Dr. Michael Cannizzaro investigates brain and behavior relationships in typical and brain-injured populations. His research considers the role of the prefrontal cortex during complex communication and tasks that involve executive functions, and involves the study of discourse processing using behavioral and linguistic metrics to study communication in conjunction with neuroimaging to monitor task-related hemodynamics in the brain.
Dr. Cannizzaro’s lab uses modulated cortical activity (i.e., fNIRS & EEG) as a means of interfacing with computers for communication and environmental control. This “Brain Computer Interface” project is a joint undertaking between the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, the Department of Computer Science, and the undergraduate neuroscience program. The work is sponsored in part through ̽̽’s Trans-disciplinary Neuroscience, Behavior and Health Initiative.
Dr. Cannizzaro has worked clinically as a speech-language pathologist and is experienced in the assessment and treatment of adults with acquired speech, language and cognitive deficits resulting from stroke, brain-injury, progressive neurodegenerative disorders, and psychiatric illness.