A talk by Prof. Massimo Grassi, Dept. of General Psychology, University of Padova

A talk by Dr. Fabrizio Lombardi, Institute of Science and Technology Austria (ISTA), Wien

Seminar and book presentation by Prof. Alessandro Martini, School of Medicine, Padova
When: Nov 22nd, 2022
Where: Aula Magna Clinica Neurologica, Padova

by dr. Simone Gastaldon, Dept. of Developmental Psychology and Socialisation and Padova Neuroscience Center – Padova

When: November 3rd, 2022 – 3:00 pm

Where: Sala Seminari – VIMM. Recording available on Mediaspace.

Abstract: Understanding language is a complex task that neurologically intact people seem to perform very easily. To achieve this, our brain does not only passively process incoming stimuli, but also proactively predicts upcoming information to facilitate processing. In this talk I will present past and ongoing studies that investigate some aspects of such predictive processes, by using electroencephalography with both typically developed adults, and people with atypical development. In particular, I will focus on 1) the hypothesis of “prediction-by-production” (typical adults and adults who stutter), and 2) the relevance of prediction and multisensory integration in audiovisual speech comprehension when the auditory input is sub-optimal (deaf people with cochlear implant).

by prof. Peter Bandettini, National Institute of Health, USA

When: September 29th, 2022 – 3:00 pm

Where: Zoom meeting. Recording available on Mediaspace

Abstract: Functional MRI has been advanced by improvements in acquisition, processing, and our understanding of the neurovascular response, leading to new insights, applications, and avenues of research. In this lecture, the challenges and opportunities in working with fMRI at its limits of resolution,
sensitivity, and interpretability are described. Several examples of ultra-high resolution mapping of cortical layer activity and connectivity are shown, opening up the capability of fMRI to map directional connectivity and functional hierarchy. Also presented are some of my lab’s recent work on tracking ongoing cognition, assessing vigilance, and reducing physiologic noise – all through the integration of novel pulse sequences, paradigms, and processing methods. Throughout the presentation open questions and challenges are raised and potential opportunities towards their utility to neuroscience and clinical applications are presented.

Short bio: Peter Bandettini received his B.S. in Physics from Marquette University in 1989 and his Ph.D. in Biophysics in 1994 at the Medical College of Wisconsin and carried out his post-doc at the Massachusetts General Hospital NMR Center. Since 1999, he has been the Director of the Functional MRI Facility which
is jointly supported by NINDS and NIMH, and Chief of the Section on Functional Imaging Methods in the Laboratory of Brain and Cognition. In 2017 he initiated two new teams to help investigators throughout the NIH. These are the Machine Learning Team and the Data Science and Sharing Team. At this time, he also became the founding Director of the Center for Multimodal. He was Editor in Chief of the journal, NeuroImage from 2011-2017. His research focus since 1991 has been on developing fMRI acquisition
methods, brain activation strategies, and processing approaches to more effectively extract neuronal and physiologic information from fMRI data toward the goals of understanding the human brain and
increasing the fMRI’s clinical efficacy.

by prof. Sonja Kotz – University of Maastricht

When: July 7th, 2022 – 3:00 pm

Where: Sala Seminari, VIMM. Recording available on Mediaspace

Abstract: It is well established that cortico-cerebellar-cortical circuitry monitors motor behavior, but recent evidence established that this circuitry similarly engages in the temporal encoding of basic and more complex (multi)sensory information. Consequently, cerebellar computations may generally apply to the temporal encoding of motor and basic and complex (multi)sensory information as (i) such information stimulates and monitors cortical information processing, and (ii) cerebellar-thalamic output might be a possible source of endogenous activity, predicting the outcome of cortical information processing and (iii) possibly providing a temporal frame for the binding of information. I will discuss our current conceptual thinking as well as empirical evidence in support of these considerations.

