Language Neuroscience Laboratory
Role Description
We conduct research into the brain mechanisms underlying healthy language processing, language disorders, and language treatment and recovery. Language processing is investigated in a range of populations including: stroke (aphasia), Parkinson’s disease, dementia, and children with developmental language disorders. Our lab investigates behavioural and neurobiological predictors of aphasia recovery and tests new potential treatments of aphasia both in stroke patients and through optimising word learning in healthy individuals. Research themes include cortical versus subcortical language mechanisms, neuroplasticity, pharmacological modulation of language, and interactions between cognition and language. Techniques employed include psycholinguistic behavioural tasks, functional MRI, event-related potentials (EEG), pharmacological challenge, and exercise testing. The Language Neuroscience Laboratory has obtained over $12 million in competitive grant funding with colleagues.
Group Leader
Team Members
Academic Staff
Tony Angwin
Wendy Arnott
RHD Candidates
Collaborators
Prof Greig de Zubicaray
Associate Professor Marcus Meinzer
Prof Andrew Bradley
Assoc Prof Wayne Wilson
Associate Professor Miranda Rose (La Trobe University)
Professor John Hart (University of Texas, Dallas)
Dr Brad McPherson (University of Hong Kong)
Key Research Activities
- Predicting and promoting aphasia recovery
- The effect of noise on language and learning
- The influence of acute exercise on word learning
- Language function in adults with brain tumours
- Neural mechanisms of language facilitation in aphasia due to transcranial direct current stimulation.
- Factors influencing aphasia therapy outcomes
- Pharmacological modulation of language and word learning
- Brain mechanisms associated with mild cognitive impairment in Parkinson’s disease