Simon Wilton Davis | Scholars@Duke

Simon Wilton Davis
Assistant Professor in Neurology

My research centers around the use of structural and functional imaging measures to study the shifts in network architecture in the aging brain. I am specifically interested in changes in how changes in structural and functional connectivity associated with aging impact the semantic retrieval of word or fact knowledge. Currently this involves asking why older adults have particular difficulty in certain kinds of semantic retrieval, despite the fact that vocabularies and knowledge stores typically improve with age.

A second line of research involves asking questions about how this semantic system is organized in young adults, understanding which helps form a basis for asking questions about older adults. To what degree are these semantic retrieval processes lateralized? What cognitive factors affect this laterality? How are brain structures like the corpus callosum involved in mediating distributed activation patterns associated with semantic retrieval?

Current Appointments & Affiliations

Assistant Professor in Neurology, Neurology, Behavioral Neurology, Neurology 2016
Assistant Professor in Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Brain Stimulation and Neurophysiology, Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences 2017
Member of the Center for Cognitive Neuroscience, Center for Cognitive Neuroscience, Duke Institute for Brain Sciences 2016

Contact Information

B243q LSRC, Durham, NC 27708
DUMC Box 2900, Bryan Research Building, Rm 227E, Durham, NC 27708
simon.davis@duke.edu (919) 668-2299

Background
Education, Training, & Certifications
- Ph.D., Duke University 2011
Recognition
In the News
- SEP 20, 2017 Duke Neurology
  
