New Research from Prof. Rose Bagot's Lab uncovers how GABAergic neurons encode experienced rewards
New work from Dr. Rosemary Bagot's lab: inhibitory "GABAergic" neurons — long treated as supporting players in the brain — turn out to help track the recent history of rewards in two key decision-making regions (shown in mice). The work reshapes which neurons we think are keeping score of our past outcomes.
Read the paper in Cell Reports
What an illusion involving a fake hand can tell us about our mind-body connection
People who have a weaker sense of self are also more likely to have less bodily awareness, McGill researchers have found. The study supports the idea that people’s perceptions of themselves and how they experience their own bodies are deeply connected.
Research findings challenge long-held assumptions about how we learn or regain speech
Learning to speak a new language, or regaining speech, depends more on areas of the brain that process sound and physical sensation than on the parts of the brain that govern motor control, according to new research findings.
The study, by researchers at McGill University and the Yale School of Medicine, has implications for speech-learning theory and for the development of speech processing and recognition technologies.
Professor Keita Christophe Named APS Rising Star!
Big congratulations to Professor Keita Christophe, newly named an APS Rising Star—a well‑deserved recognition of outstanding research and impact in psychological science!
New APS Rising Stars – Association for Psychological Science – APS
Professor Signy Sheldon Featured on CNN with Dr. Sanjay Gupta
We’re excited to share that Professor Signy Sheldon appeared on CNN’s “Chasing Life” with Dr. Sanjay Gupta, where she discussed her research on memory, the brain, and how our past experiences shape who we are. In this engaging interview, Professor Sheldon offers insights into the science of autobiographical memory and why we remember certain moments more vividly than others.
From Script to Speed: How First Language Influences Reading
Half the world is multilingual but does one's first writing system shape how you read in English?
Guest Lecture Spotlight: Prof. James MacDougall on Language and Inclusion
On November 25, Professor James MacDougall, whose long-standing work to improve quality of life for deaf and disabled people in Canada (https://www.gg.ca/en/honours/recipients/146-9382), delivered a masterclass guest lecture to undergraduates in “The Psychology of Bilingualism” (psyc341), taught by Professor Debra Titone. It was a privilege to learn about this field and Dr. MacDougall’s work that all present enjoyed!
Prof. Signy Sheldon Featured in Scientific American: How Storytelling Shapes Memory
Professor Signy Sheldon (McGill Psychology & Canada Research Chair in Cognitive Neuroscience of Memory ) and her team - also featured in The Journal of Neuroscience and Society for Neuroscience- explored how different storytelling styles (emotional/conceptual vs. Concrete/perceptual detail) actively shape how and where our brains store memories.
Remembering Morton Mendelson (1949-2025)
New publication in PAIN by PhD student Wenbo Yi, Prof. Caroline Palmer, and Prof. Mathieu Roy
Congratulations to PhD student Wenbo Yi, Prof. Caroline Palmer, and Prof. Mathieu Roy for their recent publication in PAIN! The paper is titled, Individualizing musical tempo to spontaneous rates maximizes music-induced hypoalgesia, and a recent news article on this work can be found here.
New publication in Cognitive Science by postdoc Bavo van Kerrebroeck and Prof. Caroline Palmer
Congratulations to postdoctoral researcher Bavo van Kerrebroeck and Prof. Palmer for their recent publication in Cognitive Science! The paper is titled, Virtual Partners Improve Synchronization in Human−Machine Trios, and more information (including the full article) can be found here. Great work!
Prof. Jelena Ristic presents TEDx talk at the Amazing Brain Science Talks
On October 17, 2024, Prof. Jelena Ristic presented a TEDx talk entitled, Eyes speak louder than words, at the Amazing Brain Science Talks hosted by Healthy Brains, Healthy Lives (HBHL), which is an interdisciplinary neuroscience program at McGill. This event brought together leading Canadian brain health experts to showcase some of the latest advances in brain health research. For more information on the event, see here.
New publication in the International Journal of Eating Disorders by graduate student Adrienne Mehak and Prof. Sarah Racine
Congratulations to PhD candidate Adrienne Mehak and Prof. Racine for their recent publication in the International Journal of Eating Disorders! The paper is titled, A Psychophysiological Investigation of Mechanisms Underlying “Feeling Fat” in Women With and Without Binge Eating, and more information (including the full article) can be found here. Great work!
New publication in Nature Communications Psychology by graduate student Florence Mayrand and Prof. Jelena Ristic
Congratulations to graduate student Florence Mayrand, postdoc Dr. Sarah McCrackin, and Prof. Ristic for their recent publication in Nature Communications Psychology! The paper is titled, Intentional looks facilitate faster responding in observers, and can be found here.