Cognitive Neuroscience / Clinical Neuropsychology Laboratory
The Cognitive Neuroscience / Clinical Neuropsychology Laboratory research focuses on cognitive, emotional, and motivational processes and how these are affected by neurologic and psychiatric disorders. We study normal individuals across the lifespan and individuals with specific clinical disorders including: movement disorders, Parkinson’s disease, dystonia, Tourette’s, Huntington’s, Alzheimer’s, dementia, concussions, ALS, temporal and frontal lobe epilepsy (before and after seizure surgery), brain health, focal brain lesions, and major depressive disorder as well as apathy.
Our research is hypothesis driven. We rely on a variety of research methodologies to help address specific questions about the neural bases of cognitive and affective behavior in humans. Our empirical approach involves laboratory based experiments as well as studies of functioning in day to day life. Some of the “tools” we currently use include Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS), computer methods for analyzing dynamic emotion displays, psychophysiology (startle, SCR, facial EMG, HR), structural and functional neuroimaging, high density EEG and cognitive science & neuropsychological measures.