Functional and Cognitive Neurophysiology Laboratory

The Functional and Cognitive Neurophysiology laboratory, led by Dr. Sameer Sheth, focuses on the study of human decision-making and cognition, as well as on the development of novel therapies for neuropsychiatric disorders. To accomplish these goals, we take a two-fold approach.

• First, we work with neurosurgical patients undergoing deep brain stimulation (DBS), epilepsy monitoring, and other procedures that require the placement of intracranial electrodes. We use single-neuron and field potential recordings as well as stimulation to understand the circuitry underlying complex cognitive functions such as controlled decision-making, memory formation, and emotional regulation.
• Second, we develop and refine neuromodulatory treatments for refractory neurological and psychiatric disorders such as obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), depression, and many others. These disorders often arise from dysfunction in the same circuits mentioned above.

Thus the two efforts advance synergistically, with a constant back-and-forth flow of ideas. Because of the multi-disciplinary nature of this work, the lab interacts closely with many other disciplines, including Neuroscience, Psychiatry, Neurology, Computer Science, Engineering, Machine Learning / Artificial Intelligence and others.

Research Projects

• Developing Adaptive Deep Brain Stimulation for Treatment-Resistant Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder
• Investigating DBS for Treatment-Resistant Depression
• Investigating the Neural Mechanisms Underlying Ad-Hoc Self-Programmability
• Investigating the Physiology of Controlled Decision-Making in Human Prefrontal Cortex 
• Investigating Cortical and Basal Ganglia Networks Involved in Disorders of Mental Health 
• Developing Novel Targets and Indications for Neuromodulation

Dr. Sheth is the Director of The Gordon and Mary Cain Pediatric Neurology Research Foundation Laboratories within the Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute (Duncan NRI) at Texas Children’s Hospital.

Functional and Cognitive Neurophysiology Laboratory
BCM-Smith Medical Research Building
Room: BCMS-S104
Houston, TX 77030 
sasheth@bcm.edu