Skip the primary navigation if you do not want to read it as the next section.
Skip the main content if you do not want to read it as the next section.
Remembering faces
We do not remember faces and objects in isolation but rather as part of a whole package of related information and the context in which they are found. We set out to formally investigate this by testing the face recognition memory of psychology students from University College London and Sussex University.
Temporal lobe surgery
We remain at the forefront of research into the psychological impact of temporal lobe surgery. Our research is helping us to both develop clinical tools and to improve pre-operative counselling.
Can neurosurgery increase the risk of anxiety and depression?
Up to 70 per cent of people who undergo surgery for temporal lobe epilepsy achieve seizure freedom. But as many as 40 per cent of patients may be at risk of a decline in vital functions such as memory, language and mood.
Much research has focused on the impact of surgery on memory and language but our latest three-year research project is looking at the possibility of long-term mental health complications following surgery.
Memory training prior to surgery?
In this study we explore whether people who have good memory skills can be taught memory support strategies prior to surgery with a view to offsetting any anticipated memory decline.
Memory assessment and outcome
Memory functions are gradually getting better in the general population. This is known as the Flynn Effect which has seen IQ scores rise year on year across all ages in most industrialised countries in the last century. However our studies show a widening gap between the memory abilities of the general population and those with memory problems as a result of their epilepsy. It is vital that we use the best possible measures of cognitive function when we assess the effects of surgery on memory.
Cognitive tests for people with a lower IQ
The majority of cognititive tests are designed and standardised for populations with a high IQ. But these tests need special adaptations if they are to be of value for patients with learning disabilities. We have been working to produce a specially designed battery of tests for people with learning disabilities who may be considering surgery.
