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.
I principally treat patients suffering from dementia. I also have expertise in evaluating and treating patients with cognitive deficits following stroke.
I am is deeply involved in issues related to diversity in medicine, inclusion, and health equity. I am one of the Assistant Deans for Diversity and Inclusion at the Perelman School of Medicine and I am the Vice Chair for Diversity and Inclusion in the Department of Neurology at the University of Pennsylvania.
Selected Publications
Harvey, D.Y., Mass, J.A., Shah-Basak, P.P. Wurzman, R., Faseyitan, O., Sacchetti, D.L., DeLoretta, L., Hamilton, R.H.: Continuous theta burst stimulation over right pars triangularis facilitates naming abilities in chronic post-stroke aphasia by enhancing phonological access. Brain and Language 192: 25-34, May 2019.
Coughlin, D., Xie, S.X., Liang, M., Williams, A., Peterson, C., Weintraub, D., McMillan, C.T., Wolk, D.A., Akhtar, R., Coslett, H.B., Hamilton, R.H., Siderowf, A., Duda, J.E., Rascovsky, K., Lee, E.B., Grossman, M., Trojanowski, J.Q.: Cognitive and pathological influences of tau pathology in lewy body disorders. Annals of Neurology 85(2): 259-271, Feb 2019.
Cehelyk, E.K., Harvey, D.Y., Grubb, M., Jalel, R., Elsibai, M.S., Hamilton, R.H., Chahin, S. : Uncovering the association between fatigue and fatigability in multiple sclerosis using cognitive control. Multiple Sclerosis and Related Disorders 27: 269-275, Jan 2019.
Falcone, M., Bernardo, L., Wileyto, E.P., Allenby, C., Burke, A.M., Hamilton, R., Cristancho, M., Ashare, R.L., Loughead, J., Lerman, C.: Lack of effect of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) on short-term smoking cessation: results of a randomized, sham-controlled clinical trial. Drug and Alcohol Dependence 194: 244-251, Jan 2019.
Hosseini, M., McConathey, E.M., Ungrady, M. Grossman, M., Coslett, H.B., Hamilton, R.H.
: Transcranial direct current stimulation mediates improvements in verbal fluency for patients with primary progressive aphasia (published proceedings). Brain Stimulation 12: e69-e70, 2019.
To, C., Falcone, M., Loughead, J., Logue-Chamberlain, E., Hamilton, R., Kable, J., Lerman, C., Ashare, R.L.
: Got chocolate? Bilateral prefrontal cortex stimulation augments chocolate consumption. Appetite(131), 28-35, Dec 2018.
Medaglia, J.D., Harvey, D.Y., White, N., Kelkar, A., Zimmermann, J., Bassett, D.S., Hamilton, R.H. : Network controllability in the inferior frontal gyrus relates to controlled language variability and susceptibility to TMS. Journal of Neuroscience 38(28): 6399-6410, Jul 2018.
Choy,O., Raine,A., Hamilton, R.: Stimulation of the prefrontal cortex reduces intentions to commit aggression: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, stratified, parallel-group trial. Journal of Neuroscience 38(29): 6505-6512, Jul 2018.
Shah-Basak, P.P., Chen, P, Caulfield, K., Medina, J, Hamilton, R.: The role of the right superior temporal gyrus in stimulus-centered spatial processing
Neuropsychologia 113: 6-13, Mar 2018.
Irwin, D.J., McMillan, C.T., Xie, S.X., Rascovsky, K., Van Deerlin, V.M., Coslett, H.B., Hamilton, R., Aguirre, G., Lee, E.B., Lee, V.M.Y., Trojanowski, J.Q., Grossman, M.: Asymmetry of post-mortem neuropathology in behavioral-variant frontotemporal dementia Brain 141(1): 288-301, Jan 2018.
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Last updated: 10/19/2019
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