Social Neuroscience Lab

The Laboratory of Social Neuroscience integrates the latest knowledge on the neural basis of cognitive and social skills and neural representations in both healthy subjects and in patients with brain injury. The research areas cover the psychological and neural mechanisms underlying the sensorimotor processes of “experts brain” (ie. athletes and musicians) and those underlying the functioning of social interactions, such as empathy and personality. The clinical relevance of the research focuses on the neural correlates of consciousness and bodily sensation as well as voluntary movement in healthy subjects and in patients with brain injury.

Methodologies and Techniques

To describe and analyze the brain activity, the Laboratory employs techniques of transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), analysis of human movement, laser evoked potentials (LEPs), eye tracking software, infrared thermography and automatic responses recordings. The Laboratory is also equipped with a virtual reality immersive environment (CAVE), which allows advanced studies on new rehabilitation approaches supported by technologies such as brain-computer interfaces (BCI). Access to functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) is guaranteed by the cooperation with the Functional Neuroimaging Laboratory.

The Laboratory research activities are carried out under a unique management which also involves the Laboratory of Social and Cognitive Neuroscience at the Department of Psychology of Sapienza University of Rome.