Our focus

We study the cognitive and neural mechanisms of attention as well as the potential for enhancing attention abilities through cognitive training. To gain insights from multiple perspectives, we perform behavioral, neuroimaging (functional MRI), and cognitive training experiments in healthy subjects and disordered populations (ie hemispatial neglect, TBI/PTSD, prosopagnosia)

Our Affiliations

Harvard University
Boston University
VA Boston Healthcare System
From left to right: Joe DeGutis, Mike Esterman, Alex Mitko, Mallory Grosso, Chris Chiu, Michelle Thai, Rachael Morris, Victoria Poole, Francesca Fortenbaugh, Richard Liu, Hidefusa Okabe. Monica, Mike, and Roger analyzing MRI data. We use functional MRI to probe the neural architecture of attention as well as how this may be disrupted in disordered populations and how it may change after cognitive training. Regions of the brain that are commonly damaged in hemispatial neglect, a severe neurological disorder affecting spatial and non-spatial attention. Attention is a key component of many cognitive abilities including visual perception, cognitive control, and memory and is disrupted in several populations such as TBI/PTSD, ADHD, and hemispatial neglect. We are also interested in exploring applications of brain stimulation techniques such as transcranial direct-current stimulation, as shown here by the founders of the BAL Lab. The Boston VA Medical Center in Jamaica Plain, MA. This is where you can find BAL | LABers on most days.
From left to right: Joe DeGutis, Mike Esterman, Alex Mitko, Mallory Grosso, Chris Chiu, Michelle Thai, Rachael Morris, Victoria Poole, Francesca Fortenbaugh, Richard Liu, Hidefusa Okabe.
BAL Lab in the News:
A Lost Secret: How To Get Kids To Pay Attention (06/21/2018) -
Concentration Ability May Get Better with Age (08/24/2015) - What is Face Blindness? (02/11/2016)
We’re One Step Closer to Mind Reading (07/19/2016)