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 deeply interested in medical education. I am heavily involved in medical student education in Neurology at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, and I am the faculty director of the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine Pipeline Program, multi-tiered neuroscience education program for inner-city high schools in Philadelphia.
Selected Publications
Gervits, F., Ash, S., Coslett, H.B., Rascovsky, K., Grossman, M., Hamilton, R.: Transcranial direct current stimulation for the treatment of Primary Progressive Aphasia: an open-label pilot study. Brain and Language 162: 35-41, Nov 2016 Notes: Available online before print; doi: 10.1016/j.bandl.2016.05.007.
Mancuso, L.E., Ilieva, I.P., Hamilton, R.H., Farah, M.J.: Does transcranial direct current stimulation improve healthy working memory?: A meta-analytic review. Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience 28(8): 1063-89, Aug 2016 Notes: Peer-reviewed research (not review paper).
Julian, J.B., Ryan, J., Hamilton, R.H., Epstein R.A.
: The occipital place area is causally involved in representing environmental boundaries during navigation. Current Biology 26: 1-6, Apr 2016.
Price, A.R., Peelle, J.E., Bonner, M.F., Grossman, M., Hamilton, R.H.: Causal evidence for a mechanism of semantic integration in the angular gyrus as revealed by high-definition transcranial direct current stimulation. The Journal of Neuroscience 36(13): 3829-38, Mar 2016.
Falcone, M., Bernardo, L., Ashare, R.L., Hamilton, R., Faseyitan, O., McKee, S.A., Loughead, J., Lerman, C.: Transcranial direct current brain stimulation increases ability to resist smoking. Brain Stimulation 9(2): 191-6, Mar-Apr 2016.
Medina, J., Drebing, D.E., Hamilton, R.H., Coslett, H.B.: Phantoms on the hands: influence of the body on brief synchiric visual percepts. Neuropsychologia 82(1): 104-9, Feb 2016.
Shah-Basak, P.P., Wurzman, R., Purcell, J.B., Gervits, F., Hamilton, R.
: Fields or flows? A comparative metaanalysis of transcranial magnetic and direct current stimulation to treat post-stroke aphasia. Restorative Neurology and Neuroscience 34(4): 537-58, 2016.
Price, A.R., McAdams, H., Grossman, M., Hamilton, R.H.: A meta-analysis of transcranial direct current stimulation studies examining the reliability of effects on language measures. Brain Stimulation 8(6): 1093-100, Nov-Dec 2015.
Woods, A.J., Bryant, V., Sacchetti, D., Gervits, F., Hamilton, R.: Effects of electrode drift in transcranial direct current stimulation. Brain Stimulation 8(3): 515-9, May-Jun 2015.
Shah-Basak, P.P., Norise, C., Garcia, G., Torres, J., Faseyitan, O., Hamilton, R.H.: Individualized treatment with transcranial direct current stimulation in patients with chronic non-fluent aphasia due to stroke. Frontiers in Human Neuroscience 9(1): 201, Apr 2015 Notes: Online only.
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Last updated: 09/15/2016
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