Saša Filipović

  • RESEARCH AREAS

    Human Neuroscience – Neurophysiology, Neuromodulation, Cognitive neuroscience
    Clinical Neuroscience – Neurodegenerative disorders, Neurorehabilitation

  • EDUCATION

    1994 – PhD in Medicine (Faculty of Medicine, University of Belgrade)
    1989-1992 – Specialist in Neuropsychiatry (Faculty of Medicine, University of Belgrade)
    1985-1986 – MSci in Biomedical Engineering (Centre for Multidisciplinary Studies, University of Belgrade)
    1978-1984 – MD (Faculty of Medicine, University of Belgrade)

  • POSITIONS AND TITLES

    2009 – Research Professor (Institute for Medical Research, University of Belgrade)
    2001-2008 – Senior Research Fellow (Burden Neurological Institute, University of Bristol, UK)
    1999-2001 – Clinical Research Assistant (Institute of Neurology, University College London, UK)
    1996-1999 – Scientific Associate (Institute for Medical Research, University of Belgrade)
    1995-1999 – Assistant Professor (Neurology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Belgrade)

  • SELECTED PUBLICATIONS

    1. Bjekić, J., Živanović, M., Paunović, D., Vulić, K., Konstantinović, U., & Filipović, S. R. (2022). Personalized Frequency Modulated Transcranial Electrical Stimulation for Associative Memory Enhancement. Brain Sciences, 12(4), 472. doi:http://10.3390/brainsci12040472
    2. Stanković, M., Živanović, M., Bjekić, J., & Filipović, S. R. (2022). Blinding in tDCS Studies: Correct End-of-Study Guess Does Not Moderate the Effects on Associative and Working Memory. Brain sciences, 12(1), 58.doi:10.3390/brainsci12010058
    3. Vasić, A., Bjekić, J., Veinović, G., Mihaljica, D., Sukara, R., Poluga, J., Filipović, S. R., & Tomanović, S. (2022). Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices on Tick-Borne Encephalitis Virus and Tick-Borne Diseases within Professionally Tick-Exposed Persons, Health Care Workers, and General Population in Serbia: A Questionnaire-Based Study. International journal of environmental research and public health, 19(2), 867. doi: 10.3390/ijerph19020867
    4. Bjekić, J., Živanović, M., & Filipović, S. R. (2021). Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) for Memory Enhancement. Journal of Visual Experiments, 62681. doi: 10.3791/62681
    5. Vulić, K., Bjekić, J., Paunović, D., Jovanović, M., Milanović, S., & Filipović, S. R. (2021). Theta-modulated oscillatory transcranial direct current stimulation over posterior parietal cortex improves associative memory. Scientific Reports, 11, 3013. doi: 10.1038/s41598-021-82577-7
    6. Živanović, M., Paunović, D., Konstantinović, U., Vulić, K., Bjekić, J., & Filipović, S. R. (2021). The effects of offline and online prefrontal vs parietal transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) on verbal and spatial working memory. Neurobiology of Learning and Memory, 179, 107398. doi: 10.1016/j.nlm.2021.107398
    7. Lefaucheur, J. P., André-Obadia, N., Antal, A., Ayache, S. S., Baeken, C., Benninger, D. H., Filipović, S.R., … & Garcia-Larrea, L. (2014). Evidence-based guidelines on the therapeutic use of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS). Clinical Neurophysiology, 125(11), 2150-2206. doi: 10.1016/j.clinph.2014.05.021
    8. Bjekić, J., Čolić, M. V., Živanović, M., Milanović, S. D., Filipović, S. R. (2019). Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) over parietal cortex improves associative memory. Neurobiology of Learning and Memory, 157(1), 114–120. doi: 10.1016/j.nlm.2018.12.007
    9. Bjekić, J., Vulić, K., J., Živanović, M., Vujučić, J., Ljubisavljević, M., Filipović, S.R. (2019). The immediate and delayed effects of single tDCS session over posterior parietal cortex on face-word associative memory. Behavioural Brain Research, 366, 88-95. doi: 10.1016/j.bbr.2019.03.023
    10. Ljubisavljević, M.R., Ommen, J., Filipović, S., Bjekic, J., Szolics, M., Nagelkerke, N. (2019). Effects of tDCS of Dorsolateral Prefrontal Cortex on Dual-Task Performance Involving Manual Dexterity and Cognitive Task in Healthy Older Adults. Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience, 11(144). doi: 10.3389/fnagi.2019.00144
    11. Stevanovic VB, Jelic MB, Milanovic SD, Filipovic SR, Mikic MJ, Stojanovic MDM. Sport-Specific Warm-Up Attenuates Static Stretching- Induced Negative Effects on Vertical Jump But Not Neuromuscular Excitability in Basketball Players. J Sports Sci Med. 2019 Jun 1;18(2):282-289
    12. Vuksanović J, Milovanović T, Konstantinović L, Filipović SR. Effect of type of language therapy on expressive language skills in patients with post-stroke aphasia. Int J Lang Commun Disord. 2018 Jul;53(4):825-835. doi: 10.1111/1460-6984.12390
    13. Bjekić, J., Živanović, M., Purić, D. et al. (2017). Pain and executive functions: a unique relationship between Stroop task and experimentally induced pain. Psychological Research, 82, 580–589 (2018). doi: 10.1007/s00426-016-0838-2
    14. Jelić, M.B., Filipović, S.R., Milanović, S.D., Stevanović, V.B., & Konstantinović, L. (2017) Bilateral sequential motor cortex stimulation and skilled task performance with non-dominant hand. Clinical Neurophysiology, 128(5): 814-822. doi: 10.1016/j.clinph.2017.02.020
