- Neural mechanisms of multisensory object recognition
- Neural mechanisms of social cognition
- Neural mechanisms of goal-directed behavior
- Neurocognitive mechanisms of psychopathology
- Neural architectures supporting language comprehension and problem-solving
- Computational modeling of functional integration and binding in the cortex
- Adult neural plasticity in cortical and subcortical structures
- Brain-behavior relationships for the interaction of perception and action
- Neural correlates of learning in preschool children
- Neural substrates of multisensory speech
- Development of perception, action, and representation
- Neural mechanisms of stereotyping and prejudice
- Neural and behavioral mechanisms of atypical social functioning
Active Research Programs
Computational and Cognitive Neuroscience labs
- Brain Networks and Behavior Lab  (Betzel)
Faculty
About
Nervous systems are comprised of structurally and functionally connected neural elements. These elements form vast networks that help shape brain function and cognitive processes. In our lab we use methods from network science to study the organization and behavior of biological neural networks so that we can better understand their role in health and disease.
Our work involves analysis of network data at different spatial, temporal, and topological scales. Our goal is to understand the underlying principles that shape the organization and function of biological neural networks.
- Cognition and Action Neuroimaging Lab (K. James)
Faculty
About
Our interactions with the world rely on actions: therefore, our perceptions not only drive action, but are also driven by action. This interaction shapes and changes cognition. In the CANLab, we study how our actions with the environment, such as how we handle objects or learn words for objects and actions, affect our ideas and memory. Much of the research in the CANLab uses functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) as a tool for investigating neural processing during learning throughout the life span. We also study the effects of action on object knowledge, categorization and word learning during the early years of cognitive development.
- Cognitive Control Lab (Brown)
Faculty
About
The mission of the Cognitive Control Lab is to identify and characterize the neural mechanisms of goal directed behavior. To this end, we focus on the frontal lobes, and especially the medial prefrontal cortex. Our research involves a tight integration of computational neural modeling, functional MRI, and cognitive psychology.
- Cognitive Neurobiology Lab (E. Newman)
Faculty
About
How do neural circuits give rise to cognition? Our lab examines this question by focusing on the cognitive processes underlying navigation and memory. We take an interdisciplinary approach, combining empirical methods from systems and behavioral neuroscience and theoretical methods from computational neuroscience. Individual projects often seek to uncover the mapping from brain dynamics to behavioral ability. We collect high-density electrophysiological recordings of brain activity in rats and humans and then analyze how that activity relates to performance in behavioral tasks. These analyses are often guided by the predictions of computational models so that our results have direct relevance for formal theories of how neural circuits enable cognition.
- Computational Cognitive Neuroscience Lab (Sporns)
Faculty
About
Our main goal is to understand integrative aspects of brain structure and function, with an emphasis on how the connections and interactions among neural elements (neurons, populations, brain regions) give rise to brain dynamics, cognition and behavior. Our approach is to view the brain as a complex network that is embedded in a behaving organism and supports the processing and integration of information. To make sense of the brain as a complex system we employ a broad range of analysis and modeling techniques, particularly methods coming from computational neuroscience, graph theory, time series analysis, complexity and information theory. The lab is at the forefront of network models of neural systems, all modalities of brain connectivity, and the emerging field of connectomics. Many of our ongoing projects involve collaborations in brain mapping (with an emphasis on human brain data, but also inclusing non-human primate, rodent and insect brains), brain dynamics (as recorded with EEG, MEG or fMRI), development of new methods for network analysis (especially centrality and modularity), and individual differences in brain networks across healthy populations as well as disturbances in brain injury and disease (ADHD, schizophrenia).
- Neuroscience of Mind and Behavior Lab (Krendl)
Faculty
About
Our research uses social neuroscience and behavioral approaches to understand social cognition and how it changes over the lifespan. Our current projects examine how being stigmatized (e.g., for mental illness or addiction) affects individuals in everyday life (e.g., decisions to seek treatment), and how healthy aging affects social cognition.
- Perception and Neuroimaging Lab (T. James)
Faculty
About
A pervasive idea in cognitive science is that decisions are the result of a comparison of sensory evidence that is accumulated over time. Findings from both neurophysiology and neuroimaging now suggest that the brain solves the problem of perceptual decision-making using a similar accumulator mechanism. Using accumulators as a framework, the PAN Lab seeks to understand how the brain processes sensory evidence, how that sensory evidence interacts with previous experiences, how that interaction contributes to decision making, and how those decisions lead to environmentally-appropriate actions. The research program emphasizes the understanding of fudamental sensory operations and how they may differ across typical and atypical populations. Research involves a combination of experimental methods and analysis techniques, including fuctional MRI, resting state and task-based functional connectivity, structural connectivity, psychophysics, self-report, daily diaries, TMS, and EEG.
- Social Brain Lab (Kennedy)
Faculty
About
Our research focuses on the neural and cognitive mechanisms underlying human social behavior, and how these mechanisms might be different in people with autism or acquired brain damage. We use a variety of experimental methods, including eye tracking, cognitive and behavioral assessments, and functional and structural neuroimaging.
- Social Neuroscience Lab (Puce)
Faculty
About
This research program focuses on the neural basis of social cognition - the ability to interpret the actions, intentions and emotions of others. Implicit/explicit aspects of non-verbal communication is a main theme, as is the context in which the action occurs. We use activation tasks that attempt to mimic real-life situations. Our experiments use multimodal neuroimaging methods, including behavior, EEG, fMRI, event-related respomse, eye tracking and white matter tractography. Relevant techniques are determined by the particular scientific question being asked. We also are involved in MEG studies via a collaboration.
The College of Arts