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
Coronel, J.C., O'Donnell, M.B., Beard, E.C., Hamilton, R.H., Falk, E.B.: Evaluating didactic and exemplar information: Non-invasive brain stimulation reveals message-processing mechanisms. Communication Research Sept 2019.
Harvey, D.Y., DeLoretta, L., Wurzman, R., Sacchetti, D., Ahmed, A., Thiam, A., Lohoff, F., Faseyitan, O., Hamilton, R.H.
: BDNF polymorphism predicts plasticity in motor cortex following continuous theta burst stimulation (published proceedings). Brain Stimulation 12(4), Jul-Aug 2019.
Petrovsky, D.V., Johnson, J.K., Tkacs, N., Mechanic-Hamilton, D., Hamilton, R. H., Cacchione, P.Z. : Musical and cognitive abilities in older adults with mild cognitive impairment. Psychology of Music May 2019.
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.
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, Mar 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.
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.
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Last updated: 07/26/2020
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