Explore our current studies

Read about the various ongoing studies at the CeNEC lab

From Sensory-Motor to Social in Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)

Children with ASD often have both motor and sensory deficits in addition to the social deficits that are the hallmark of the disorder. However the neurological basis of how those sensorimotor deficits relate to the core social deficits is poorly understood. Here we compare motor deficits in ASD to motor deficits in Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD). Similarly, we compare sensory deficits in ASD to sensory deficits in Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD). In this way, we hope to better understand the relationship between sensory-motor processing to social deficits in ASD. This work was supported by an NIH R01 grant.

Relationship between the Gut Microbiome, the Brain, and Behavior

The gut has three times more neurons than the spinal cord, and most of those connections send information from the gut to the brain. Much of the signaling in the gut comes from metabolites produced by the gut microbiome. However the relationship between the gut microbiome, the brain, and behavior is poorly understood. Here we try to better understand this relationship in both typically developing individuals as well as individuals with ASD. This work was supported by a grant from the Department of Defense.

Otherness and Belonging

Belonging is a fundamental relationship grounded in the interaction between an organism and its world. It is always a multi-directional relation where the world includes the social, physical, emotional, and cultural environment available to the organism. For human beings, belonging is a critical factor both in the creation and in the perception of meaning in life. It is just as important as food or water for our survival and well-being. A lack of belonging is an existential breakage in a human being’s relationship to their environment and to the world and is a fundamental human need (Maslow, 1943).

Embodied Semantics and Communication

Most of our metaphors are embodied: we “handle” situations; we “kick-off” a new year; we “chew over” decisions. Using fMRI and behavioral studies we explore how language processing involves sensorimotor brain representations. We investigate both literal and metaphorical language. This work has been funded by IARPA and NIH.

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Location

The Brain and Creativity Institute

The CeNEC operates at the Brain and Creativity Institute located at USC’s University Park Campus just 3 miles from downtown Los Angeles.

Contact Us

Brain and Creativity Institute

3620A McClintock Avenue Los Angeles, CA 90089-2921

Center for the Neuroscience of Embodied Cognition

3620A McClintock Avenue Los Angeles, CA 90089-2921