Faculty

Roy Hoshi Hamilton, MD, MS, FAAN, FANA

Professor of Neurology

Department: Neurology

Graduate Group Affiliations

Neuroscience

Contact information

Goddard Laboratories, Room 518
University of Pennsylvania
3710 Hamilton Walk
Philadelphia, PA 19104

Office: 215-573-7065
Fax: 215-898-1982

Education:
B.A. (Psychology, magna cum laude)
Harvard University, 1995.
M.S. (Health Sciences and Technology)
Massachusetts Institute of Technology , 2001.
M.D. (Medicine, cum laude)
Harvard Medical School, 2001.

Links
University of Pennsylvania Alzheimer's Disease Center
Laboratory for Cognition and Neural Stimulation
Penn Brain Science, Translation, Innovation, and Modulation(brainSTIM) Center

Permanent link

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Description of Research Expertise

My research focus is on the characteristics and limits of functional neuroplasticity in the adult human brain. I investigate how the brain reorganizes itself in response to injury, and whether or not it is possible to enhance the brain’s potential for reorganization in order to speed rehabilitation using noninvasive electrical or magnetic brain stimulation. A second area of interest for me is on the use of noninvasive brain stimulation to elucidate and enhance mechanisms of cognition in healthy individuals, and the biological, social, and ethical implications of neural enhancement.

Selected Publications

Stites, S.D., Lee, B.N., Kuz, C., Adams, M., Harkins, K., Xie, S., Walke, L., Pansak, P., Hamilton, R.: An online vignette study of diagnostic testing: Racial and ethnic differences in Alzheimer’s Disease diagnosis confidence and stigma. Alzheimer's & Dementia: Diagnosis, Assessment & Disease Monitoring Oct 2025.

Masson-Trottier, M., Tippett, D.C., Rapp, B., Vnenchak, L., Harvey, D.Y., Roncero, C., Chertkow, H., Hamilton, R.H., Hillis, A., Tsapkini, K. : Protocol for a multisite study on the efficacy of transcranial direct current stimulation as an adjuvant to naming and spelling therapy in the treatment of oral and written naming in individuals with primary progressive aphasia. Frontiers in Human Neuroscience Sep 2025.

Chen, B.B., Haeusermann, T., Dada, A., Hamilton, R.H., James, J.E., Fong, K.C., Dohan, D., Chiong, W.: Race-ethnicity, rurality, and age in prospective preferences and concerns regarding closed-loop implanted neural devices. Journal of Neuropsychiatry and Clinical Neurosciences 37(1): 79-87, Aug 2025.

Parchure, S., Xu, Z., Shah-Basak, P., Erickson, B., Harvey, D., Wurzman, R., McAfee, D., Sacchetti, D., Faseyitan, O., Hamilton, R.H.: Predicting neuroplasticity effects of continuous theta burst stimulation with biomarkers from the motor evoked potential TMS input-output curve Clinical Neurophysiology Jul 2025.

Hinkle, S.N., Okeh, C.C., Ulloa-Pérez, E., Mani, A., Higginbotham, E.J., Thomas, R., Kearney, M.D., Fahl, C., Schisterman, E.F., Verma, S.S., Hamilton, R., Mumford, S.L.: Perceptions of institutional engagement and inclusion by sexual orientation and gender identity. JAMA Network Open 8(6): e2513772, Jun 2025.

Stoll, H., Kelkar, A., Turkeltaub, P.E., Hamilton, R.H., Coslett, B., Medaglia, J.D.: Lesion-induced changes to the network controllability of the right pars triangularis in aphasia. Neurobiology of Language 1(17), Jun 2025.

D'Alonzo, B.A., Schneider, A.L.C., Erz, A., Master, C.L., Barnett, I.J., Hamilton, R.H., Wiebe, D.J., Szymczak, J.E.: A qualitative study of collegiate student-athlete experiences of recovery after concussion. Journal of Head Trauma Rehabilitation Page: Online ahead of print. May 2025.

D'Alonzo, B.A., Schneider, A.Lc., Barnett, I.J., Master, C.L., Hamilton, R.H., Weibe, D.J.: Concurrent symptom domains and associations with recovery timelines among collegiate athletes with sport-related concussion. British Journal of Sports Medicine 59(7): 461-469, Mar 2025.

Dresang, H.C., Harvey, D.Y., Vnenchak, L., Parchure, S., Cason, S., Twigg, P., Faseyitan, O., Maher, L.M., Hamilton, R.H., Coslett, H.B.: Semantic and phonological abilities inform efficacy of transcranial magnetic stimulation on sustained aphasia treatment outcomes. Neurobiology of Language 6: nol_a_00160, Mar 2025.

Fernandez, K.A., Erickson, B.A., Kable, J.W., Hamilton, R.H., Medaglia, J.D.: Evaluating risk and benefit sensitivity for cognitive treatments. Journal of Cognitive Enhancement 9(2): 214-229, Mar 2025.