The SimBio Partners

The Max-Planck-Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience

Homepage Consortium Project Details Reports/Events
 
MPI of Cognitive Neuroscience
Stephanstraße 1a
04103 Leipzig
Germany
The Max-Planck-Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, Leipzig, Germany (directors: Prof. Friederici and Prof. von Cramon) aims to investigate the functional architecture of the cognitive system and its neuronal basis. Research is focused on how the brain executes complex mental processes such as language processing, memory and executive functions. A variety of different technology and techniques is used to perform investigations:
  • Reaction time studies for the assessment of temporal characteristics of information processing,
  • electroencephalography (EEG) and magnetoencephalography (MEG) to examine the electromagnetical correlates of neuronal activity,
  • magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to describe the individual neuroanatomy of the human brain,
  • functional MRI to examine metabolic correlates of brain activity.
Both volunteers and neurological patients are examined. The institute comprises amongst others the following working groups: 

Magnetoencephalography: This group investigates the magnetic correlates of electrical source activation in the brain. Just as the EEG, the MEG measures brain activation with very high temporal and an appropriate spatial resolution.  Main research areas are:

  • a further development of forward and inverse methods in bioelectromagnetism,
  • the application of existing tools to problems in neurocognition and
  • the time-frequency domain signal analysis.

Signal and Image Processing: The investigation of MRI, MEG and EEG datasets using a range of image and signal processing techniques yields information relating to the functional and topographical organisation of cognitive processes. Three areas of work are (i) the examination of individual cortical anatomy, (ii) the statistical analysis of fMRI signals and (iii) the correlation of data from fMRI and EEG investigations, (iv) the development of biomechanical models of the brain for a better understanding of disease processes in the brain.

Contact Point: Dr. Frithjof Kruggel, Carsten Wolters