Alberta Cognitive Neuroscience Neuroimaging, Neurogenetics, Neuroepidemiology, Neurobiomarkers, Neurophysiology

About Us

Members of ACN conduct basic, integrative, clinical, and translational research on healthy and compromised brain and cognitive functioning, development, and plasticity.  Representing multiple disciplines at the University of Alberta, ACN researchers share an interest in exploring the neural bases, sources, mechanisms, and correlates of a broad range of cognitive and motor behaviour.  A wide variety of methods and theories are applied to understanding brain-associated relationships in diverse human populations.

 

The spectrum of approaches include (a) structural and functional brain imaging (e.g., high field, DTI), (b) electrophysiological recordings (e.g., EEG, ERP), (c) cognitive and neuropsychological assessments, (d) genomic, metabolomics, and other biomarker analyses, (e) longitudinal, epidemiological, and experimental designs, and (f) clinical interventions and trials. Among the human populations studied across the ACN labs are (a) infants and children, (b) neurologically intact adults (and students), (c) brain injured adults, (d) typical and healthy aging adults, (e) mildly impaired, at-risk, or pre-clinical individuals, and (f) individuals with neurodegenerative diseases (Alzheimer's, Parkinson's).

 

Research and study in cognitive neuroscience at the University of Alberta occurs in multiple units on campus. Cross-disciplinary and integrative research projects are common in this group.  All ACN members are affiliated with the broader University of Alberta Neuroscience and Mental Health Institute.

 

In addition, all ACN members are primarily affiliated with at least one academic department.

Department of Biomedical Engineering (Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry)

Department of Occupational Therapy (Faculty of Rehabilitation Medicine)

Department of Psychiatry (Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry)

Department of Psychology (Faculty of Arts)

Department of Psychology (Faculty of Science)

Department of Speech Pathology and Audiology (Faculty of Rehabilitation Medicine)

Division of Neurology (Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry)

 

Many ACN members participate in the research-dedicated neuroimaging facility on campus: Peter S. Allen MR Research Centre.  This and other facilities are described elsewhere.

 

We thank Christian Beaulieu and Catherine Lebel for the vivid diffusion MRI image used in the ACN banner on this page. This image shows an axial map of the brain that shows the arcuate fasciculus white matter tracts derived from diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) tractography, a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) method. The background colours represent the direction of the white matter tracts in the brain

(red - left/right, blue - superior/inferior, and green - anterior/posterior).

 

On the pages of the ACN website, we present information about training, research, opportunities, and the membership of the Alberta Cognitive Neuroscience community. For inquiries about research or student positions, please feel free to contact individual ACN members or the ACN office.

 

Dr. Roger A. Dixon

ACN Coordinator

Canada Research Chair (Tier 1)

 

 

 

 

 

ACN 2018