Cognitive control, attention and awareness

Neural mechanisms of cognitive control enable us to coordinate, execute, and update behaviour.

The prefrontal cortex has long been associated with cognitive control but the architecture of the prefrontal system is one of the great unsolved mysteries in cognitive neuroscience.

Within the broad field of cognitive control (or 'executive functions'), our research focuses on understanding the neural basis of response inhibition, response selection, and the link between inhibition and risk-taking (including gambling and eating behaviour), principally through the application of training methods, TMS and TES.

Our sensory environment contains a vast quantity of information, only a fraction of which can guide behaviour. Brain mechanisms of attention are crucial for enhancing the processing of stimuli that are relevant to current goals.

Within the field of attention, our research focuses on the use of TMS and fMRI to understand the cognitive neuroscience of attentional control and spatial representations. We're also interested in the neurophysiology and neurochemistry that supports consciousness in the occipital and frontal cortex.

Team members

Collaborators