Facilities - School of Psychology

Cognitive neuroscience facilities

Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS)

Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) involves stimulating the brain by delivering brief, powerful magnetic pulses from a coil that's held against the scalp. This allows us to study brain activity and the relationship between regional brain activity, cognition and behaviour.

Example
We use TMS to study which parts of the brain allow us to understand the thoughts and feelings of other people.

Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS)

Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) involves stimulating the brain by delivering weak electrical currents from electrodes that are placed against the scalp. This allow us to modulate brain activity and examine the relationship between regional brain activity, cognition and behaviour.

Example
We use tDCS to study how the brain links memory and language.

Electroencephalography (EEG)

Electroencephalography (EEG) allows the measurement of the brain’s electrical activity through small electrodes that are placed on the scalp. We can perform EEG while someone completes a cognitive task, allowing us to tie specific brain activity to specific cognitive processes (e.g. memory, perception).

Example
We use EEG to determine the brain’s response to food-related images in obesity.

Electromyography (EMG)

Electromyography (EMG) allows the measurement of a muscle’s electrical activity through small electrodes that are placed on the skin. This is often used in combination with TMS, where we stimulate the brain’s motor cortex and record responses in hand muscles.

Eye tracking

Eye tracking uses an infrared camera to determine where, and for how long, a person is looking at an item. It's a strong indicator of visual attention and can be combined with other neuroscience techniques to better uncover the relationship between brain, cognition and behaviour.

Example
We use eye tracking to study how a person with autism spectrum disorder observes a social situation.

Near infrared spectroscopy

Near infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) allows us to measure brain activity via sensors that are placed against the scalp.

Example
We use NIRS to investigate frontal lobe activity while a person is performing a verbal creativity task.

Gait analysis walkways

A gait analysis walkway allows to the measure very subtle aspects of a person’s walk, such as balance, step length and step timing. It does this through thousands of tiny sensors that are embedded within a long, narrow mat, along which the person walks.

Example
We use the gait analysis walkway to investigate whether children with autism spectrum disorder have a specific walking pattern, and whether this might help in diagnosis.