RP-CNBI Awarded Grant to Investigate New tES Electrodes
Dr. Benjamin Hampstead and Dr. Xiwen Gong have been awarded a Michigan Materials Research Institute (MMRI) Faculty Proposal Team Award to develop self-adhesive, solid-state hydrogel electrodes for transcranial electrical stimulation (tES). This project addresses the critical limitations of traditional liquid gel electrodes, which are widely used in clinical tES but suffer from instability, leakage, and a complicated, time-consuming setup. Through interdisciplinary collaboration, the team seeks to develop a more stable, user-friendly, and effective hydrogel-based electrode for tES, paving the way for home-based, non-invasive brain stimulation treatments.
Posted 3/3/2025
Presentations at the Biannual Brain Stimulation Conference
Dr. Benjamin Hampstead presented during two sessions at the Brain Stimulation conference. The first focused on current challenges and future prospects for transcranial electrical stimulation (tES). The second presentation focused on results from a double blind, randomized controlled trial showing that the combination of cognitive training and active high-definition transcranial direct current stimulation (HD-tDCS) enhanced memory and brain activation in older adults with mild cognitive impairment.
Posted 3/10/2025
The Importance
Each year, millions of Americans are left with cognitive, emotional, and behavioral deficits after sustaining a neurologic injury or developing a neurologic disease. These deficits can contribute to significant problems in everyday functioning, thereby reducing one’s independence and quality of life. Family members are often also affected by such change due to the increased caregiving needs, change in roles, and other related stressors. As many patients and their families know all too well, there are few treatment options for these cognitive and functional deficits. Although the fields of Cognitive Neuroscience and Neuropsychology have made remarkable advancements in the ability to evaluate “normal” brain functioning as well as the changes that occur after neurologic injury and disease, relatively little work has attempted to directly translate this knowledge to develop more effective treatments.
Our Mission
The primary mission of the Research Program on Cognition and Neuromodulation Based Interventions (RP-CNBI) is to identify and provide effective treatments for those with neurologic injury and disease. We strive to bridge the knowledge gap between academic-based research and real-world clinical practice in order to enhance functioning and quality of life in affected individuals. While we primarily focus on methods to assist older adults, including those with dementia, we remain committed to other causes of cognitive and functional impairment.
We integrate neuropsychological theory, modern neuroimaging methods, and a range of non-pharmacologic treatments in order to:
1) Understand changes in brain structure and function that underlie cognitive, emotional, and functional deficits
2) Establish research treatment “targets” that guide the selection of appropriate interventions
3) Evaluate research treatment-related changes in functioning
Potential research treatments include a range of non-pharmacologic methods such as cognitive rehabilitation and non-invasive brain stimulation (e.g., transcranial direct current stimulation – tDCS). Our ultimate goal is to establish empirical support for non-pharmacologic treatments and to disseminate the resulting methods for widespread clinical use.
Support our Mission:
Participate in Research
The Research Program on Cognition and Neuromodulation Based Interventions is currently conducting a range of federally- and privately-supported research studies. Click here to view our currently enrolling studies. If you, or a loved one, are interested in learning more about our studies as a potential participant, please fill out the link below:
Donate
Philanthropic support is especially important since each patient embodies a unique set of strengths, weaknesses, and needs that require an individualized approach that is not compatible with most forms of federal funding. We view each case as an opportunity to form a partnership and work to understand the needs and goal of each individual when developing the research interventions. We appreciate gifts of any amount, so please consider supporting our work.
Commitment to Diversity and Inclusion
Our program is committed to providing a welcoming environment which does not discriminate on the basis of race, ethnicity, color, national origin, sex, religion, gender, gender identity, political persuasion or sexual orientation.