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BIONIC » Cognitive Enhancement

Cognitive Enhancement

Overview of Interdisciplinary Research Group #3 (Cognitive Enhancement)

This research group will focus on the development of sensitive assessment tools and real-time algorithms for the adaptation and optimization of critical cognitive processes required for enhanced learning and skill retention. This group utilizes the integrated interdisciplinary efforts of the Schumacher (School of Psychology) and Keilholz (School of Biomedical Engineering) groups as well as additional faculty through a seed grant program for behavioral and neurological effects of task training, biofeedback adaptation, functional imaging and connectivity, molecular marker development and amplification and neuropsychological assessment.

Interdisciplinary Research Group #3 Projects:

Project #3-1: Moderate Amounts of Attentional Control of Working Memory (WM) Training to Increase War-fighter Real-time Reasoning and Decision Making Skills with and without Negative Emotional Stress (Schumacher group)

Research Focus: The focus is to understand the neural mechanisms underlying attentional control training in order to maximize its beneficial effects for real-time war-fighter performance and extend those benefits to decision making under emotional stress.

Publications:

  • None yet.

Presentations:

  • H. Schwarb, G. Thompson, W. Majeed, A. McKinley, M. D. Merritt, E. H. Schumacher, S. D. Keilholz, “Spatiotemporal dynamics of low frequency BOLD fluctuations in the default network may predict psychomotor vigilance task performance,” Poster submitted to present at the annual meeting of the Cognitive Neuroscience Society, San Francisco, CA (April, 2011).

Fully- or Partially-Supported Supported Students:

  • Hillary Schwarb (Ph.D. student, School of Psychology)
  • Erin Lightman (Ph.D. student, School of Psychology)

Project #3-2: Functional Connectivity and Dynamic Network Analysis for Targeted Intervention in Brain Network Activity (Keilholz group)

Research Focus: The focus is to understand the relationship between functional brain connectivity and cognitive task performance. Functional connectivity MRI may provide a biomarker for subject selection, a tool for assessing the neural effects of an intervention, and a targeting approach for network stimulation techniques.

Publications:

  • W. Majeed, M. Magnuson, W. Hasenkamp, H. Schwarb, E. Schumacher, L. Barsalou, S. D. Keilholz, “Spatiotemporal Dynamics of Low Frequency BOLD fluctuations in Rats and Humans.,” NeuroImage (2010).
  • S. D. Keilholz, M. Magnuson, G. Thompson, “Evaluation of Data-driven Network Analysis Approaches for Functional Connectivity MRI,” Brain Structure and Function, 215 (2) 129-140 (2010).

Presentations:

  • W. Majeed, M. Magnuson, S. D. Keilholz, “Spatiotemporal Dynamics of Low Frequency Fluctuations in BOLD FMRI of Rats and Humans,”  Organization for Human Brain Mapping, Barcelona, June 2010.
  • G. Thompson, M. Magnuson, S. D. Keilholz, “Hierarchical Clustering for Network Analysis in Functional Connectivity MRI,” Proc Int Soc Magn Reson Med 2010.
  • W. Majeed, M. Magnuson, S. D. Keilholz, “Spatiotemporal Dynamics of Low Frequency Fluctuations in BOLD FMRI of Rats and Humans,”  Proc Int Soc Magn Reson Med 2010.

Fully- or Partially-Supported Supported Students:

  • Matthew Magnuson ((Ph.D. student, School of Biomedical Engineering)
  • Brock Wester (Ph.D. student, School of Biomedical Engineering)
  • Mac Merritt (Undergraduate, School of Biomedical Engineering)

Project #3-3: Optimization of Transcranial Stimulation (e.g., Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation, TMS, and Trancranial Direct Current Stimulation, tDCS, Intervention Parameters for Attentional Control Training (Schumacher group)

Research Focus: The focus is to investigate how transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) and transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) affect the task relevant brain regions are affect performance during the training of an attentional control task. Variability in the literature in this area point to the need for a method to evaluate the effectiveness of the stimulation parameters for attentional control and training. Project #3-3 will investigate the parameter space of TMS/tDCS levels (e.g., frequency and amplitude) and brain regions (e.g., prefrontal and parietal cortices) to optimize the effects of TMS during attentional control task performance.

Publications:

  • None yet.

Presentations:

  • None yet.

Fully- or Partially-Supported Supported Students:

  • Erin Lightman (Ph.D. student, School of Psychology)

Project #3-4: fMRI and Functional Connectivity as Assessment Tools for Transcranial Stimulation (TMS/tDCS) Interventions (Schumacher/Keilholz)

Research Focus: The focus is to understand the effect that magnetic stimulation has on brain areas involved in trained cognitive task performance. Project #3-4 will provide a comprehensive picture of how cognitive training and transcranial stimulation affect the brain during task performance and will identify any synergistic interactions between the two interventions. By identify neuroimaging markers of successful cognitive enhancement, this work will aid in targeting stimulation as well as in evaluating the results of an intervention.

Publications:

  • None yet.

Presentations:

  • None yet.

Fully- or Partially-Supported Supported Students:

  • Brian Roberts (Ph.D. student, School of Psychology)


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