Faculty
Dara S. Manoach, PhD
dara@nmr.mgh.harvard.edu
Website: http://www.nmr.mgh.harvard.edu/manoachlab/
Topics
- Neural bases of cognitive deficits in schizophrenia, particularly executive functions including performance monitoring and working memory
- Functional and structural magnetic resonance imaging, saccadic measurements, and magnetoencephalography
- Sleep-dependent procedural learning and memory consolidation
- Developmental social processing disorders including Asperger’s Disorder
- Neuropsychology
Dara S. Manoach, PhD, is an Associate Professor of Psychology in the Department of Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School. She is a neuropsychologist who received her Ph.D. from Harvard University. She completed a psychology internship at McLean Hospital and a fellowship in clinical neuropsychology at Beth Israel Hospital. She is currently based at the Athinoula A. Martinos Center for biomedical imaging and in the Department of Psychiatry at Massachusetts General Hospital.
The primary goal of Dr. Manoach’s research program is to elucidate the neural basis and nature of cognitive deficits in schizophrenia. Cognitive deficits in schizophrenia are profoundly disabling and not adequately treated by current medication regimens. She is particularly interested in clarifying the role of the prefrontal cortex of the brain in cognitive deficits. The prefrontal cortex is thought to mediate cognitive processes that guide voluntary action such as holding information in mind for brief periods, inhibiting reflexive actions in order to permit flexible, non-reflexive responding, switching between one activity and another at will, and monitoring outcomes of behavior in order to optimize performance and learn from mistakes. Using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), magnetoencephalography (MEG), diffusion tensor imaging (DTI), and studies of saccadic eye movements, she is studying the contribution of prefrontal cortex and other brain regions to these essential cognitive functions. A separate line of inquiry focuses on understanding the role of sleep in consolidating new learning. Dr. Manoach’s lab is investigating this using overnight polysomnography and behavioral studies. These studies will enrich our understanding of disabling cognitive deficits in schizophrenia and can guide the development of targeted interventions.
Dr. Manoach’s work is presently funded by the National Institute of Mental Health, the National Alliance for Research in Schizophrenia and Depression (NARSAD), and Sepracor, Inc. She is the recipient of two Young Investigator Awards, an Independent Investigator Award, and has authored and co-authored numerous articles on cognitive dysfunction in schizophrenia.
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