Dr Anita Nitchingham is a geriatrician and clinician-researcher whose work focuses on improving outcomes for older people with delirium. Her research spans the neurobiology of delirium, clinical trials, implementation science and the interface between delirium and dementia.

Anita completed her PhD through UNSW and NeuRA, investigating the biological mechanisms underlying delirium using advanced neuroimaging. Her work demonstrated regional cerebral hypometabolism during delirium, independent of acute illness and dementia, helping to advance understanding of the brain changes that occur during acute cognitive disturbance. She has also led the world’s first randomised controlled trial of intranasal insulin for the treatment of established delirium, evaluating a novel mechanistically targeted therapy in hospitalised older adults.

 Her current research focuses on the long-term consequences of delirium, including cognitive decline, functional recovery and dementia risk after hospitalisation. She leads translational projects at Prince of Wales Hospital developing post-discharge delirium recovery pathways, with a focus on early identification of ongoing cognitive concerns, rehabilitation, patient and carer education, and connection with appropriate services. Her work aims to integrate clinical assessments with blood-based biomarkers to better understand why some patients recover after delirium while others experience persistent decline.

Anita is Vice-President of the Australasian Delirium Association and contributes to national and international collaborations in delirium research and education. Her broader goal is to build evidence-based models of care that recognise delirium as a major brain health event and improve recovery, independence and quality of life for older people and their families.