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

David Copland

Team Members
Academic Staff
David Copland
Tony Angwin
Wendy Arnott
Emma Finch
 
RHD Candidates
Tracy Roxbury
Georgia Thomas
Kylie Wall
Rebecca Banney
Melina West
Megan Isaacs
Garon Perceval
Ji Yang
Marie-Piere McSween
 
Collaborators
Associate Prof Katie McMahon
Prof Greig de Zubicaray
Associate Professor Marcus Meinzer
Professor Peter Silburn
Prof Andrew Bradley
Assoc Prof Wayne Wilson
Prof Jeff Coombes
Dr Kieran Flanagan (ACU)
Dr Erin Conway (ACU)
Dr Amy Rodriguez (Emory University)
Associate Professor Miranda Rose (La Trobe University)
A/Professor Lyndsey Nickels (Macquarie University)
Professor Bruce Crosson (Emory University)
Professor Pradeep Nathan (Cambridge University)
Professor Matti Laine (Abo Akademi, Finland)
Professor John Hart (University of Texas, Dallas)
Dr Brad McPherson (University of Hong Kong)
Prof Robert Barry (U Woollongong)
Assoc Prof Kirk Ericksen (Pittsburgh University)
 
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