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EMAIL moataz.assem@mrc-cbu.cam.ac.uk
College Murray Edwards College
Department
  • MRC Cognition and Brain Sciences Unit
    • School
  • Clinical Medicine
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    ORCID iDClick to view ORCID profile
    Research Theme Neurons, Circuits and Networks Adaptive Brain Computations
    Research Focus

    Keywords

  • fMRI
  • ECOG
  • Intracranial EEG
  • Cognitive Control
  • Attention
  • Intelligence
  • Neuroanatomy
  • TMS

    • Equipment & Techniques

  • Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)
  • Electroencephalography (EEG)

    • Science Culture

  • Public Engagement
  • Open Access
  • Equality, Diversity, Inclusion and Wellbeing

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    Moataz Assem

    University Position
    Senior Research Associate
    Wellcome Early Career Fellow
    Dr Moataz Assem is pleased to consider applications from prospective PhD students.

    Interests

    Dr. Assem's research investigates the brain basis of human intelligence. Specifically, he investigates how a core multiple-demand (MD) circuit in the human brain organizes our thoughts and behaviour. His research stands out for its anatomical precision, employing state of the art brain imaging approaches (Human Connectome Project style fMRI and intracranial EEG). More recently, he has delved into "pinging" hidden brain states using concurrent brain stimulation (TMS) and fMRI. Understanding hidden states can reveal how the core MD circuit loads information from the background to the foreground of our attention to solve novel problems.

    Intelligence circuit

    This is a flattened brain hemisphere, similar to how we sometimes view the earth on a flat map. In Dr. Assem's recent work, using refined functional MRI techniques and in collaboration with the Human Connectome Project, he identified these nine distinct yellowish/reddish patches, reminiscent of islands in a vast cortical lake. These patches play a critical role in human intelligence abilities. A significant part of his research delves into understanding how this specific cortical circuitry interacts with other brain regions and how it evolved.

    Collaborators

    Cambridge
  • John Duncan
  • Alexandra Woolgar
    • External
  • Matthew F. Glasser
  • David Van Essen
  • Evelina Fedorenko

    • Associated News Items

    Key Publications

    Basis of executive functions in fine-grained architecture of cortical and subcortical human brain networks.

    DOI: http://doi.org/10.1093/cercor/bhad537
    Journal: Cereb Cortex
    E-pub date: 31 Jan 2024
    Authors: M Assem, S Shashidhara, MF Glasser, J Duncan

    Integrated Intelligence from Distributed Brain Activity.

    DOI: http://doi.org/10.1016/j.tics.2020.06.012
    Journal: Trends Cogn Sci
    E-pub date: 1 Oct 2020
    Authors: J Duncan, M Assem, S Shashidhara

    Activity in the fronto-parietal multiple-demand network is robustly associated with individual differences in working memory and fluid intelligence.

    DOI: http://doi.org/10.1016/j.cortex.2020.06.013
    Journal: Cortex
    E-pub date: 1 Oct 2020
    Authors: M Assem, IA Blank, Z Mineroff, A Ademoğlu, E Fedorenko

    A Domain-General Cognitive Core Defined in Multimodally Parcellated Human Cortex.

    DOI: http://doi.org/10.1093/cercor/bhaa023
    Journal: Cereb Cortex
    E-pub date: 30 Jun 2020
    Authors: M Assem, MF Glasser, DC Van Essen, J Duncan

    Publications

    Concurrent TMS-fMRI: An international consensus and functional guide for current and future researchers

    DOI: http://doi.org/10.31234/osf.io/9fyxb
    Journal:
    E-pub date: 1 Aug 2024
    Authors: A Woolgar, E Feredoes, M Assem, Y Bassil, TO Bergmann, L Beynel, M Burke, OSFHomeRego, R Comeau, M Correia, E Genç, G Hartwigsen, J Jackson, M Kienle, P Kunz, O Leticevscaia, B Luber, M Lueckel, C Mathiesen, E Michael, O Numssen, D Oathes, A Rosen, T Schuhmann, A-L Schuler, CL Scrivener, A Thielscher, M Tik, Y Todorov, M Vasileiadi, C Windischberger, M Hermiller, AT Sack

    Task and stimulus coding in the multiple-demand network.

    DOI: http://doi.org/10.1093/cercor/bhae278
    Journal: Cereb Cortex
    E-pub date: 3 Jul 2024
    Authors: S Shashidhara, M Assem, MF Glasser, J Duncan

    Structural connectivity of the multiple demand network in humans and comparison to the macaque brain.