by prof. Michael Halassa – MIT, Boston

When: June 23th, 2022 – 3:00 pm

Where: Sala Seminari, VIMM. Recording available on Mediaspace

Abstract: Interactions between the thalamus and cortex are critical for normal cognition. Although classical theories emphasize its role in transmitting signals to or between cortical areas, recent studies show that the thalamus modulates cortical function through additional mechanisms. In this talk, I will discuss findings that highlight the role of the mediodorsal (MD) thalamus in regulating prefrontal excitatory/inhibitory balance and effective connectivity during decision making. I will present recently published data showing that the MD thalamus dynamically adjusts prefrontal evidence integration according to incoming stimulus statistics. I will also present unpublished data showing how the thalamus may be a nexus for handling distinct types of task uncertainty. Given that MD-PFC interactions are known to be perturbed in schizophrenia, these findings may be relevant to suboptimal management of uncertainty that leads to aberrant beliefs. If time allows, I will present early collaborative work in that domain.

by prof. Nicolas Brunel, Duke University

When: June 16th, 2022 – 3:00 pm

Where: VIMM Meeting room – Recording available on Mediaspace

Abstract: Brains have a remarkable ability to store information about the external world, on time scales that range from seconds to the lifetime of an animal. What are the mechanisms by which information is stored in the brain, and how is stored information retrieved from memory? One of the central hypothesis of neuroscience is that information is stored through synaptic plasticity – modifications of synaptic connectivity between neurons. Theoretical models have explored the impact of such synaptic plasticity mechanisms on network dynamics. One scenario, in which synaptic changes are predominantly temporally symmetric, leads to the creation of fixed point attractor states of the dynamics of the network, one for each item stored in memory. Another scenario, in which changes have a strong temporally asymmetric component, leads to the creation of sequences of network activity. In this talk, I will present recent instantiations of these models, that are both simple enough to enable mean-field calculations, but also detailed enough to enable detailed comparisons with experimental data. I will also show how heterogeneities in synaptic plasticity can allow networks to flexibly switch from the fixed point attractor regime to the sequence regime, and to vary the speed at which sequences are retrieved.

Short bio: Nicolas Brunel is professor of Neurobiology and Physics at Duke University. He is also member of the Center for Cognitive Neuroscience and Faculty Network Member of the Duke Institute for Brain Sciences. He uses theoretical models of brain systems to investigate how they process and learn information from their inputs. His current work, in collaboration with various experimental groups, focuses on the mechanisms of learning and memory, from the synapse to the network level. Using methods from statistical physics, he has shown recently that the synaptic connectivity of a network that maximizes storage capacity reproduces two key experimentally observed features: low connection probability and strong overrepresentation of bidirectionally connected pairs of neurons. He has also inferred ‘synaptic plasticity rules’ (a mathematical description of how synaptic strength depends on the activity of pre and post-synaptic neurons) from data, and shown that networks endowed with a plasticity rule inferred from data have a storage capacity that is close to the optimal bound.

by prof. Marco Canossa, CIBIO, University of Trento

When: June 9th, 3:00 PM

Where: Aula 0B, Complesso di Biomedicina, Fiore di Botta, Padova

Abstract: In the cerebral cortex neurons are organized in specific layers and form connections both within the cortex and with other brain regions, thus forming a network of synaptic connections comprising distinct circuits. Plasticity is a fundamental feature of neuronal connections in the brain, where experience-dependent changes in synaptic strengths are crucial for creating learning and memory circuits (engrams). Deciphering how neurons dynamically express synaptic plasticity while ensuring the formation of memory circuits remains a key challenge. Glial cells respond to neuronal activation and release neuroactive molecules (termed “gliotransmitters”) that can affect synaptic activity and modulate plasticity. Here we used molecular genetic tools, electrophysiology, ultra-structural and live microscopy to assess the role of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) on cortical gliotransmission both in ex vivo and in vivo. We find that glial cells recycle BDNF that was previously secreted by neurons following long-term potentiation (LTP)-inducing electrical stimulation. Upon BDNF glial recycling, we observed tight temporal, highly localized TrkB phosphorylation on adjacent neurons, a process required to sustain LTP. Engagement of BDNF recycling by astrocytes represents a novel mechanism by which cortical synapses can provide synaptic changes that are relevant for consolidating memory. Accordingly, mice deficient in BDNF glial recycling fail to recognize familiar from novel objects, indicating a physiological requirement for this process in memory retention.

