Cognitive Neurology Laboratory

The Cognitive Neurology team has a particular interest in disorders of visual attention and visuospatial perception. Much of the research has focussed on the syndrome of visual neglect following stroke. More recent studies have involved patients who have recovered from neglect but nevertheless demonstrate signs of altered visuospatial perception, such as constructional apraxia. Both behavioural and lesion mapping techniques have been developed to improve understanding of structure-function relationships in the brain. A recent study has also examined the effects of noradrenergic modulation of visual neglect using a selective alpha-2 noradrenergic agonist, guanfacine.

The laboratory also has a research programme, in collaboration with Professor Kennard, into the functional role of medial frontal cortex. The focus of this work concerns the role of these areas in the control of movement, particularly of the eyes. Functional imaging studies combined with new behavioural paradigms have led to the development of novel theories of medial frontal control mechanisms and their role in the voluntary control of action. Such techniques are now also being applied to patients with lesions of the medial frontal cortex.

Selected reviews & papers:

Malhotra P, Parton A, Greenwood R & Husain M (2006) Noradrenergic modulation of space exploration in visual neglect. Annals of Neurology 59: 186-90.
 
Nachev P, Rees G, Parton A, Kennard C & Husain M (2005) Volition and conflict in human medial frontal cortex. Current Biology 15: 122-128.

Mannan S, Mort D, Hodgson T, Driver J, Kennard C & Husain M (2005) Revisiting previously searched locations in visual neglect: Role of right parietal and frontal lesions in misjudging old locations as new. Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience 17: 340-354.

Jackson S, Newport R, Mort D & Husain M (2005) Where the eye looks, the hand follows: limb-dependent magnetic misreaching in optic ataxia. Current Biology 15: 42-46.

Parton A, Malhotra & Husain M (2004) Hemispatial neglect. Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery & Psychiatry 75: 13-21.

Bird CM, Castelli F, Malik O, Frith U & Husain (2004) The impact of extensive medial frontal damage on ‘Theory of Mind’ and cognition. Brain 127: 914-928.Husain M & Rorden C (2003) Non-spatially lateralized mechanisms in hemispatial neglect. Nature Reviews Neuroscience 4:26-36.

Mort DJ, Malhotra P, Mannan SK, Rorden C, Pambakian A, Kennard C, Husain M. (2003) The anatomy of neglect. Brain 126: 1986-97.

Husain M, Parton A, Hodgson T, Mort D, Rees G (2003) Self-control during response conflict by human supplementary eye field. Nature Neuroscience 6:117-8.

Shapiro K, Hillstrom A, Husain M (2002) Control of visuotemporal attention by inferior parietal and superior temporal cortex. Current Biology 12: 1320-1325.

Husain M, Mattingley J, Driver J, Rorden C and Kennard C (2000) Dissociation of sensory and motor impairments in parietal and frontal neglect. Brain 123: 1643-1659.

Rees G, Wojciulik E, Clarke K, Husain M, Frith C and Driver J (2000) Unconscious activation of visual cortex in the damaged right hemisphere of a parietal patient with extinction. Brain 123: 1624-1633.

Mattingley JB, Husain M, Rorden C, Kennard C and Driver J (1998) Motor role of human inferior parietal lobe revealed in unilateral neglect patients. Nature 392: 179-182.

Wolpert D, Goodbody S and Husain M (1998) Maintaining internal representations: the role of the human superior parietal lobe. Nature Neuroscience 1: 529-533.

Husain M, Shapiro K, Martin, J. and Kennard C (1997) Abnormal temporal dynamics of visual attention in spatial neglect patients. Nature 385: 154-156.