Ekaterina Dobryakova, PhD

Head shot of Ekaterina Dobryakova, PhD

Assistant Director, Neuroscience Research

Phone
973.324.8381

Ekaterina Dobryakova, PhD, is assistant director of Neuroscience Research in the Center for Traumatic Brain Injury Research and director of the Neuromotivation and Network Integrity Laboratory at Kessler Foundation. Dr. Dobryakova conducts clinical research in populations with cognitive dysfunction caused by traumatic brain injury (TBI), multiple sclerosis (MS) and Parkinson’s Disease.

Dr. Dobryakova is the author of more than 30 peer-reviewed articles and several chapters in the "Encyclopedia of Clinical Neuropsychology" and "Cognition and Behavior in Multiple Sclerosis." She is an active member of the American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine's (ACRM) Neurodegenerative Diseases Networking Group and the communications committee for the Organization for Human Brain Mapping.

Expertise
Traumatic Brain Injury
Functional Neuroimaging
Multiple Sclerosis
Brain Connectivity
Motivated Behavior
Education
PhD - Psychology, Rutgers University
MA - Psychology, Rutgers University
BA - Psychology, Rutgers University
Honors
Early Career Award, International Neuropsychological Society, 2019
Research Mentor of the Year, Kessler Foundation, 2019
Switzer Fellowship, funded by the National Institute on Disability Independent Living and Rehabilitation (NIDILRR), 2016
Independent investigator Grant from the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, 2015
Mitchell Rosenthal Fellow Research Award, Rutgers, New Jersey Medical School, 2014
Recipient of the Student Award, New Jersey Neuropsychological Society, 2014
Recipient of the Student Liaison Award, International Neuropsychological Society, 42nd Annual Meeting, 2014
Research Interests

The fronto-striatal brain network has been shown to play an important role in motivated behavior as well as in fatigue and depression that so many clinical populations experience, including individuals with TBI and MS. Using functional magnetic resonance imaging, Dr. Dobryakova investigates the functioning of the fronto-striatal network during motivated behavior and the network’s relationship with fatigue and depression. Her findings indicate that noninvasive, nonpharmacologic interventions may be useful for addressing deficits in learning processes, and in ameliorating the impact of debilitating cognitive fatigue.

Publications

View a comprehensive listing of publications for Dr. Dobryakova on Pubmed

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