  Brain Halves Increase Communication to Compensate for Aging, Study Finds
Expertise
Subject Headings
- Research
Research
Selected Grants
- Impact of Timing, Targeting, and Brain State on rTMS of Human and Non-Human Primates awarded by National Institutes of Health 2017 - 2021
- Bilateral Brain Dynamics Supporting Cognition in Normal Aging and Dementia awarded by National Institutes of Health 2017 - 2021
- Using fMRI-guided TMS to increase central executive function in older adults awarded by National Institutes of Health 2015 - 2020
- Role of white-matter connectivity on age-related reorganization of brain networks awarded by National Institutes of Health 2008 - 2011
Publications & Artistic Works
Selected Publications
- Academic Articles
  - Fuhrmann, Delia, David Nesbitt, Meredith Shafto, James B. Rowe, Darren Price, Andrew Gadie, Andrew Cam-CAN, and Rogier A. Kievit. “Strong and specific associations between cardiovascular risk factors and white matter micro- and macrostructure in healthy aging..” Neurobiol Aging 74 (February 2019): 46–55. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2018.10.005.
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  - Beynel, L., S. W. Davis, C. A. Crowell, S. A. Hilbig, W. Lim, D. Nguyen, H. Palmer, et al. “Online repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation during working memory in younger and older adults: A randomized within-subject comparison..” Plos One 14, no. 3 (January 2019). https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0213707.
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  - Davis, S. W., C. A. Crowell, L. Beynel, L. Deng, D. Lakhlani, S. A. Hilbig, W. Lim, et al. “Complementary topology of maintenance and manipulation brain networks in working memory..” Scientific Reports 8, no. 1 (December 13, 2018). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-018-35887-2.
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  - Neacsiu, Andrada D., Bruce M. Luber, Simon W. Davis, Elisabeth Bernhardt, Timothy J. Strauman, and Sarah H. Lisanby. “On the Concurrent Use of Self-System Therapy and Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging-Guided Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation as Treatment for Depression..” The Journal of Ect 34, no. 4 (December 2018): 266–73. https://doi.org/10.1097/yct.0000000000000545.
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  - Monge, Zachary A., Matthew L. Stanley, Benjamin R. Geib, Simon W. Davis, and Roberto Cabeza. “Functional networks underlying item and source memory: shared and distinct network components and age-related differences..” Neurobiology of Aging 69 (September 2018): 140–50. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2018.05.016.
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  - Wang, Wei-Chun, Erik A. Wing, David L. K. Murphy, Bruce M. Luber, Sarah H. Lisanby, Roberto Cabeza, and Simon W. Davis. “Excitatory TMS modulates memory representations..” Cognitive Neuroscience 9, no. 3–4 (July 2018): 151–66. https://doi.org/10.1080/17588928.2018.1512482.
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  - Green, Emma, Holly Bennett, Carol Brayne, Carol Cam-CAN, and Fiona E. Matthews. “Exploring patterns of response across the lifespan: the Cambridge Centre for Ageing and Neuroscience (Cam-CAN) study..” Bmc Public Health 18, no. 1 (June 19, 2018). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-018-5663-7.
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  - Wang, Wei-Chun, Erik Wing, David L. K. Murphy, Bruce Luber, Sarah Lisanby, Roberto Cabeza, and Simon Davis. “Excitatory TMS Boosts Memory Representations,” March 10, 2018. https://doi.org/10.1101/279547.
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  - Davis, Simon W., Erik A. Wing, and Roberto Cabeza. “Contributions of the ventral parietal cortex to declarative memory..” Handbook of Clinical Neurology 151 (January 2018): 525–53. https://doi.org/10.1016/b978-0-444-63622-5.00027-9.
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  - Davis, Simon W., Bruce Luber, David L. K. Murphy, Sarah H. Lisanby, and Roberto Cabeza. “Frequency-specific neuromodulation of local and distant connectivity in aging and episodic memory function..” Hum Brain Mapp 38, no. 12 (December 2017): 5987–6004. https://doi.org/10.1002/hbm.23803.
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  - Davis, S., A. J. Allen, R. O’Leary, M. Power, D. A. Price, A. J. Simpson, A. Tunbridge, et al. “Diagnostic accuracy and cost analysis of the Alere™ i Influenza A&B near-patient test using throat swabs..” The Journal of Hospital Infection 97, no. 3 (November 2017): 301–9. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhin.2017.05.017.
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  - Kievit, Rogier A., Simon W. Davis, John Griffiths, Marta M. Correia, Marta M. Cam-Can, and Richard N. Henson. “Erratum to "A watershed model of individual differences in fluid intelligence" [Neuropsychologia 91 (2016) 186-198]..” Neuropsychologia 106 (November 2017). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2017.09.032.
