Changes in the structure or function of neuromodulatory nuclei are directly and mechanistically associated with some of the costliest, most distressing, and least addressable human health problems, including Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, substance abuse, major depression and schizophrenia. In addition to their roles in disease, the brain’s modulatory neurotransmitters play both ancient and exapted roles in all of our modern lives, modulating our abilities to focus, sleep, respond to stress, and manage rewarding or addicting stimuli. The common thread uniting my research interests is the role of these ancient, conserved neuromodulatory systems, and their support of complex cognitive functions in health and disease in humans. I use structural and functional MRI, pupillometry, heart rate measurement, genetic analysis, cognitive testing, and a variety of socioeconomic metrics to assess the function and health of the locus coeruleus/norepinephrine (LC-NE) system with the goal of identifying functional signatures of early pathological change preceding Alzheimer’s disease. Seeking accessible peripheral marker of these changes, I also examine the cognitive regulation of pupillary responses, as behavioral readout of the engagement of the LC-NE in attention and learning. My work now includes vagus nerve stimulation designed to directly tune and improve LC-NE functioning. The goal of this project is, in collaboration with experts in vagus nerve stimulation, to expand and develop these methods with the goal of improving our ability to identify and potentially recover age-related change in the LC.

In addition to my interest in neuromodulators, I also deeply value the scientific mindset itself as a contributor to human thriving. I see the process of investigation as a profoundly hopeful human endeavor that should be shared whenever possible, and scientific literacy as crucial protection against confusion, exploitation and ill health. In order to share the process of investigation, I collaborate directly with communities through my partnership with SUNY Upstate’s Community Research Recruitment Accelerator, bringing participants to Cornell who might otherwise have no contact with research science throughout their lives. I share research results directly with my participants. By developing even more forms of outreach, I hope to empower many in our community to understand and manage their own health, especially with respect to conditions involving neuromodulatory systems.