Event Date
ELIZABETH L. JOHNSON, PHD
Assistant Professor
Medical Social Sciences, Pediatrics, & Psychology
Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences
Principal Investigator, dynamic-brain.org
Northwestern University, Feinberg School of Medicine
Host: Jack Lin, MD, jajlin@ucdavis.edu
This is an in-person event. Please register here: https://tinyurl.com/Neuroeng-Jan25
Registration for remote attendance is limited to colleagues from the Sacramento campus and those working remotely: https://tinyurl.com/Neuroeng8Jan25
Abstract
The human brain undergoes dramatic shifts in cellular composition, activity, and connectivity across the lifespan. This talk will showcase new research on network dynamics supporting memory and control processes in children, young adults, and older adults. A common theme is the role of rhythmic theta networks underlying cognitive performance. Theta rhythms mature from childhood into young adulthood, mirroring changes brain structure, and strengthened theta networks explain developmental improvements in memory. In young adults, theta rhythms support multiple cognitive processes associated with different brain networks. In older adults, manipulating theta networks improves cognitive performance and intervention efficacy reflects individual brain structure. Understanding lifespan neurophysiology carries broad impact for early detection of dysfunction and the design of therapeutic interventions.
Bio
Dr. Johnson directs the Dynamic Brain Laboratory at Northwestern University. She studies the brain dynamics underlying memory encoding, retrieval, and use across the human lifespan, from neurons to large-scale networks. Research combines methods from cognitive psychology and human neuroscience, including invasive and noninvasive electrophysiology, electrical stimulation, structural neuroimaging, and eye tracking. Research outcomes advance basic science and translate to better quality of life by revealing how, and in whom, cognitive decline may be prevented or remediated. She holds a PhD in Cognitive Neuroscience from the University of California, Berkeley, and a BA in Psychology from the University of Chicago.