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  - Price, D., L. K. Tyler, R. Neto Henriques, K. L. Campbell, N. Williams, M. S. Treder, J. R. Taylor, J. R. Cam-CAN, and R. N. A. Henson. “Age-related delay in visual and auditory evoked responses is mediated by white- and grey-matter differences..” Nat Commun 8 (June 9, 2017). https://doi.org/10.1038/ncomms15671.
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  - Samu, Dávid, Karen L. Campbell, Kamen A. Tsvetanov, Meredith A. Shafto, Meredith A. Cam-CAN consortium, and Lorraine K. Tyler. “Preserved cognitive functions with age are determined by domain-dependent shifts in network responsivity..” Nature Communications 8 (May 8, 2017). https://doi.org/10.1038/ncomms14743.
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  - Luber, Bruce M., Simon Davis, Elisabeth Bernhardt, Andrada Neacsiu, Lori Kwapil, Sarah H. Lisanby, and Timothy J. Strauman. “Reprint of ''Using neuroimaging to individualize TMS treatment for depression: Toward a new paradigm for imaging-guided intervention''..” Neuroimage 151 (May 2017): 65–71. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuroimage.2017.03.049.
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  - Luber, Bruce M., Simon Davis, Elisabeth Bernhardt, Andrada Neacsiu, Lori Kwapil, Sarah H. Lisanby, and Timothy J. Strauman. “Using neuroimaging to individualize TMS treatment for depression: Toward a new paradigm for imaging-guided intervention..” Neuroimage 148 (March 1, 2017): 1–7. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuroimage.2016.12.083.
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  - Davis, Simon W., Matthew L. Stanley, Morris Moscovitch, and Roberto Cabeza. “Resting-state networks do not determine cognitive function networks: a commentary on Campbell and Schacter (2016)..” Language, Cognition and Neuroscience 32, no. 6 (January 2017): 669–73. https://doi.org/10.1080/23273798.2016.1252847.
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  - Kievit, Rogier A., Simon W. Davis, John Griffiths, Marta M. Correia, Marta M. Cam-Can, and Richard N. Henson. “A watershed model of individual differences in fluid intelligence..” Neuropsychologia 91 (October 2016): 186–98. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2016.08.008.
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  - Henson, Richard N., Karen L. Campbell, Simon W. Davis, Jason R. Taylor, Tina Emery, Sharon Erzinclioglu, Sharon Cam-CAN, and Rogier A. Kievit. “Multiple determinants of lifespan memory differences..” Scientific Reports 6 (September 7, 2016). https://doi.org/10.1038/srep32527.
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  - Campbell, Karen L., Dávid Samu, Simon W. Davis, Linda Geerligs, Abdur Mustafa, Lorraine K. Tyler, and Lorraine K. for Cambridge Centre for Aging and Neuroscience. “Robust Resilience of the Frontotemporal Syntax System to Aging..” The Journal of Neuroscience : The Official Journal of the Society for Neuroscience 36, no. 19 (May 2016): 5214–27. https://doi.org/10.1523/JNEUROSCI.4561-15.2016.
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  - Campbell, Karen L., Meredith A. Shafto, Paul Wright, Kamen A. Tsvetanov, Linda Geerligs, Rhodri Cusack, Rhodri Cam-CAN, and Lorraine K. Tyler. “Idiosyncratic responding during movie-watching predicted by age differences in attentional control..” Neurobiology of Aging 36, no. 11 (November 2015): 3045–55. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2015.07.028.
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  - Geerligs, Linda, Mikail Rubinov, Mikail Cam-Can, and Richard N. Henson. “State and Trait Components of Functional Connectivity: Individual Differences Vary with Mental State..” The Journal of Neuroscience : The Official Journal of the Society for Neuroscience 35, no. 41 (October 2015): 13949–61. https://doi.org/10.1523/JNEUROSCI.1324-15.2015.
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  - Tsvetanov, Kamen A., Richard N. A. Henson, Lorraine K. Tyler, Simon W. Davis, Meredith A. Shafto, Jason R. Taylor, Nitin Williams, Nitin Cam-Can, and James B. Rowe. “The effect of ageing on fMRI: Correction for the confounding effects of vascular reactivity evaluated by joint fMRI and MEG in 335 adults..” Human Brain Mapping 36, no. 6 (June 2015): 2248–69. https://doi.org/10.1002/hbm.22768.
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  - Davis, Simon W., and Roberto Cabeza. “Cross-hemispheric collaboration and segregation associated with task difficulty as revealed by structural and functional connectivity..” The Journal of Neuroscience : The Official Journal of the Society for Neuroscience 35, no. 21 (May 2015): 8191–8200. https://doi.org/10.1523/JNEUROSCI.0464-15.2015.
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  - Daselaar, Sander M., Vijeth Iyengar, Simon W. Davis, Karl Eklund, Scott M. Hayes, and Roberto E. Cabeza. “Less wiring, more firing: low-performing older adults compensate for impaired white matter with greater neural activity..” Cerebral Cortex (New York, N.Y. : 1991) 25, no. 4 (April 2015): 983–90. https://doi.org/10.1093/cercor/bht289.