by prof. Gian Michele Ratto, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Pisa

When: May 26th, 2022 – 3:00 pm

Where: Sala Seminari at VIMM. Recording available on Mediaspace

Abstract: Living organisms navigate through a cyclic world: activity, feeding, social interactions
are all organized along the periodic daily rhythm synchronized by external environmental cues and
brain function varies markedly through the day. An obvious contributory factor is the large change
in the level of sensory drive from day to night. Less obvious is the degree to which intrinsic
neuronal activity might vary, yet there is abundant clinical data supporting the idea that many
functional neurological and psychiatric conditions have strong diurnal patterns. Additionally, basic
animal research has further documented differences in the level of neuronal firing and synaptic
function between periods of rest and activity. Surprisingly, we have no clear understanding of the
cellular basis of the diurnal regulation of neuronal activity, but we should expect the operation of
some mechanisms acting on the excitation/inhibition interplay.

The main inhibitory synaptic currents, gated by gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), are mediated
by Cl–conducting channels, and are therefore sensitive to changes of the chloride electrochemical
gradient. As GABAergic activity dictates neuronal firing, the intracellular chloride concentration
([Cl-]i) plays a major role in the regulation of neuronal activity. We measured [Cl-]i with 2-photon
imaging of a genetically encoded Cl- sensor in anaesthetized young adult mice, and we found a
large physiological diurnal fluctuation of baseline [Cl-]i in pyramidal neurons. This equates to a
~15mV positive shift in chloride equilibrium potential at times when mice are typically active
(midnight), relative to their sleep phase (midday).

The cyclic regulation of [Cl-]i impacts on cortical processing since visually evoked gamma-band
oscillations are reduced during the active phase, as it should be expected by the decreased
capacity of inhibition of synchronizing large neuronal ensembles. Importantly, this can be rescued
by the NKCC1 blocker bumetanide that also restores [Cl-]i to the daily levels. Finally, we
determined that during the high [Cl-]i period, the cortex is more sensitive to the pro-epileptic drug
4-ammino pyridine, and again, this enhanced epileptogenicity is rescued by bumetanide.
These results strongly support the idea that the diurnal cycle of cortical excitability is mediated by
a previously unknown change of GABAergic transmission due to a cyclic change of [Cl]i
homeostasis in cortical pyramidal neurons.

by prof. Andrea Benucci, RIKEN Center for Brain Science – Saitama – Japan

When: April 28th, 2022 – 10:00 am

Where: Zoom meeting. Recording available on Mediaspace

Abstract: In this presentation, I will first introduce the main areas of interest of my laboratory at RIKEN Center for Brain Science. Then, I will focus on a recent work where we examined the plasticity of visual representations in the mouse cortex.

The starting observation for this study is that brain circuits acquire and update computations through the dynamics of recurrently connected neurons. Neuronal connections are plastic but the principles that coordinate cell-to-cell connectivity changes for network-level computations remain largely elusive. We found that optogenetic stimulation centered on a cortical cell (target cell) could coordinate activity changes across hundreds of surrounding cells, enhancing the population encoding for the preferred feature of the target cell. These effects were more prominent in cells with weaker sensory responses and impacted the spontaneous dynamics, with cells co-tuned with the target being more likely to participate in spontaneous activity assemblies. Our results reveal a form of plasticity in adult cortical networks that is sensitive to the activation of even a single neuron, and highlight mechanisms that balance plasticity and stability of feature representations.

When: Apr 8th, 2022 – starting at 3:00 pm

Where: Aula Magna, Complesso Beato Pellegrino, Padova

Abstract: Nello splendido contesto del Complesso Beato Pellegrino un evento che vedrà la presenza di esponenti della Regione Veneto e dell’EU Quantum Flagship e di Amazon per affrontare insieme la sfida del computer quantistico.

Il Dipartimento di Fisica e Astronomia (DFA) dell’Università di Padova organizza per il giorno 8 aprile, alle ore 15:00, presso l’Aula Magna del Complesso Beato Pellegrino, il convegno “Padova e la nuova sfida del computer quantistico”, incentrato sul progetto Quantum Computing and Simulation Center (QCSC) del quale il DFA è capofila e coordinatore.

