Behavioral, Cognitive, and Affective Neuroscience

Behavioral, Cognitive and Affective neuroscientists seek to understand the neurobiological bases of behavior, thought, and emotion.

This broad field encompasses a variety of multidisciplinary methodologies including cognitive and behavioral testing, experimental techniques, physiological measures (i.e. respiration, heart rate, eye movement), structural and functional neuroimaging measures (EEG, fNIRS, fMRI, PET, fMRS, sMRI, DTI, and MRS), and postmortem brain analysis with the key goal of understanding mechanisms by which the nervous systems produce and react to behavior, thought, and emotion.

Some specific areas of focus include understanding the neural basis of:

  • learning and memory
  • social behavior
  • sensation and perception
  • metabolic and functional consequences of emotional overload
  • speech and motor control
  • goal-directed behavior
  • attention
  • consciousness and sleep
  • emotion regulation