    15. Kačar A, Milanović SD, Filipović SR, Ljubisavljević MR. Changes in cortical excitability during paired associative stimulation in Parkinson’s disease patients and healthy subjects.Neurosci Res. 2017 Nov;124:51-56. doi: 10.1016/j.neures.2017.06.001
    16. Vuksanović J, Jelić MB, Milanović SD, Kačar K, Konstantinović L, Filipović SR. Improvement of language functions in a chronic non-fluent post-stroke aphasic patient following bilateral sequential theta burst magnetic stimulation. Neurocase. 2015;21(2):244-50. doi: 10.1080/13554794.2014.890731
    17. Defrin R, Amanzio M, de Tommaso M, Dimova V, Filipovic S, Finn DP, Gimenez- Llort L, Invitto S, Jensen-Dahm C, Lautenbacher S, Oosterman JM, Petrini L, Pick CG, Pickering G, Vase L, Kunz M. Experimental pain processing in individuals with cognitive impairment: current state of the science. Pain. 2015 Aug;156(8):1396-1408. doi: 10.1097/j.pain.0000000000000195
    18. Jelić MB, Milanović SD, Filipović SR. Differential effects of facilitatory and inhibitory theta burst stimulation of the primary motor cortex on motor learning. Clin Neurophysiol. 2015 May;126(5):1016-23. doi: 10.1016/j.clinph.2014.09.003
    19. Lefaucheur JP, André-Obadia N, Antal A, Ayache SS, Baeken C, Benninger DH, Cantello RM, Cincotta M, de Carvalho M, De Ridder D, Devanne H, Di Lazzaro V, Filipović SR, Hummel FC, Jääskeläinen SK, Kimiskidis VK, Koch G, Langguth B, Nyffeler T, Oliviero A, Padberg F, Poulet E, Rossi S, Rossini PM, Rothwell JC, Schönfeldt-Lecuona C, Siebner HR, Slotema CW, Stagg CJ, Valls-Sole J, Ziemann U, Paulus W, Garcia-Larrea L. Evidence-based guidelines on the therapeutic use of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS). Clin Neurophysiol. 2014 Nov;125(11):2150-2206. doi: 10.1016/j.clinph.2014.05.021
    20. Filipović SR, Bhatia KP, Rothwell JC. 1-Hz repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation and diphasic dyskinesia in Parkinson’s disease. Mov Disord. 2013 Feb;28(2):245-6. doi: 10.1002/mds.25261
    21. Jelić MB, Stevanović VB, Milanović SD, Ljubisavljević MR, Filipović SR. Transcranial magnetic stimulation has no placebo effect on motor learning. Clin Neurophysiol. 2013 Aug;124(8):1646-51. doi: 10.1016/j.clinph.2013.02.024
    22. Konstantinović LM, Jelić MB, Jeremić A, Stevanović VB, Milanović SD, Filipović SR. Transcranial application of near-infrared low-level laser can modulate cortical excitability. Lasers Surg Med. 2013 Dec;45(10):648-53. doi: 10.1002/lsm.22190
    23. Milanović S, Filipović SR, Radovanović S, Blesić S, Ilić NV, Kostić VS, Ljubisavljević MR. Changes in motor cortex excitability associated with muscle fatigue in patients with Parkinson’s disease. Vojnosanit Pregl. 2013 Mar;70(3):298-303. doi: 10.2298/vsp1303298m
    24. Filipović SR. Functional anatomy of dystonia – getting the higher definition picture. Clin Neurophysiol. 2012 Apr;123(4):638-9. doi: 10.1016/j.clinph.2011.08.020
    25. Filipović SR, Rothwell JC, Bhatia K. Slow (1 Hz) repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) induces a sustained change in cortical excitability in patients with Parkinson’s disease. Clin Neurophysiol. 2010 Jul;121(7):1129-37. doi: 10.1016/j.clinph.2010.01.031
    26. Filipović, S.R., Rothwell, J.C., van de Warrenburg, B.P. and Bhatia, K., 2009. Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation for levodopa‐induced dyskinesias in Parkinson’s disease. Movement disorders: official journal of the Movement Disorder Society, 24(2), pp.246-253. doi: 10.1002/mds.22348
    27. Rowe, J.B., Siebner, H., Filipovic, S.R., Cordivari, C., Gerschlager, W., Rothwell, J. and Frackowiak, R., 2006. Aging is associated with contrasting changes in local and distant cortical connectivity in the human motor system. Neuroimage, 32(2), pp.747-760. doi: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2006.03.061
    28. Siebner, H.R., Filipovic, S.R., Rowe, J.B., Cordivari, C., Gerschlager, W., Rothwell, J.C., Frackowiak, R.S. and Bhatia, K.P., 2003. Patients with focal arm dystonia have increased sensitivity to slow‐frequency repetitive TMS of the dorsal premotor cortex. Brain, 126(12), pp.2710-2725. doi: 10.1093/brain/awg282
    29. Filipović, S.R., Jahanshahi, M. and Rothwell, J.C., 2001. Uncoupling of contingent negative variation and alpha band event-related desynchronization in a go/no-go task. Clinical Neurophysiology, 112(7), pp.1307-1315. doi: 10.1016/S1388-2457(01)00558-2
    30. Modugno, N., Nakamura, Y., MacKinnon, C., Filipovic, S., Bestmann, S., Berardelli, A. and Rothwell, J., 2001. Motor cortex excitability following short trains of repetitive magnetic stimuli. Experimental brain research, 140(4), pp.453-459. doi: 10.1007/s002210100843
    31. Filipović, S.R., Ljubisavljević, M., Svetel, M., Milanović, S., Kačar, A. and Kostić, V.S., 1997. Impairment of cortical inhibition in writer’s cramp as revealed by changes in electromyographic silent period after transcranial magnetic stimulation. Neuroscience letters, 222(3), pp.167-170. doi: 10.1016/s0304-3940(97)13370-5