Parteciperanno in presenza tutti i relatori, che dopo i saluti istituzionali della Rettrice dell’Università di Padova, Daniela Mapelli, del Presidente dell’Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare, Antonio Zoccoli e del Presidente del Cineca, Francesco Ubertini, approfondiranno alcuni temi di rilevanza strategica per fornire una visione di insieme nell’ambito delle tecnologie quantistiche.

Si parlerà dell’impegno della Regione Veneto con Fabrizio Spagna, Presidente di Veneto Sviluppo; della visione europea e del panorama italiano delle tecnologie quantistiche, rispettivamente con Tommaso Calarco, EU Quantum Flagship, e Chiara Machiavello, dell’Università di Pavia; delle applicazioni industriali del computer quantistico con Simone Severini, Direttore del Quantum Computing di Amazon web service.

Infine Simone Montangero, Vice Direttore del QTechCenter, presenterà il Centro di Calcolo e Simulazione Quantistica dell’Università di Padova, di cui è Principal Investigator. Le conclusioni sono affidate a Flavio Seno, Direttore del Dipartimento di Fisica e Astronomia. Modera l’evento: Francesco Suman.

La partecipazione all’evento è su invito, ma sarà possibile seguirlo anche su Youtube, sul canale degli 800 anni dell’Università di Padova a questo link https://unipd.link/computer-quantistico

by dr. Valentina Baro, MD, Department of Neuroscience, Padova

When: April 14th, 2022 – 3:00 pm

Where: in-person seminar, Sala Seminari, VIMM. Recording available on Mediaspace

Abstract: The clinical assessment of brain pathologies has been increasingly dependent on advanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) techniques in order to infer lesion pathophysiological characteristics, such as hemodynamics, metabolism, and microstructure. Advanced techniques in computed tomography, MRI and positron-emission tomography have further improved the visualisation and localisation of brain pathologies especially in neuro-oncology, providing target definition for various therapeutic modalities. Additional refinements of newer imaging methods, such as MR Spectroscopy, functional MRI, diffusion MRI and diffusion tensor imaging, have allowed a more detailed and accurate definition of tumour features and the relation with eloquent brain tissue. Nonetheless, these imaging methods have acquired a pivotal role in presurgical planning for brain surgery.

When: Apr 7th, 2022 – starting at 10:00 am

Where: Sala dei Giganti, Palazzo Liviano, Padova

Abstract: “Le stagioni del cervello” è il tema dell’edizione 2022 della Settimana mondiale del cervello: conoscere come funzione il cervello nelle varie fasi della vita, come proteggerlo fin dalla giovane età e come mantenerlo attivo nell’invecchiamento è una priorità di benessere e salute pubblica.

A Padova il 7 aprile presso la Sala dei Giganti si tiene una giornata dedicata a questi obiettivi: in mattinata viene dedicata attenzione alle fasi evolutive del cervello con interventi educativi sui tics e il loro stigma, sull’impatto della musica nell’allenamento del cervello; a seguire, un momento musicale con studenti, studentesse e docenti. Il pomeriggio è dedicato agli stimoli per mantenere il cervello attivo e sano il più a lungo possibile. Si tratta il tema dell’esercizio fisico, del benessere psicologico e dell’attivazione cognitiva con stimoli e proposte pratiche.

Coordinata dalla European Dana Alliance for the Brain in Europa e dalla Dana Alliance for Brain Initiatives negli Stati Uniti, la Settimana del Cervello è il frutto di un enorme coordinamento internazionale cui partecipano le società neuroscientifiche di tutto il mondo e a cui la Società Italiana di Neurologia e la Clinica Neurologica di Padova aderisce da anni.

L ‘evento, gratuito ed aperto a tutti, si svolge esclusivamente in presenza presso l’Aula dei Giganti, Palazzo Liviano.

