Brain Stimulation Unit - Division of Intramural Research

 Eric   Wassermann  M.D., Staff Clinician

Dr. Wassermann received his B.A. from Swarthmore College, his M.A. from the University of Pennsylvania where he studied behavioral neurophysiology with C.R. Gallistel, and his M.D. from New York Medical College. After a Neurology Residency at the Boston City Hospital, he came to the NINDS as a postdoctoral fellow in the Human Motor Control Section, where he studied the physiology of the motor cortex and the control of voluntary movement. In 1997, he established the Brain Stimulation Unit to extend the same techniques and concepts to investigating the prefrontal cortex and the control of emotion and action. He is the recipient of numerous awards, including the Pfizer Visiting Professorship in psychiatry, two NIH Director's Awards, and the US Public Health Service Outstanding Service Medal. Dr. Wassermann’s clinical interests include behavioral neurology, clinical neurophysiology, and chemical casualty care. He directs the clinical activities of the NINDS Cognitive Neuroscience Section and serves as a Senior Medical Advisor to the HHS Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response.

Laboratory Staff

Franck Amyot, Ph.D., Research Fellow
Egas Caparelli-Daquèr, M.D., Special Volunteer
Dimitrios Kapogiannis, M.D., Adjunct Investigator
Eric Mooshagian, Ph.D., Postdoctoral Fellow , 301-402- 2584
Leonora Wilkinson, Ph.D., Research Fellow
Trelawny Zimmermann, , IRTA Fellow

Research Interests

We study the physiology of the brain systems underlying executive function and emotional regulation, using noninvasive stimulation and imaging techniques. We are also interested in developing new treatments for patients with frontal lobe (executive) disorders and ways of enhancing cognitive functions in healthy individuals.

Clinical Protocols

Detecting a reward signal in the motor cortex  07-N-0063

Cross-validating NIRS with fMRI  07-N-0139

Effects of reward on learning in the motor cortex  09-N-0124

High-density direct current brain polarization  09-N-0196

Selected Recent Publications

Kapogiannis D, Campion P, Grafman J, Wassermann EM
Reward-related activity in the human motor cortex - European Journal of Neuroscience  27 1836-1842 2008

Wassermann EM, Epstein CM, Ziemann U, Walsh V, Paus T, LIsanby SH (Eds.)
The Oxford Handbook of Transcranial Stimulation - Oxford: Oxford University Press    2008

Gilbert DL, Wang Z, Sallee FR, Ridel KR, Merhar S, Zhang J, Lipps TD, White C, Badreldin N, Wassermann EM
Dopamine transporter genotype influences the physiological response to medication in ADHD - Brain  129 791-808 2006

Iyer MB, Mattu U, Grafman J, Lomarev M, Sato S, Wassermann EM
Safety and Cognitive effect of frontal DC brain polarization in healthy individuals - Neurology  64 872-876 2005

Wassermann EM, Grafman J
Recharging cognition with DC brain polarization - Trends Cog Neurosci  9 503-505 2005

Iyer MB, Schleper N, Wassermann EM
Priming stimulation enhances the depressant effect of low-frequency repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation - J Neurosci  23 10867-10872 2003

Selected Earlier Publications

Contact Information

Brain Stimulation Unit, NINDS Building 10, Room 7D43  10 Center Drive, MSC 1440   Bethesda MD  20892-1430

Telephone: 301-496- 0151 (office), 301- 496-0151 (laboratory), 301-480- 2909 (fax), Email: wassermanne@ninds.nih.gov