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  - Kievit, Rogier A., Simon W. Davis, Daniel J. Mitchell, Jason R. Taylor, John Duncan, John Cam-CAN Research Team, Richard N. A. Henson, and Richard N. A. Cam-CAN Research Team. “Distinct aspects of frontal lobe structure mediate age-related differences in fluid intelligence and multitasking..” Nature Communications 5 (December 18, 2014). https://doi.org/10.1038/ncomms6658.
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  - Madden, David J., Emily L. Parks, Simon W. Davis, Michele T. Diaz, Guy G. Potter, Ying-hui Chou, Nan-kuei Chen, and Roberto Cabeza. “Age mediation of frontoparietal activation during visual feature search..” Neuroimage 102 Pt 2 (November 2014): 262–74. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuroimage.2014.07.053.
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  - Shafto, Meredith A., Lorraine K. Tyler, Marie Dixon, Jason R. Taylor, James B. Rowe, Rhodri Cusack, Andrew J. Calder, et al. “The Cambridge Centre for Ageing and Neuroscience (Cam-CAN) study protocol: a cross-sectional, lifespan, multidisciplinary examination of healthy cognitive ageing..” Bmc Neurology 14 (October 14, 2014). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12883-014-0204-1.
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  - Davis, Simon W., Jie Zhuang, Paul Wright, and Lorraine K. Tyler. “Age-related sensitivity to task-related modulation of language-processing networks..” Neuropsychologia 63 (October 2014): 107–15. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2014.08.017.
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  - Hall, Shana A., David C. Rubin, Amanda Miles, Simon W. Davis, Erik A. Wing, Roberto Cabeza, and Dorthe Berntsen. “The neural basis of involuntary episodic memories..” Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience 26, no. 10 (October 2014): 2385–99. https://doi.org/10.1162/jocn_a_00633.
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  - Whalley, Matthew G., Marijn C. W. Kroes, Zoe Huntley, Michael D. Rugg, Simon W. Davis, and Chris R. Brewin. “An fMRI investigation of posttraumatic flashbacks..” Brain and Cognition 81, no. 1 (February 2013): 151–59. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bandc.2012.10.002.
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  - Davis, Simon W., James E. Kragel, David J. Madden, and Roberto Cabeza. “The architecture of cross-hemispheric communication in the aging brain: linking behavior to functional and structural connectivity..” Cerebral Cortex (New York, N.Y. : 1991) 22, no. 1 (January 2012): 232–42. https://doi.org/10.1093/cercor/bhr123.
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  - Cantlon, Jessica F., Simon W. Davis, Melissa E. Libertus, Jill Kahane, Elizabeth M. Brannon, and Kevin A. Pelphrey. “Inter-Parietal White Matter Development Predicts Numerical Performance in Young Children..” Learning and Individual Differences 21, no. 6 (December 2011): 672–80. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lindif.2011.09.003.
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  - Madden, David J., Matthew C. Costello, Nancy A. Dennis, Simon W. Davis, Anne M. Shepler, Julia Spaniol, Barbara Bucur, and Roberto Cabeza. “Adult age differences in functional connectivity during executive control..” Neuroimage 52, no. 2 (August 2010): 643–57. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuroimage.2010.04.249.
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  - Davis, Simon W., Nancy A. Dennis, Norbou G. Buchler, Leonard E. White, David J. Madden, and Roberto Cabeza. “Assessing the effects of age on long white matter tracts using diffusion tensor tractography..” Neuroimage 46, no. 2 (June 2009): 530–41. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuroimage.2009.01.068.
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  - Madden, David J., Julia Spaniol, Matthew C. Costello, Barbara Bucur, Leonard E. White, Roberto Cabeza, Simon W. Davis, Nancy A. Dennis, James M. Provenzale, and Scott A. Huettel. “Cerebral white matter integrity mediates adult age differences in cognitive performance..” Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience 21, no. 2 (February 2009): 289–302. https://doi.org/10.1162/jocn.2009.21047.
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  - Davis, S. W., N. A. Dennis, S. M. Daselaar, M. S. Fleck, and R. Cabeza. “Qué PASA? the posterior-anterior shift in aging.” Cerebral Cortex 18, no. 5 (May 1, 2008): 1201–9. https://doi.org/10.1093/cercor/bhm155.
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  - Davis, Simon W., Nancy A. Dennis, Sander M. Daselaar, Mathias S. Fleck, and Roberto Cabeza. “Que PASA? The posterior-anterior shift in aging..” Cerebral Cortex (New York, N.Y. : 1991) 18, no. 5 (May 2008): 1201–9. https://doi.org/10.1093/cercor/bhm155.