  • PROJECTS

    2022 – 2025: Twinning for excellence in non-invasive brain stimulation in Western Balkans (role: PI)

    2020 – 2022: From brain waves to memory boost: Memory enhancement by personalized frequency-modulated noninvasive brain stimulation (PI: Jovana Bjekic; role: full-time researcher)

    2019 – now: The neural architecture of consciousness (PI: Kristian Sandberg; Funded by EU COST
    program, project no: CA18106), role: Management committee substitute member

    2011 – now: Non-invasive modulation of cortical excitability and plasticity – Non-invasive neuromodulation of the CNS in the study of physiological mechanisms, diagnosis, and treatment (Funded by Ministry for Education Science and Technological Development, Republic of Serbia, project no: NI175012), role: PI

    2013 – 2019: Collaboration of aphasia trialists (CATs) (PI: Marion Brody; Funded by: [2013-2017] EU COST program, project no: IS1208, and [2017- 2019] The Tavistock Trust for Aphasia), roles: Management committee member, Executive committee member and STSM Coordinator (2013-2017), working group member

    2012 – 2015: Pain assessment in patients with impaired cognition, especially dementia (PI: Stefan Lautenbacher; Funded by EU COST program, project no: TD1005), roles: Management committee
    member and working group member

    2010 – 2011: Evaluation of the effectiveness of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS)
    over premotor cortical targets for the treatment of dystonia, Funded by: Serbian –French Technology Co-Operation Program (Pavle Savić) Grant, role: co-PI with Jean-Pascal Lefaucheur

    2009-2010: Cortical excitability and plasticity in healthy people and patients with movement disorders – neurophysiological investigations of the etiological mechanisms, possibilities for modulation, functional and therapeutic significance (Funded by Ministry for Science and Technology, Republic of Serbia, project no. NI145083), role: deputy PI

    2003 – 2004: Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (rTMS) for Levodopa Induced Dyskinesia in Parkinson’s Disease (Funded by Parkinson’s Disease Society UK), role PI

    1997 – 1998: Neurophysiology of Movement Disorders (Wellcome Trust Travelling Research Fellowship, Funded by Wellcome Trust, UK), role: fellowship holder