Juan Carlos Mendez Nunez
MD, PhD
Postdoctoral Research Associate
The aim of my research is to unravel the role that the thalamus and the frontal cortex, two interconnected brain structures, play in supporting different cognitive abilities, mainly memory and decision-making.
The relevance of this research is highlighted when we consider that human patients who sustain injuries to these structures show deficits in memory, motivation, language, decision-making, multitasking and many other brain functions. Our expectation is that our findings will ultimately contribute to the development of treatments tailored to these patients.
To this end, we use different methodological approaches, including pharmacological interventions, neuroimaging and neurophysiological techniques, to assess the specific contributions of the thalamus and the frontal cortex to the mechanisms behind memory and decision-making.
Besides this ongoing research, I also have a keen interest in science communication and the role of science in society.
Recent publications
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Neural basis for categorical boundaries in the primate pre-SMA during relative categorization of time intervals.
Journal article
Mendoza G. et al, (2018), Nat Commun, 9
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Probing the timing network: A continuous theta burst stimulation study of temporal categorization.
Journal article
Méndez JC. et al, (2017), Neuroscience, 356, 167 - 175
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Sensorimotor neural dynamics during isochronous tapping in the medial premotor cortex of the macaque.
Journal article
Merchant H. et al, (2015), Eur J Neurosci, 41, 586 - 602
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Linking perception, cognition, and action: psychophysical observations and neural network modelling.
Journal article
Méndez JC. et al, (2014), PLoS One, 9
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Neurophysiology of timing in the hundreds of milliseconds: multiple layers of neuronal clocks in the medial premotor areas.
Journal article
Merchant H. et al, (2014), Adv Exp Med Biol, 829, 143 - 154