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SUMMARY:Cross-modality imaging of the neural systems that support executiv
 e functions - Dr Yaara Erez\, MRC Cognition and Brain Sciences Unit
DTSTART:20220301T160000Z
DTEND:20220301T170000Z
UID:TALK162466@talks.cam.ac.uk
CONTACT:Dr Dervila Glynn
DESCRIPTION:*Theme: Adaptive Brain Computations*\n\n*Abstract:* Executive 
 functions refer to a collection of mental processes such as attention\, pl
 anning and problem solving\, supported by a frontoparietal distributed bra
 in network. These functions are essential for everyday life. Specifically 
 in the context of patients with brain tumours there is a need to preserve 
 them in order to enable good quality of life for patients. During surgerie
 s for the removal of a brain tumour\, the aim is to remove as much as poss
 ible of the tumour and at the same time prevent damage to the areas around
  it to preserve function and enable good quality of life for patients. In 
 many cases\, functional mapping is conducted during an awake surgery in or
 der to identify areas critical for certain functions and avoid their surgi
 cal resection. While mapping is routinely done for functions such as movem
 ent and language\, mapping executive functions is more challenging. Despit
 e growing recognition in the importance of these functions for patient wel
 l-being in recent years\, only a handful of studies addressed their intrao
 perative mapping. In the talk\, I will present our new approach for mappin
 g executive function areas using electrocorticography during awake brain s
 urgery. These results will be complemented by neuroimaging data from healt
 hy volunteers\, directed at reliably localizing executive function regions
  in individuals using fMRI. I will also discuss more broadly challenges of
 ß using neuroimaging for neurosurgical applications. We aim to advance cr
 oss-modality neuroimaging of cognitive function which is pivotal to patien
 t-tailored surgical interventions\, and will ultimately lead to improved c
 linical outcomes.\n\n*Biography:* I was trained in Computer Science and Ps
 ychology (Tel-Aviv University\, double-major B.Sc.\, Summa cum Laude) and 
 worked as a software developer in the industry. I then moved back to unive
 rsity to pursue a PhD and a career in science. I did my PhD in systems neu
 roscience with Izhar Bar-Gad and Moshe Abeles at the Gonda Multidisciplina
 ry Brain Research Center\, Bar-Ilan University. After a short postdoctoral
  project with Galit Yovel at the School of Psychological Sciences at Tel-A
 viv University\, I moved to the UK to work with John Duncan at the Cogniti
 on and Brain Sciences Unit at the University of Cambridge. I then establis
 hed my research independent research programme at the Cognition and Brain 
 Sciences Unit\, School of Clinical Medicine\, University of Cambridge as a
  Royal Society Dorothy Hodgkin Research Fellow. I joined the Faculty of En
 gineering at Bar-Ilan University in October 2021.\n\nRegister in advance f
 or this seminar: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZcuc-qsrDgpHdJ0
 4bQqgIlvNreJgPWEHKl_\n\nAfter registering\, you will receive a confirmatio
 n email containing information about joining the meeting.
LOCATION:Register on Zoom - link in abstract
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