Overview
Dr. Woldorff's main research interest is in the cognitive neuroscience of attention. At each and every moment of our lives, we are bombarded by a welter of sensory information coming at us from a myriad of directions and through our various sensory modalities -- much more than we can fully process. We must continuously select and extract the most important information from this welter of sensory inputs. How the human brain accomplishes this is one of the core challenges of modern cognitive neuroscience. Dr. Woldorff uses a combination of electrophysiological (ERP, MEG) and functional neuroimaging (fMRI) methods to study the time course, functional neuroanatomy, and mechanisms of attentional processes. This multimethodological approach is directed along several main lines of research: (1) The influence of attention on sensory and perceptual processing; (2) Cognitive and attentional control mechanisms; (3) The role of attention in multisensory environments; (4) The interactive relationship between attention and reward; and (5) The role of attention in perceptual awareness.
Current Duke Appointments & Affiliations
Professor Emeritus in Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences
·
2026 - Present
Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Behavioral Medicine & Neurosciences,
Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences
Member of the Center for Cognitive Neuroscience
·
1999 - Present
Center for Cognitive Neuroscience,
Duke Institute for Brain Sciences
Affiliate of the Center for Brain Imaging and Analysis
·
2007 - Present
Duke-UNC Brain Imaging and Analysis Center,
Institutes and Centers
Faculty Network Member of the Duke Institute for Brain Sciences
·
2008 - Present
Duke Institute for Brain Sciences,
University Institutes and Centers
Associate of the Duke Initiative for Science & Society
·
2018 - Present
Duke Science & Society,
University Initiatives & Academic Support Units
Recent Scholarly Works
Apolipoprotein E Mimetic Peptide CN-105 and Postoperative Delirium in Older Patients: The Phase 2 MARBLE Randomized Clinical Trial.
Journal article JAMA Netw Open · April 1, 2026 IMPORTANCE: The apolipoprotein E (APOE) gene ε4 allele leads to increased Alzheimer disease risk and neuroinflammation and is also believed to play a role in postoperative delirium. However, the safety and feasibility of modulating apoE protein signaling t ... Full text Link to item CiteNeurocognitive Dynamics Underlying Penalty-induced Boosting of Proactive Metacontrol and Its Influence on Reactive Metacontrol.
Journal article J Cogn Neurosci · March 1, 2026 Metacontrol states involve adapting cognitive control to contextual demands-being more flexible in frequent task-switching environments or more stable in those with infrequent switching. While these metacontrol states can be engaged proactively in anticipa ... Full text Link to item CiteAssociations between anaesthetic dose-adjusted intraoperative EEG alpha power, processing speed, and postoperative delirium: analysis of data from three prospective studies.
Journal article Br J Anaesth · July 2025 BACKGROUND: We previously have shown that low intraoperative EEG alpha power is associated with impaired preoperative cognition, a delirium risk factor, and that intraoperative anaesthetic-dose-adjusted EEG bispectral index values were associated with a fo ... Full text Link to item CiteRecent Grants
Neurobiology Training Program
Inst. Training Prgm or CMEMentor · Awarded by National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke · 2024 - 2029Neural Mechanisms Underlying Attentional Resilience in the Aging Brain
ResearchSignificant Contributor · Awarded by National Institute on Aging · 2024 - 2029Low Neurophysiologic Resistance to Anesthetics as a Marker of Preclinical/Prodromal Alzheimer's Disease and Neurovascular Pathology, Delirium risk and Inattention
ResearchInvestigator · Awarded by National Institute on Aging · 2022 - 2027View All Grants
Education
University of California, San Diego ·
1989
Ph.D.
University of California, Berkeley ·
1978
B.A.