The Eckert Laboratory

A commentary about the questionable nature of locus coeruleus (LC) findings from fMRI studies was recently published in the journal Science, as well as replies from the authors who published the questioned LC findings.  While this discussion is important to help move forward our understanding of the LC and it’s modulatory role in humans, we [...]

The most consistent and pronounced factor that affects the cognitive abilities of older adults is a decline in processing speed, or the rate at which people can perform a task.  Links between processing speed and changes in frontal lobe cortex, which appear to be mediated in part by cerebral vessel disease, have been reported previously. [...]

Changes in auditory temporal processing are thought to be one reason why older adults have difficulty recognizing speech, especially in difficult listening conditions. Dr. Kelly Harris reports in the journal Hearing Research that changes in auditory temporal processing can be explained, in part, by changes in cognitive processing speed. Processing speed is the rate at [...]

The Neurodiversity Lab is this year’s recepient of the Deafness Research Foundation Centurion Clinical Research Award to study the plasticity of neural systems that process orthography and phonology in older adults.