    DOI: http://doi.org/10.1093/cercor/bhad314
    Journal: Cereb Cortex
    E-pub date: 4 Nov 2023
    Authors: K Karadachka, M Assem, DJ Mitchell, J Duncan, WP Medendorp, RB Mars

    Dynamic layer-specific processing in the prefrontal cortex during working memory

    DOI: http://doi.org/10.1101/2023.10.27.564330
    Journal:
    E-pub date: 1 Aug 2023
    Authors: JK Degutis, D Chaimow, D Haenelt, M Assem, J Duncan, J-D Haynes, N Weiskopf, R Lorenz

    High gamma activity distinguishes frontal cognitive control regions from adjacent cortical networks.

    DOI: http://doi.org/10.1016/j.cortex.2022.12.007
    Journal: Cortex
    E-pub date: 1 Feb 2023
    Authors: M Assem, MG Hart, P Coelho, R Romero-Garcia, A McDonald, E Woodberry, RC Morris, SJ Price, J Suckling, T Santarius, J Duncan, Y Erez

    Tumour-infiltrated cortex participates in large-scale cognitive circuits

    DOI: http://doi.org/10.1101/2022.12.19.22283690
    Journal:
    E-pub date: 1 Aug 2022
    Authors: A Mandal, M Assem, R Romero-Garcia, P Coelho, A McDonald, E Woodberry, R Morris, S Price, J Duncan, T Santarius, J Suckling, M Hart, Y Erez

    Causal Evidence for the Multiple Demand Network in Change Detection: Auditory Mismatch Magnetoencephalography across Focal Neurodegenerative Diseases.

    DOI: http://doi.org/10.1523/JNEUROSCI.1622-21.2022
    Journal: J Neurosci
    E-pub date: 13 Apr 2022
    Authors: TE Cope, LE Hughes, HN Phillips, NE Adams, A Jafarian, D Nesbitt, M Assem, A Woolgar, J Duncan, JB Rowe

    Memory recovery in relation to default mode network impairment and neurite density during brain tumor treatment.

    DOI: http://doi.org/10.3171/2021.1.JNS203959
    Journal: J Neurosurg
    E-pub date: 1 Feb 2022
    Authors: R Romero-Garcia, J Suckling, M Owen, M Assem, R Sinha, P Coelho, E Woodberry, SJ Price, A Burke, T Santarius, Y Erez, MG Hart

    BOLD Coupling between Lesioned and Healthy Brain Is Associated with Glioma Patients’ Recovery.

    DOI: http://doi.org/10.3390/cancers13195008
    Journal: Cancers (Basel)
    E-pub date: 6 Oct 2021
    Authors: R Romero-Garcia, MG Hart, RAI Bethlehem, A Mandal, M Assem, B Crespo-Facorro, JM Gorriz, GAA Burke, SJ Price, T Santarius, Y Erez, J Suckling

    Precise topology of adjacent domain-general and sensory-biased regions in the human brain

    DOI: http://doi.org/10.1101/2021.02.21.431622
    Journal:
    E-pub date: 1 Aug 2021
    Authors: M Assem, S Shashidhara, M Glasser, J Duncan

    Intraoperative mapping of executive function using electrocorticography for patients with low-grade gliomas.

    DOI: http://doi.org/10.1007/s00701-020-04646-6
    Journal: Acta Neurochir (Wien)
    E-pub date: 1 May 2021
    Authors: Y Erez, M Assem, P Coelho, R Romero-Garcia, M Owen, A McDonald, E Woodberry, RC Morris, SJ Price, J Suckling, J Duncan, MG Hart, T Santarius

    Assessment of neuropsychological function in brain tumour treatment: A comparison of traditional neuropsychological assessment with app-based cognitive screening

    DOI: http://doi.org/10.1101/2020.06.03.20119255
    Journal:
    E-pub date: 1 Aug 2020
    Authors: R Romero-Garcia, M Owen, A McDonald, E Woodberry, M Assem, P Coelho, R Morris, S Price, T Santarius, J Suckling, T Manly, Y Erez, M Hart

    Disruptive and protective outcomes to memory and attention when treating diffuse glioma

    DOI: http://doi.org/10.1101/19008581
    Journal:
    E-pub date: 1 Aug 2019
    Authors: R Romero-Garcia, J Suckling, M Owen, M Assem, R Sinha, P Coelho, E Woodberry, S Price, AGA Burke, T Santarius, Y Erez, M Hart