
Profiles
Dr Elsa Fouragnan
Lecturer in Psychology
School of Psychology (Faculty of Health)
- Computational neuroscience
- Addiction
- Ultrasound brain stimulation
- Decision-making
- Depression
- fMRI
- EEG
- Reward-based learning
Email publicrelations@plymouth.ac.uk to enquire.
Biography
Biography
Qualifications
PhD in Computational Neuroscience - European fellowship & Visiting scholar at USC, Los Angeles, USA
Master in Biomedical Engineering (ENSC Bordeaux, France) with distinction
Roles on external bodies
Excecutive board member of ITRUSST (International Transcranial Ultrasonic Stimulation Safety and Standards). We are an international consortium working together towards the safe and effective application of transcranial focused ultrasound for neuromodulation. ITRUSST aims to establish consensus on expert guides, guidelines, and standardization for this neuromodulatory technique. Effective member since 2018-present
Board member of the Change Group, Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroscience, Oxford, 2017-2018
Treasurer, French federation of students and early researchers in Cognitive Sciences, 2006
Key publications
Teaching
Teaching
Teaching interests
UG:
· 412 - Psychological Science
· 415 - Topics in Psychology
· 406 - Applied psychology
· 404 - Current topics in Psychology
· 606 - Applications of Psychological Theory
MA:
· 771 - Issues in Cognitive and Brain Science
· 778 - The physics of neuroimaging
· 775 - Foundations and Applications of Neuroimaging and Neurostimulation
· 778 - The Physics of Neuroimaging (Module leader)
· 784 - Advanced Practice in Neuroimaging and Neurostimulation
· 785 - Neuroscience research project
Staff serving as external examiners
PhD examiner (past VIVA):
- Elodie Levy, ICM, CNRS, Paris, France
- Nicolas Clairis , ICM, CNRS, Paris, France
- Joshua Bolam (University of Leeds)
- Paul Knytl (University of Surrey)
- Kenza Kadri, University of Plymouth, UK. DoS
- Mica Komarnyckyj, University of Huddersfield, UK co-DoS (VIVA passed in 2022)
- Timothy Palmer, University of Plymouth, UK DoS
- Nomiki Koutsoumpari, University of Plymouth, UK DoS
- Mathilde Lojkiewiez , University of Plymouth, UK Co-DoS
Research
Research
Research interests
I am fascinated by the brain's remarkable capacity to process our continually changing environment, allowing us to avoid repeated mistakes and make smart decisions. How is this normally achieved, and what are the consequences of brain damage? To address these questions, a large part of my work focuses on both value-based decision-making and reward-learning and involves various methods including multimodal neuroimaging (simultaneous EEG-fMRI), focal ultrasound neurostimulation (TUS) and comparative neuroscience.
Research groups
Other research
Science and PINS prize for Neuromodulation, followed by a Prize Essay in the journal Science (awarded to supervised PhD student Davide Folloni for co-authored papers)
Vice Chancellor’s Award – University of Plymouth - Research and Impact Excellence, 2022
Award for best Neuroscientific contribution (~$20,000) by the Hong Kong Polytechnic University, 2019
Best poster price, Foundation for Focused Ultrasound, Oxford University, September 2019
Best poster price, Neuroeconomics Summer School, Amsterdam University, June 2012
Award for exceptional performance in Mathematics, Atomic Energy Commissariat, Toulouse, 2006
Research degrees awarded to supervised students
Mica Komarnyckyj, PhD in Psychology, University of Huddersfield, UK, 2018 – 2022 (VIVA passed successfully in 2022) – Now postdoc at the University of Manchester
Rory Baxter, PhD in Psychology, University of Plymouth, UK, 2018 – VIVA 2022
Eleonora Parrotta, PhD in Psychology, University of Plymouth, UK, 2018 – Present
Nadescha Trudel, PhD in Psychology, University of Oxford, UK, 2018 – VIVA 2021 – Now postdoc at Max Planck UCL Centre for Computational Psychiatry and Ageing, London
Davide Folloni, PhD in Psychology, University of Oxford, UK, 2018 – VIVA 2021 - Now postdoc at Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai; USA; Science and PINS prize for Neuromodulation, followed by a Prize Essay in the journal Science (on co-authored papers).
