Neuropsychology & Neuroscience - more

Active Research Areas

Current grant funding for the laboratory includes: multi-year grants (R01, R00) from the National Institutes of Health (NIH); National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research (NIDRR); and the Department of Veterans Affairs; a Training Program Grant from the National Multiple Sclerosis Society; an Advanced Multidisciplinary Training Program Grant from the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research (NIDRR); pilot research grants from the Kessler Foundation, multi-year and pilot research grants from the National MS Society, as well as several multi-year and pilot research grants from the New Jersey Commission for Brain Injury Research.

• Multiple Sclerosis - The Laboratory’s work in multiple sclerosis challenges the current view on the cause of memory impairment in MS. Much of our pioneering work provided the first evidence that memory impairment in individuals with MS may be due to a different mechanism (i.e., impaired acquisition of information) than previously hypothesized (i.e., retrieval failure). A major focus of work in our lab has been to identify and treat the impairments of learning and memory. Research has found that controllable variables, such as distracting stimuli or a lack of time for adequate information processing, impacts information acquisition in MS. Current work is focused on cognitive rehabilitation programs to treat problems of learning and memory in persons with MS.  NNL scientists are conducting groundbreaking research in this area, documenting changes in brain structure and function following a brief behavioral intervention for learning and memory in MS. This line of work has significant implications for the neurocognitive rehabilitation of persons with MS.  In addition to the above projects, the NNL is continuing its MS work in the areas of emotionality, personality, psychophysiology and everyday functioning.
• Traumatic Brain Injury –NNL Scientists foster many areas of ongoing investigation  in the area of traumatic brain injury (TBI).  Cognitive functioning is often significantly impacted by TBI and multiple studies in the NNL address this area of need from both a behavioral perspective and neuroimaging perspective.  Work is ongoing to more specifically identify the cognitive problems seen post-TBI as well as to improve cognitive functioning in persons living with TBI through cognitive rehabilitation.  NNL scientists apply multiple neuroimaging techniques (i.e., fMRI, MRI, MRS, DTI) to examine brain abnormalities and cognitive functioning in TBI, done in collaboration with UMDNJ and Rutgers University. Research is also being conducted in the assessment and treatment of cognitive impairments in TBI and the functional application to rehabilitation.
• Cognitive Neuropsychology- NNL Scientists are interested in investigating cognition in various populations. Understanding the impact of learning and memory impairments in individuals with neurological injuries or illnesses. Researchers are investigating how executive abilities or processing speed impact learning and memory as well as studying aging in persons with neurological illness or injuries. Rehabilitation techniques are being utilized to improve learning and memory as well as applying rehabilitation techniques to improve functional status. Additional research is focused on how psychological factors such as apathy, depression and cognitive fatigue effect cognition.
• Functional Neuroimaging - Members of the Laboratory are currently active in several areas of investigation: clinical applications of fMRI, the use of parametric studies, the evaluation of cognitive functioning in clinical populations, and utilizing optical tomography using near-infrared spectroscopy. Our parametric studies seek to develop standardized fMRI acquisition paradigms specifically in the auditory and motor domains. Our studies of cognitive functions in clinical populations are investigating the neurofunctional correlates of information processing, working memory, learning, memory and executive abilities in MS and TBI.  This work is conducted in collaboration with UMDNJ (Department of Radiology) and Rutgers University in Newark. Key resources include the Kessler Foundation Research Center Neuropsychology and Neuroscience Laboratory which houses a neuroimaging laboratory consisting of 3 data analysis workstations, 2 for functional neuroimaging analysis and 1 for optical tomography analysis, and 3 neuroimaging dedicated laptops.  The lab also houses a fully functional near-infrared optical (NIRS) tomography system. NIRS is a functional neuroimaging system which allows for measuring functional cerebral activity in a noninvasive manner.