Cognitive Neuroscience and Neuromodulation Lab
Welcome to the Bentley Lab!
Our goal is to understand brain networks underlying cognitive control and selective attention and to restore function in these networks using neuromodulation (patterns of brain stimulation).
We analyze neural populations and network dynamics during cognitive tasks measuring attention, inhibitory control, and cognitive control.
Our findings help us understand how networks support healthy activity and how pathologies such as attention deficits, cognitive impairment, and dementia may be due to abnormal network function. We can use this information to develop restorative therapies in neurologic and psychiatric diseases.
Understanding cognitive control networks
We learn how dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) interacts with parietal cortex as part of the frontoparietal network to support cognitive control, allowing us to hold information ‘in mind’ without becoming distracted. We also measure how this cortical networks talks to subcortical structures in the basal ganglia structures, analyzing intracranial recordings in patients undergoing deep brain stimulation.
Distributed network dynamics in selective attention
Using multiple distributed implanted electrodes, we study how different areas in the brain work together to support cognitive control functions, such as attention and processing.
Cortical stimulation for cognitive impairment
We study a type of patterned stimulation (intermittent theta-burst stimulation) to determine if it is useful for diseases such as attention disorders, cognitive impairment, or dementia. This stimulation is currently FDA-approved for non-invasive use in patients with major depression, and is useful for improving mood disorders as well.
Current Research