Grants & contracts
RESEARCH GRANTS
Wellcome Trust Career Development Award (SIF) 2023-2029 (£2,140,669) Collaborator “New generation of ultrasound brain stimulation device for double-blinded investigations“
Strategic Investment Fund (SIF) 2021-2022 (£116,200) PI “New generation of ultrasound brain stimulation device for double-blinded investigations“
UKRI Future Leaders Fellow 2020-2024 (£1,030,995) PI “Mapping the neural basis of credit assignment for a new targeted intervention in addiction”
Leverhulme 2019-2022: Award to Patric Bach (PI) (£462,995) Co-I “Social perception as Bayesian hypothesis testing and revision”
SMALL RESEARCH GRANTS
Plymouth Institute of Health and Care Research (PIHR) 2022-2023 (£2,947) PI “The effects of transcranial ultrasound stimulation of the anterior cingulate cortex in a human model of secondary hyperalgesia: a pilot study“
Multiple BRIC Pump Priming (>£30,000)
- PI “Neuromodulation of hyperalgesia with TUS on the anterior cingulate cortex” 2022-2023
- PI “Neurochemical and functional connectivity effects of TUS in humans” 2021-2022
- PI “Effects of TUS on early visual detection” 2021-2022
- Co-I “The Neuropsychological Markers of Specific Digital Harms: Highly Visual Social Media & Body Image Concern” 2022-2023
- Co-I “Double dissociation of the dmPFC and TPJ in social counterfactual learning” 2022-2023
- Co-I “Optimizing acquisition of prefrontal signal with multiband-multiecho fMRI” 2021-2022
Praxis Clinical Grant 2012: Award to Remi Neveu (£2000) Co-I “The role of emotions and impulsivity in eating disorders”
Travel grant for J-1 exchange visitor (6 months), USC, Los Angeles, USA, 2010 PhD visitor Scholar, KAP Economics Department, University of Southern California
Publications
Publications
Key publications
Key publications are highlighted
JournalsFouragnan E. The Neural Computation of Trust and Reputation. (April 2013) PhD thesis http://eprints-phd.biblio.unitn.it/970/
Matthews R, Soussou W, Fouragnan E, Turner P J, Shelby R A. (June, August, October, December 2008) Wearable Electrophysiological Sensor Array for Detection of Neurotoxic Effects. Defence Advanced Research Projects Agency Phase II [bi-monthly reports and final report submitted to DARPA] 4
Matthews R, Fouragnan E, McDonald N J, Soussou W, Turner P J, Shelby RA. (August, October 2008) Real-Time Bio-Sensors for Enhanced C2ISR Operator Performance. Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) Phase II [bi-monthly reports and final report submitted to DARPA]
Soussou W, Turner PJ, Fouragnan E, Trejo J. (November 2008) EEG Electrode Noise/Classification trade-off study and CMR/Classification experimentation [QUASAR internal report]
Fouragnan E, Lofi A, Hugon E, Danoy P. (July 2002) Which services for wellbeing, stress and anxiety management? [Technical Reports of Nouvelles Frontières]
Personal
Personal
Reports & invited lectures
Description of my UKRI project in images! https://vimeo.com/user2051960/review/409202167/d5d450272b
News article about our latest research at the Focused Ultrasound Federation: https://www.fusfoundation.org/news/focused-ultrasound-used-to-identify-behavior-specific-regions-of-the-brain
Science daily: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2019/04/190415113822.htm
Conferences organised
Focused Ultrasound 2022: link here
Computational Properties of the Prefrontal Cortex, link.
Other academic activities
Key speaker:
Society for Psychophysiological Research, Presidential Symposium, September 2022
8th International Symposium on Focused Ultrasound, September 2022
Welcome for Integrative Neuroscience, Launch Symposium, Oxford, November 2017
Chair:
8th International Symposium on Focused Ultrasound, September 2022
Computational Properties of the Prefrontal Cortex, Oxford, May 2021
Invited guest lecturer:
5th International conference for Brain Stimulation, Lisbon, February 2023
Univeristy of John Moores, Liverpool, January 2023
Workshop NIBS Copenhagen, December 2022
Seminar series, University of Liverpool, December 2022
Workshop Nijmegen, Invited lecturer by Lennart Verhagen, September 2022
32nd International Congress of Clinical Neurophysiology, September 2022
18th NWG-funded NIBS-course “TUS: Best Practice“, July 2022
Seminar on Ultrasound Neurostimulation. Oxford, July 2022
15th World congress of the International Neuromodulation Society, Barcelona, May 2022
International Symposium on Biology of Decision Making. Oxford, May 2020
ISAM Neuroscience Interest Group (NIG), seminar, February 2020
Seminar series Huddersfield, UK. September, 2019
British Association for Cognitive Neuroscience, Glasgow, UK. September, 2019
INSPIRE Interdisciplinary Meeting. School of medicine, Plymouth, April 2019
Seminar series. University of Huddersfield. Huddersfield, UK, November 2018
Seminar series. University of Plymouth. Plymouth, UK, October 2018
Cognitive & Behavioural Neuroscience Seminar. Oxford, UK, January 2017
LNiF series, Centre for Brain and Cognitive Science. Trento, Italy, June 2015
Centre for Cognitive Neuroscience. CNRS, Lyon, France, January 2015
Centre for Decision Research & Experimental Economics. Nottingham, UK, February 2013
LNiF series, Centre for Brain and Cognitive Science, Trento, Italy, April 2012,
Department of Economics KAP, USC, Los Angeles, USA, November 2010
Alptis Conferences and debates. Annual congress, Pessac, France, October 2008
Poster presentation as first author:
British Association for Cognitive Neuroscience, Plymouth, UK, September, 2017
Society for Neuroscience. Washington, USA, October 2017
Neuroeconomics Society, Annual Conference, Toronto, Canada. October, 2017
International Symposium on Biology of Decision Making, Bordeaux, France, May 2017
Society for Neuroscience. Chicago, USA, October 2015
Organisation for Human Brain Mapping, Hamburg, Germany, June 2014
Society for Neuroeconomics. Lausanne, Switzerland, June 2013
Society for Neuroeconomics. Miami, USA, September 2012
Concepts, Actions and Object (CAOs), Rovereto, May 2011
Poster presentation as last author:
8th International Symposium on Focused Ultrasound, September 2022
Federation of European Neuroscience Societies (FENS) Forum, Paris, France, July 2022
6TH HBP student conference on interdisciplinary brain research, February 2022
Faculty of Health PGR showcase, Plymouth, June 2022
Computational Properties of the Prefrontal Cortex, Oxford, May 2022
International Symposium on Biology of Decision Making (online), 2021
Neurofrance (online), May 2021
SSA PhD symposium (online), November 2021
SSA Annual conference (online), November 2021
International Symposium on Biology of Decision Making (online), May 2020