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
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 Aug 2024.
Xie, K., Ojemann, W.K.S., Gallagher, R.S., Shinohara, R.T., Lucas, A., Hill, C.E., Hamilton, R.H., Johnson, K.B., Roth, D., Litt, B., Ellis, C.A.: Disparities in seizure outcomes revealed by large language models. Journal of the American Medical Informatics Association 31(6): 1348-1355, May 2024.
Baldwin, A., Copeland, J., Azage, M., Dratch, L., Johnson, K., Paul, R.A., Amado, D.A., Baer, M., Deik, A., Elman, L.B., Guo, M., Hamedani, A.G., Irwin, D.J., Lasker, A., Orthmann-Murphy, J., Quinn, C.C., Tropea, T.F., Scherer, S.S., Shinohara, R.T., Hamilton, R.H., Ellis, C.A.: Disparities in genetic testing for neurologic disorders. Neurology 102(6): e209161, Mar 2024.
Deck, B., Kelkar, A., Erickson, B., Erani, F., McConathey, E., Sacchetti, D., Faseyitan, O.K., Hamilton, R.H., Medaglia, J.D.: Individual-level functional connectivity predicts cognitive control efficiency. NeuroImage(283), 120386, Dec 2023.
Sloane, K.L., Kasner, S.E., Favilla, C.G., Rothstein, A., Witsch, J., Hamilton, R.H., Schneider, A.L.C.: Always look on the bright side: Associations of optimism with functional outcomes after stroke. Journal of the American Heart Association (JAHA) 12(5), Mar 2023.
Nissim, N.R., McAfee, D.C., Prato, B.S., Lin, J., Lu, Z., Coslett, H.B., Hamilton, R.H.
: Efficacy of tACS in the enhancement of working memory performance in healthy adults: a systematic meta-analysis. Neuromodulation: Technology at the Neural Interface Feb 2023.
Ambron, E., Goldstein, S., Miller, A., Hamilton, R.H., Coslett, H.B.
: From my skin to your skin: Virtual image of a hand of different skin color influences movement duration of the real hand in Black and White individuals and influences racial bias. Frontiers in Virtual Reality Page: doi.org/10.3389/frvir.2022.884189, Dec 2022.
Fareshte, E., Darshan, P., Deck, B.L., Hamilton, R.H., Schultheis, M.T., Medaglia, J.D.: Investigating the influence of an effort-reward interaction on cognitive fatigue in individuals with multiple sclerosis. Journal of Neuropsychology Page: doi: 10.1111/jnp.12295, Oct 2022.
Cember, A.T.J., Deck, B.L., Kelkar, A., Faseyitan, O., Zimmerman, J.P., Erickson, B., Elliott, M.A., Coslett, H.B., Hamilton, R.H., Reddy, R., Medaglia, J.D. : Glutamate-Weighted Magnetic Resonance Imaging (GluCEST) Detects Effects of Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation to the Motor Cortex. Neuroimage 256: 119191, Aug 2022 Notes: Epub 2022 Apr 9.
Nissim, N.R., Harvey, D.Y., Haslam, C., Friedman, L., Bharne, P., Litz, G., Phillips, J.S., Cousins, K.A.Q, Xie, S.X., Grossman, M., Hamilton, R.H.: Through thick and thin: Baseline cortical volume and thickness predict performance and response to tDCS in primary progressive aphasia Frontiers in Human Neuroscience 16: 907425, Jul 2022.
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Last updated: 08/27/2024
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