Link alla notizia su “ilbo live”

When: April 5th, 2022 – 6:30 pm

Where:

• In presence, Museo “Giovanni Poleni”.
  • Mandatory booking here: https://indico.dfa.unipd.it/event/428/
  • Green Pass required for all attendees
• Live on YouTube: https://unipd.link/AulaRostagniUniPadovaDFA

Abstract: ….da dove vengono i pensieri, le emozioni, e come prendiamo le decisioni che nel piccolo e nel grande determinano la nostra vita? Che cosa sono il senso morale e l’etica? Dove finisce la biologia e dove inizia la cultura?

Per quasi venti secoli i filosofi e gli scienziati localizzarono nel cuore la sede delle attività mentali superiori, ed è solo dalla metà del 1600 che il cervello è considerato il centro delle facoltà intellettive. Grazie allo sviluppo di nuove tecnologie negli ultimi 50 anni vi è stata un esplosione di conoscenze sull’organizzazione cerebrale che da un lato ci hanno fatto comprendere come il cervello umano non sia speciale, ma che la sua complessità non è altro che il prodotto di un evoluzione di meccanismi più semplici che sono presenti in tutte le specie dal nematode all’elefante. Dall’altro stanno emergendo risultati che indicano che alcune delle funzioni cosiddette umane non sono altro che il riciclo di meccanismi neuronali per funzioni sensori-motorie più semplici. Questo permette una nuova chiave interpretativa a fenomeni sociali che sono al momento principalmente oggetto di letture sociologiche, educative, o culturali, ad esempio il razzismo o la tossicodipendenza. Anche se la traduzione dal biologico al sociale è delicata e può essere banalizzata, non vi è dubbio che quello che è fuori di noi, cioè la società e la cultura non sono altro che il prodotto dei nostri cervelli e che molte risposte a problemi della società si potrebbero trovare nell’organizzazione e nella funzione delle reti neuronali.

by dr. Marco Mainardi, Istituto di Neuroscienze, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche – Pisa

When: March 24th, 2022 – 3:00 pm

Where: Zoom meeting. Recording available on Mediaspace

Abstract: Plasticity of synaptic connections adjusts the signal flow across neural circuits to
support the acquisition and storage of information. Dendritic spines host most excitatory
synapses in the brain and incessantly remodel to meet the computational demands for
acquisition or recall of new episodic memories, or goal-oriented behavioral schemes.

Despite the obvious physiological importance of synaptic plasticity and its implications in
pathological contexts, appropriate tools for the specific analysis of potentiated synapses
are scarce. To fulfill this gap, Dr Mainardi has contributed to the creation of genetically
encoded tools allowing the expression of virtually every protein of interest specifically at
potentiated dendritic spines. This system has been applied to express (i) fluorescent
reporters and obtain maps of the distribution of potentiated dendritic spines along the
dendritic tree of hippocampal neurons or (ii) a FLAG-tagged version of the PSD-95
postsynaptic hub protein and isolate its potentiation-specific interactome. These data
provide a first cartography and molecular fingerprinting of synaptic potentiation triggered
by a specific learning task, in addition to paving the way for further studies in models of
neurological diseases characterized by impaired learning and memory.

When: March 17th, 2022 – 3:00 pm

Where: Sala Seminari at VIMM, Via Orus 2b, Padova, Zoom meeting (Recording available on Mediaspace)

Abstract: Robotic devices have seen an increasing uptake in neurorehabilitation, due to the higher intensity and larger therapeutic exercise doses they can provide. More recently, robots have also entered the market as assistive wearable devices – i.e. to enhance or integrate human body performance.

However, the human and the robot are usually considered as two separate entities interacting via a fixed and immutable interface and the robot is seen as a mere actuator of pre-designed motions.

For the effective exploitation of wearable robots as assistive and rehabilitative tools, we need to overcome these limitations aiming towards a synergistic integration of humans and robots. Advanced interfaces based on neuromuscular data and sophisticated mechanical structures are yet insufficient. We need to move in the direction of a reliable and continuous interaction, based on detailed knowledge of the neuromuscular responses to robotic training and the development of approaches in which two intelligent agents (i.e. the human and the robot) cooperate to achieve a common goal. Therefore, our Neuroscience and Robotics research groups at the University of Padova are collaborating on this challenging topic. We will first focus on the concepts supporting the use of robots in neurorehabilitation and healthy ageing, moving then to present novel Artificial Intelligence techniques to develop shared-intelligence architectures for wearable robots interfaced via the electroencephalographic (EEG) and electromyographic (EMG) signals.