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  - Leow, Alex D., Igor Yanovsky, Ming-Chang Chiang, Agatha D. Lee, Andrea D. Klunder, Allen Lu, James T. Becker, Simon W. Davis, Arthur W. Toga, and Paul M. Thompson. “Statistical properties of Jacobian maps and the realization of unbiased large-deformation nonlinear image registration..” Ieee Transactions on Medical Imaging 26, no. 6 (June 2007): 822–32. https://doi.org/10.1109/tmi.2007.892646.
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  - Simons, Jon S., Simon W. Davis, Sam J. Gilbert, Chris D. Frith, and Paul W. Burgess. “Discriminating imagined from perceived information engages brain areas implicated in schizophrenia..” Neuroimage 32, no. 2 (August 2006): 696–703. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuroimage.2006.04.209.
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  - Becker, James T., Simon W. Davis, Kiralee M. Hayashi, Carolyn Cidis Meltzer, Arthur W. Toga, Oscar L. Lopez, Paul M. Thompson, and Paul M. Imaging Methods and Analysis in Geriatrics Research Group. “Three-dimensional patterns of hippocampal atrophy in mild cognitive impairment..” Archives of Neurology 63, no. 1 (January 2006): 97–101. https://doi.org/10.1001/archneur.63.1.97.
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  - Carmichael, Owen T., Howard A. Aizenstein, Simon W. Davis, James T. Becker, Paul M. Thompson, Carolyn Cidis Meltzer, and Yanxi Liu. “Atlas-based hippocampus segmentation in Alzheimer's disease and mild cognitive impairment..” Neuroimage 27, no. 4 (October 2005): 979–90. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuroimage.2005.05.005.
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  - Leow, Alex, Sung-Cheng Huang, Alex Geng, James Becker, Simon Davis, Arthur Toga, and Paul Thompson. “Inverse consistent mapping in 3D deformable image registration: its construction and statistical properties..” Information Processing in Medical Imaging : Proceedings of the ... Conference 19 (January 2005): 493–503.
- Conference Papers
  - Davis, Simon, Eduardo Salgado, Nourhan M. Elsayed, and Douglas E. Williamson. “F113. Hippocampal Connectivity Insulates High-Risk Adolescents From the Relationship Between Stress and Depressive Symptoms.” In Biological Psychiatry, 83:S281–S281. Elsevier BV, 2018. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biopsych.2018.02.726.
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  - Deng, Zhi-De, Simon Davis, Amanda Szymanski, Conor Liston, and Marc Dubin. “T176. Controllability of Structural Brain Networks in Depressed Patients Receiving Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation.” In Biological Psychiatry, 83:S196–S196. Elsevier BV, 2018. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biopsych.2018.02.513.
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  - Brooks, Jeffrey, Simon Davis, Jessica Komes, and Roberto Cabeza. “NEURAL CORRELATES OF THE OWN-AGE BIAS IN YOUNGER AND OLDER ADULTS.” In Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience, 35–35. MIT PRESS, 2013.
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  - Hall, Shana, Amanda Miles, Simon Davis, Dorthe Berntsen, Roberto Cabeza, and David Rubin. “AN FMRI INVESTIGATION OF THE NEURAL BASIS OF INVOLUNTARY MEMORY: HOW DO THEY DIFFER FROM ESTABLISHED VOLUNTARY MEMORY NETWORKS?.” In Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience, 110–110. MIT PRESS, 2013.
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  - Madden, David, Simon Davis, and Roberto Cabeza. “AGE-RELATED DIFFERENCES IN THE FUNCTIONAL NEUROANATOMY OF TOP-DOWN ATTENTIONAL CONTROL DURING VISUAL SEARCH.” In Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience, 62–63. MIT PRESS, 2013.
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  - Yanovsky, I., M. C. Chiang, P. M. Thompson, A. D. Klunder, J. T. Becker, S. W. Davis, A. W. Toga, and A. D. Leow. “Quantifying deformation using information theory: The log-unbiased nonlinear registration.” In 2007 4th Ieee International Symposium on Biomedical Imaging: From Nano to Macro Proceedings, 13–16, 2007. https://doi.org/10.1109/ISBI.2007.356776.
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  - Leow, A., S. C. Huang, A. Geng, J. Becker, S. Davis, A. Toga, and P. Thompson. “Inverse consistent mapping in 3D deformable image registration: Its construction and statistical properties.” In Lecture Notes in Computer Science, 3565:493–503, 2005.
  - Liu, Y., L. Teverovskiy, O. Carmichael, R. Kikinis, M. Shenton, C. S. Carter, V. A. Stenger, et al. “Discriminative MR image feature analysis for automatic schizophrenia and Alzheimer's disease classification.” In Lecture Notes in Computer Science, 3216:393–401, 2004.
  - Price, J. C., S. K. Ziolko, L. A. Weissfeld, W. E. Klunk, X. Lu, J. A. Hoge, C. C. Meltzer, et al. “Quantitative and statistical analyses of PET imaging studies of amyloid deposition in humans.” In Ieee Nuclear Science Symposium Conference Record, 5:3161–64, 2004.
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Education, Training, & Certifications

In the News

Subject Headings

Selected Grants

Selected Publications

Academic Articles

Conference Papers

Recent Courses

Advising & Mentoring

Available to mentor: