Nikki Arrington
Assistant Professor of Psychology and Neuroscience
Accepting new graduate students
Interest
The Brain Analysis of Reading and Cognition (B.A.R.C.) Lab leverages the synergy of neuroimaging (structural and functional MRI) and non-invasive neuromodulation (TMS) to map the neural architecture of the human mind. Our mission is to uncover the causal mechanisms linking executive control and linguistic processing, identifying how the brain’s regulatory networks support fluent reading and information synthesis across the lifespan.
Current Research
Our research focuses on the intersection of brain, attention, and reading. We study how the brain changes as we learn to read and how we can use science to help people with reading difficulties like dyslexia.
Our Big Questions:
- Can we "jump-start" the reading brain? We use TMS (Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation)—a non-invasive way to stimulate brain cells—to see if we can "prime" the brain to learn more effectively during learning.
- How is the brain wired? Using advanced MRI scans, we map the brain to see how they connect different areas responsible for sight, sound, and meaning.
- Why does attention matter? Reading isn't just about letters; it’s about focus. We investigate how memory and attention interact with literacy skills.