When: March 10th, 2022 – 3:00 pm

Where: Zoom meeting. Recording available on Mediaspace

Abstract: Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is a widely adopted non-invasive brain stimulation technique for the modulation of brain excitability. The direct neuromodulatory effects of tDCS beneath the electrode is considered to extend to nearby as well as distant brain areas, mainly depending on the activation state of the brain before and during stimulation. This is evident in physiological circumstances (e.g. during physical activity) but it is even more marked in pathological conditions (i.e. stroke).

My recent activity focuses on the study of tDCS aftereffects on direct and indirect modulation in the primary motor cortical area in mice while performing a motor task. We observed that unilateral stimulation is able to influence neural activity and plasticity in the contralateral hemisphere if applied during a simple motor task that activates motor areas bilaterally. This results could be of great relevance for the use of such technique in the chronic phase after brain ischemia. Moreover, in the photothrombotic mouse model of ischemia, the application of cathodal tDCS few hours after the stroke onset was observed to improve functional recovery and act on non-neural cells, by modulating microglia morphology.

When: March 3rd, 2022 – 3:00 pm

Where: Zoom meeting. Recording available on Mediaspace

Abstract: A major goal of applied neuroscience is to understand how to achieve controlled perturbations of brain activity through stimulation or brain-computer interfaces with the aim of investigating brain mechanisms or restoring normal activity patterns in subjects affected by neuropathologies.

In recent years, several authors have proposed to frame this problem within control theory, a well established engineering paradigm to control dynamical systems. In this framework, a model of the autonomous (uncontrolled) dynamics of the system is used to precisely devise external interventions that, in combination with the autonomous dynamics, will steer the system towards desired targets. Three main obstacles, however, hinder the applicability of control theory to the brain: (1) a limited ability to measure or reconstruct intrinsic dynamics (2) a difficulty in realizing targeted perturbations (3) the complexity (high dimensionality) of the system. In this seminar, we shall illustrate these problems, focusing on our recent theoretical investigations of brain controllability in humans, where intrinsic brain dynamics can be characterized through neuroimaging (fMRI). We shall argue that achieving precise control of whole-brain activity by a naive application of standard control theory is currently unfeasible. Finally, we shall briefly discuss possible alternatives to realize controlled manipulations of global brain activity.

When: Feb 17th, 2022 – 3:00 pm

Where: Zoom meeting. Recording available on Mediaspace

Abstract: Gaze direction results from the orientation of eyes in the head and the orientation and position of the head in space. Consequently, gaze direction controls the retinal image.

Eye movements can be substantially subdivided in two classes. Eye movements which stabilize gaze when animals move their body and head (or only the head) with respect to the surrounding environment. The goal of this response is to stabilize the image on the retina despite the head movement (substantially they prevent retinal slip). Stabilization mechanisms have evolved to solve this problem. They maintain visual acuity during self-motion by stabilizing the retinal image of the world with rotations of the eyes that exactly compensate for head and body movements. The neural mechanisms for gaze stabilization are highly conserved across vertebrates and invertebrates, reflecting the widespread need to stabilize visual inputs despite other sensory and motor differences between species.

The second class of eye movements are eye movements which redirect gaze. The goal of this response is to allow animals to inspect the visual field with the aim to actively select objects or features of particular interest. These last processes require cognitive mechanisms based on perception and selective attention, and on motor control based on both predictive and feedback mechanisms. An interesting point in this class of eye movements is the fact that gaze redirection at least theoretically implies to focus a limited part of the visual field on a region of the retina with a higher spatial resolution. Hence it was supposed that these mechanisms were only present in animals with a fovea. Today, on the contrary, these mechanisms were also found in animals in which a truly fovea was not present, opening interesting questions about the cognitive mechanisms regulating gaze redirection as well as the presence of high spatial resolution regions in the retina of afoveate animals.

