Sydney Cash, M.D., Ph.D.
Clinicn Investigator, Full Prf Neurology, Mass General Research Institute |
Professor of Neurology Harvard Medical School |
Elizabeth G. Riley and Dan E. Smith Jr. MGH Research Scholar 2013-2018 Mass General Research Institute, Massachusetts General Hospital |
Neurologist Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital |
MD Columbia University College of Physicians & Surgeons 2000 |
Research Interests
Research Narrative
We employ non-invasive measures of brain activity (MEG, EEG, fMRI) and structure (MRI) to get a holistic view of the brain. We also use very specialized methods of recording directly from either human or rodent cortex including techniques to record the activity of single human neurons while patients are awake (microelectrode recordings) and optogenetic methods to control individual neurons. By necessity and, more importantly, our philosophy of best practices in science, we collaborate with many different researchers to perform these studies. Our projects are focused on four core, but overlapping, areas:
Mechanisms of normal cognition at the level of individual neurons and small groups of neurons in the context of widespread brain activity
- The physiology and importance of sleep and dreaming
- The basic physiology of cortical and subcortical oscillations
- The physiological mechanisms of seizures and how they can be better treated.
Long-range, clinically motivated goals include the development of new methods for identifying seizure areas, predicting seizures and then stopping them. We are also using these techniques to move toward new ways of interacting directly with the human nervous system for diagnosis and repair or replacement (neuroprosthetics and brain-computer interfaces) of damaged nervous system tissue.
Research lab website
Publications
Clinical Profile
scash@mgh.harvard.edu |
Thier Building 60 Blossom Street Boston, MA 02114-3104 |