The Cognitive Neuroscience Laboratory adopts a multidisciplinary approach to study the neurophysiological foundations of cognitive processes underlying healthy or pathological human behavior, using various research techniques applied to different populations. Cognitive and clinical neuroscience, along with the implications of their findings for cognitive enhancement and neurorehabilitation, represent the laboratory's main research areas.
These goals are pursued through the use, sometimes in combination, of various behavioral and/or neurophysiological investigative techniques such as electroencephalography (EEG), transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS), and transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS). Functional and structural neuroimaging studies are conducted using the 3-Tesla MRI scanner at the Diagnostic Imaging Service of ICS Maugeri. These techniques are employed to investigate the neural correlates of different cognitive processes, both in normal and pathological conditions, along three main research lines focused on: social neuroscience and neuroeconomics (PI: Nicola Canessa), affective neuroscience (PI: Giulia Mattavelli), and motor cognition (PI: Claudia Gianelli, UniME). In line with the embodied cognition paradigm, a common thread across these research activities is the role of the sensorimotor system in these processes and, more broadly, the neurophysiological basis of the complex relationship between mind, body, and brain.
The scientific work is based on collaboration between IUSS researchers and various laboratories/services at ICS Maugeri, which provide expertise in key areas of cognitive neuroscience research (neuroimaging, neurostimulation, neurophysiology, neuropsychology).
Ongoing research projects:
- Neurophysiological bases of cognitive processes and cognitive enhancement in the healthy individual.
- Neurophysiological bases of cognitive disorders and treatment effects in clinical populations.
- Innovative neuromodulation treatments for chronic pain: assessing and predicting the effects of personalized High-Definition protocols for transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (HD-tDCS) (Bando PNRR).
- Improving motor, cognitive and social functions in patients with Parkinson's Disease: a novel approach combining electrophysiological recordings and non-invasive brain stimulation in interactive scenarios (Bando Giovani Ricercatori, Ricerca Finalizzata 2021).
- Electrophysiological and behavioral mechanisms underlying food preferences, and the role of school policies in shaping the eating behavior of children and their families.
- Sensing Inner Bodily state: understanding the role of interoception in obesity (Bando PRIN 2022).
Head: Prof. Nicola Canessa
Research staff:
Prof.ssa Giulia Mattavelli
Prof.ssa Claudia Gianelli
Dott.ssa Elisabetta Fasiello
Dott.ssa Carlotta Maiocchi
Dott. Riccardo Pirone
Dott.ssa Giada D’Este
Dott.ssa Anna De Chino
Dott.ssa Natalia Borella
Dott.ssa Gaia Locatelli
Dott.ssa Marta Milanesi
Dott.ssa Irene Gorrino
Dott.ssa Letizia Richelli
Dott. Leonardo Rassouli
Dott.ssa Aurora Manini
Dott.ssa Anna Vedani
Dott. Thomas Di Gregorio
National collaborations
Istituti Clinici Scientifici Maugeri, Centro di Pavia
Dipartimento di Medicina clinica e sperimentale, Università degli Studi di Messina
Laboratorio MRI 3 Tesla, Università degli Studi Milano-Bicocca
Dipartimento di Neuroscienze, Biomedicina e Movimento, Università degli studi di Verona
U.O. di Psichiatria Epidemiologica e Valutativa, IRCCS Fatebenefratelli
Research Center for Advanced Technology in Health and Well-Being, IRCCS San Raffaele
Dipartimento di Psicologia, Università degli Studi di Torino
Fondazione Santa Lucia Laboratorio di Neuroscienze sociali
Istituto Psicologico Italiano: IPSI
Food Policy Milano
IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Besta
International collaborations
Potsdam Embodied Cognition Group (PECoG), Potsdam University, Germania
Affective Neuro Lab, Institut für Psychologie, Universität Innsbruck, Austria
Department of Management, Technology, and Economics (D-MTEC), Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zürich (ETH Zürich)
Publications are available at the following links:
- Prof. Nicola Canessa: page of the IRIS archive and ORCID website
Prof.ssa Giulia Mattavelli: page of the IRIS archive and ORCID website
More info: cognitive.neuroscience@iusspavia.it