When: February 3rd, 2022 – 3:00 pm

Where: Zoom meeting

Abstract: Despite their general immaturity, human infants have sophisticated auditory and speech perception skills. This talk will present EEG and NIRS studies with newborns and older infants investigating the neural mechanisms underlying these abilities. The studies investigate how embedded neural oscillations, hypothesized to be crucial for speech processing in adults, emerge during early human development.

The talk will discuss the implications of these findings for language development.

Short bio: Judit Gervain is a Full Professor at the Department of Developmental and Social Psychology. She is trained as a theoretical linguistic, obtained a PhD in 2002 in Cognitive Neuroscience under the mentorship of Jacques Mehler from SISSA, Trieste, Italy. She then worked as a post doctoral researcher at the University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada. In 2009, she took up a researcher position at the CNRS, in Paris, France, from which she moved to the University of Padua in 2020.

Her research focuses early speech perception and language acquisition in typically developing monolingual, bilingual infants as well as in infants with hearing difficulties. She uses behavioral as well as brain imaging techniques to explore the perceptual, linguistic and cognitive development of these infants and their underlying neural correlates. She has done pioneering work in newborn speech perception using near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS), revealing the impact of prenatal experience on early perceptual abilities, and has been one of the first to document the beginnings of the acquisition of grammar in newborns and preverbal infants.

Her work has been published in leading journals, such as Science Advances, Nature Communications, PNAS and Current Biology. She is an associate editor at Developmental Science and Neurophotonics, and a member of the Governing Board of the Society for Near-Infrared Spectroscopy.

Webinar: Università di Padova, Ulster University, Harvard Medical School, University college Dublin

When: Dec 2nd, 2021 – 3:00 pm CET (9:00 am ET)

Where: Zoom Meeting (please enroll to receive the link)

Abstract: Rehabilitative and assistive robots are a rapidly emerging field. However, their efficacy is still hampered by the lack of adaptive interaction with the end user, disregarding ongoing changes in brain and muscle reactivity.

The collaborative, international research projects SOFTAct and PRO-GAIT are setting the foundation to revolutionize wearable robots: artificial intelligence techniques will provide the framework to use cerebro-muscular biosignals to control robots. This will allow wearable robots to become a natural extension of the human body in the near future.

When: June 17th, 2021 – 5:00 pm

Where: Zoom meeting

Abstract: The core idea in this talk is that brain-wide, ongoing activity is essential for brain function and behavior. This activity accounts for 20% of the energy consumption of an adult human even though the brain contributes only 2% to the weight of the body. Brain activity associated with task performance is associated with surprisingly small regional changes in brain energy consumption. These changes are so small that they have no effect on the overall brain energy consumption. The emerging challenge for neuroscience is to understand the contribution this very high-energy consumption makes to brain function. What has been revealed over the past several decades as imaging of not only humans but also other mammals as well as flies and worms is a remarkable brain-wide, functional organization within this ongoing activity.

The objective of the talk is to provide an overview of this rapidly expanding body of work emerging from laboratories worldwide.

Short bio: Marcus E. Raichle, a neurologist, is the Alan A. and Edith L. Wolff Distinguished Professor in Medicine with joint appointments in Radiology, Neurology, Neurobiology, Psychology and Biomedical Engineering at Washington University in St Louis, Missouri, USA. His research over the past 51years (first scientific paper published 1970) has focused on the relationship of brain circulation and metabolism to brain function. He was the member of the team that introduced the first tomographic images of brain blood flow and oxygen consumption with PET. Noteworthy accomplishments during this time have been the discovery of the relative independence of blood flow and oxygen consumption during spontaneous and evoked changes in brain activity which provided the physiological basis of fMRI; the discovery of a default mode of brain function (i.e., organized intrinsic activity) and its signature system, the brain’s default mode network; and that aerobic glycolysis contributes to ongoing brain function independent of oxidative phosphorylation. Current research focuses on the metabolic and neurophysiological organizing principles of the human brain’s intrinsic activity in health and disease. He is a member of the US National Academy of Sciences, US National Academy of Medicine and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.