Stella Giakoumaki

  • Department of Psychology
  • Office: 103, 1st Floor , Building Α1
  • 28310 - 77541
  • sgiakoumaki@uoc.gr
  • Full CV

Brief CV

I currently serve as Professor of Clinical Neuropsychology in the Department of Psychology of the University of Crete. I am a full-member of the MSc programme in “Neuroscience” and Director of the Laboratory of Neuropsychology. I graduated from the Department of Psychology at the University of Crete and obtained my MSc in Neuroscience from the School of Medicine at the University of Crete, where I also completed my PhD (Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Sciences). I completed my training in neuropsychology at the Institute of Psychiatry, King’s College London (now the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience), where I also worked as an honorary post-doctorate researcher (Section of Neurobiology of Psychosis, Division of Psychological Medicine). My research interests focus on (a) the association of schizotypal, temperament and character traits with endophenotypic markers in the schizophrenia-spectrum; (b) the functional neural substrates underlying these associations using fNIRS and (c) the near- and far-transfer gains following cognitive training.

Career Development

  • Institute of Psychiatry, King’s College London (2005-2006)
    • Honorary post-doctorate researcher
  • University General Hospital of Heraklion (2007 – 2010)
    • Psychologist in the Psychiatric Clinic
  • University of Crete (2010– Today)
    • Faculty Member

Research Interests

My research interests are focusing on the assessment of endophenotypic markers in high-risk groups of the schizophrenia-spectrum. Specifically, my research group studies cognitive and sensorimotor gating impairments as well as personality traits in these populations; the ultimate goals is to detect not only predisposing but also protecting factors for conditions in the schizophrenia-spectrum.

Research Grants

24.01.2023 – 31.12.2025             The duration of near- and far-transfer gains of executive working memory training in man and mice: Interactions with anxiety and schizotypal traits. Large Scale Type C2 study funded by the Special Account for Research of the University of Crete.  Role: Principal Investigator.

11.05.2020 – 10.03.2022             The combined effects of traumatic life events and schizotypal personality traits on emotional processing. Funded by the Greek Ministry of Finance and Investments – Call: ΕΔΒΜ 103. Role: Principal Investigator.

14.10.2019 – 21.05.2022             The association of schizotypal personality traits with cognitive and emotional functioning in groups at increased risk for schizophrenia-spectrum disorders. Funded by the Hellenic Foundation for Research & Innovation (HFRI) – Support of PhD candidates. Role: Principal Investigator. 

20.12.2018 – 19.12.2021             The effect of executive working memory training on cognitive flexibility and its underlying neurobiological mechanisms in man and mouse: A translational study. Large Scale Type C2 study funded by the Special Account for Research of the University of Crete. Role: Principal Investigator.

31.01.2014 – 31.10.2015             Prefrontally-Mediated Endophenotypes in the Schizophrenia Spectrum. Funded under the “ARISTEIA II” Action of the Operational Programme Education and Lifelong Learning and co-funded by the European Social Fund (ESF) and National Resources. Role: Principal Investigator.

18.01.2013 – 17.01.2015             Endophenotypes in the Schizophrenia Spectrum. “Start-up” funding by the Special Account for Research of the University of Crete. Role: Principal Investigator.

Selected Publications

  • Karamaouna, P., Zouraraki, C., Economou, E., Bitsios, P., & Giakoumaki, S.G. (2025). Facial emotion recognition and its associations with psychological well-being across four schizotypal dimensions: a cross-sectional study. Archives of Clinical Neuropsychology, 40, 965-976. doi: 10.1093/arclin/acae123.
  • Karamaouna, P., Zouraraki, C., Economou, E., Kafetsios, K., Bitsios, P., & Giakoumaki, S.G. (2024). Cold executive function processes and their hot analogues in schizotypy. Journal of the International Neuropsychological Society, 30(3), 185-194. doi: 10.1017/S1355617723000590.
  • Zouraraki, C., Kyriklaki, A., Economou, E., & Giakoumaki, S.G. (2023). The moderating role of early traumatic experiences on the association of schizotypal traits with visual perception. Scandinavian Journal of Psychology, 64(1), 10-20. doi: 10.1111/sjop.12859.
  • Zouraraki, C., Karamaouna, P., & Giakoumaki, S.G. (2023). Facial emotion recognition and schizotypal traits: A systematic review of behavioural Sbtudies. Early Intervention in Psychiatry, 17(2), 121-140. doi: 10.1111/eip.13328.
  • Zouraraki, C., Karamaouna, P., & Giakoumaki, S.G. (2023). Cognitive processes and resting-state functional neuroimaging findings in high schizotypal individuals and schizotypal personality disorder patients: A systematic review. Brain Sciences, 13(4), doi: 10.3390/brainsci13040615.
  • Stavoulaki, V., Sidiropoulou, K., Bitsios, P., & Giakoumaki, S.G. (2023). Far transfer effects of executive working memory training on cognitive flexibility. Current Psychology, 42, 22370–22378. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12144-022-03363-w.
  • Lencz, T., Lam, M., Chen, C.Y., Ge, T., Yan, X., Hill, D., Trampush, J., Yu, J., Knowles, E., Davies, G., Stahl, E., Huckins, L., Liewald, D., Djurovic, S., Melle, I., Christoforou, A., Reinvang, I., DeRosse, P., Lundervold, A., Steen, V., Espeseth, T., Raikkonen, K., Widen, E., Palotie, A., Eriksson, J., Giegling, I., Konte, B., Hartmann, A., Roussos, P., Giakoumaki, S., … & Maholtra, A. (2021). Identifying nootropic drug targets via large-scale cognitive GWAS and transcriptomics. Neuropsychopharmacology, 46(10), 1788-1801. doi: 10.1038/s41386-021-01023-4.
  • Stavroulaki, V., Giakoumaki, S.G., & Sidiropoulou, K. (2021). Working memory training effects across the lifespan: evidence from human and experimental animal studies. Mechanisms of ageing and development, 194, doi: 10.1016/j.mad.2020.111415.
  • Karamaouna, P., Zouraraki, C., & Giakoumaki, S.G. (2021). Cognitive functioning and schizotypy: a four-years study. Frontiers in Psychiatry, 11, doi: 10.3389/fpsyt.2020.613015.
  • Giakoumaki, S.G., Karamaouna, P., Karagiannopoulou, L., & Zouraraki, C. (2021). Self-perceived cognitive lapses and psychological well-being in schizotypy: generalized and domain-specific associations. Scandinavian Journal of Psychology, 62(2), 134-140. doi: 10.1111/sjop.12704.

Courses offered at the Undergraduate Level

  • Neuropsychology (ΨΧ-3302)
  • Neuropsychological assessment (Ψ-4403)
  • Clinical neuropsychology of schizophrenia and bipolar disorder (ΨΧ-3305)
  • Neuropsychological assessment I: Clinical applications (ΨΧ-3312)

Courses offered at the Postgraduate Level

  • Neurocognitive impairments in drug abuse and addiction (module in the course entitled “Neurobiology, Psychopharmacology and Aetiopathogenesis of Addiction”)
  • Neuropsychology: Theory and implementation (NEURO 204), MSc Neuroscience