Search

Home >Research >Core Research Areas >Center for the Neuroscience of Embodied Cognition

Center for the Neuroscience of Embodied Cognition (CeNEC)

The Center for the Neuroscience of Embodied Cognition (CeNEC) at the USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences’ Brain and Creativity Institute explores the idea that rudimentary sensory-motor areas may be intrinsically involved in processing aspects of higher cognition such as language, thought, emotions, empathy and social communication. Led by Lisa Aziz-Zadeh, CeNEC examines social cognitive neuroscience questions using brain imaging techniques such as functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), diffusion tensor imaging (DTI), transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) and neuropsychological measures.

Funded Projects

• The Relationship Between Brain Functioning, Behavior, and Microbiota in Autism Spectrum Disorder (Principal Investigator: Lisa Aziz-Zadeh)

Previous Projects

• The Neurobiological Basis of Heterogeneous Social and Motor Deficits in ASD (Principal Investigator: Lisa Aziz-Zadeh)
• Modulating Motor Behavior by Action Observation & Imitation: Implications for Stroke Rehabilitation (Principal Investigator: Lisa Aziz-Zadeh)
• MetaNet: A Multilingual Metaphor Extraction, Representation, and Validation System (Project Director: Lisa Aziz-Zadeh)
• The Mirror Neuron System (MNS) and Action Observation after Stroke Affecting Cortical Motor Regions (Principal Investigator: Lisa Aziz-Zadeh)
• The Mirror Neuron System (MNS): A Neural Substrate for Methods in Stroke Rehabilitation (Principal Investigator: Lisa Aziz-Zadeh)
• Neural Basis for the Production and Perception of Prosody (Principal Investigator: Lisa Aziz-Zadeh)

Media

• Study pinpoints three brain regions displaying telltale patterns in autistic individuals / USC Chan News
• New study shows children with autism have less activity in brain region that observes, simulates movements / USC Chan News
• Keep your friends close, but … / USC News
• USC study charts exercise for stroke patients’ brains / USC News
• Learn to be more understanding by watching The Bachelor (this season, anyway) / USC News
• Do you like me now? / USC News
• Scientists search for source of creativity / USC News
• USC researchers explore the source of empathy in the brain / USC News
• Picture your relationship to the boss / USC News
• Brain finds gestures not so familiar / USC News
• No rest for the narcissist / USC News
• Sing-song speakers and measures of empathy / USC News

USC Chan Division of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy
1540 Alcazar Street, CHP 133, Los Angeles, CA 90089-9003

ACOTE accreditation | NBCOT certification

The USC entry-level master’s degree program (cost of attendance) is fully accredited by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education® (ACOTE). The USC entry-level OTD degree program (cost of attendance) has been granted Candidacy Status by ACOTE. View our program’s ACOTE standards public data. ACOTE c/o Accreditation Department, American Occupational Therapy Association, Inc.®, 6116 Executive Boulevard, Suite 200, North Bethesda, MD 20852-4929, (301) 652-6611 x2914, acoteonline.org

Professional program graduates are eligible to apply for certification by National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy, Inc.® (NBCOT), nbcot.org. Program results from the NBCOT can be found online at secure.nbcot.org/data/schoolstats.aspx.