability is positively associated with the cortisol awakening response', European Neuropsychopharmacology, 23(4):285-294, doi:10.1016/j.euroneuro.2012.05.013

Baruël Johansen L, Siebner HR, Werge TM and Madsen KS (2013), unknown publication b98ece8d-d1e7-4153-a803-8071aaa635d2

Madsen KS, Jernigan TL, Iversen P, Frokjaer VG, Knudsen GM, Siebner HR and Baaré WFC (2012), 'Hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis tonus is associated with hippocampal microstructural asymmetry', NeuroImage, 63(1):95-103, doi:10.1016/j.neuroimage.2012.06.071

Madsen KS (2012), 'Ny forskning i alkohol og unge hjerner: Unge hjerner forandres af alkohol. Et forskningsprojekt skal nu afdække hvordan', RUS

Madsen KS, Jernigan TL, Iversen P, Frokjaer VG, Mortensen EL, Knudsen GM and Baaré WFC (2012), 'Cortisol awakening response and negative emotionality linked to asymmetry in major limbic fibre bundle architecture', Psychiatry Research, 201(1):63-72, doi:10.1016/j.pscychresns.2011.07.015

Madsen KS, Baaré WFC, Skimminge A, Vestergaard M, Siebner HR and Jernigan TL (2011), 'Brain microstructural correlates of visuospatial choice reaction time in children', NeuroImage, 58(4):1090-1100, doi:10.1016/j.neuroimage.2011.07.032

Vestergaard M, Madsen KS, Baaré WFC, Skimminge A, Ejersbo LR, Ramsøy T, Gerlach C, Akeson P, Paulson OB and Jernigan TL (2011), 'White matter microstructure in superior longitudinal fasciculus associated with spatial working memory performance in children', Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience, 23(9):2135-2146, doi:10.1162/jocn.2010.21592

Madsen KS (2011), 'Brain microstructural correlates of behavioural and neuroendocrinological phenotypes: DTI studies of response inhibition and choice reaction time in typically-developing children and of negative emotionality and circadian cortisol patterns in healthy adults'

Jernigan TL, Baaré WFC, Stiles J and Madsen KS (2011), 'Postnatal brain development: structural imaging of dynamic neurodevelopmental processes', Progress in Brain Research, 189:77-92, doi:10.1016/B978-0-444-53884-0.00019-1

Madsen KS, Holm DA, Vejby Søgaard L and Rowland IJ (2008), 'Effect of paramagnetic manganese cations on (1)H MRS of the brain', NMR in Biomedicine, 21(10):1087-1093, doi:10.1002/nbm.1285


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