Neuromodulation & Neuroimaging (LONN)
UCLA Laboratory of Neuromodulation and Neuroimaging (LONN)
Director: Nanthia Suthana, Ph.D.
Nanthia Suthana, Ph.D., Director
Nanthia Suthana is an Assistant Professor of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Science and Neurosurgery at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA. Dr. Suthana completed her graduate training in the UCLA Neuroscience interdepartmental Ph.D. program with Drs. Susan Bookheimer and Barbara Knowlton. She then went on to complete her postdoctoral training in the Department of Neurosurgery with Dr. Itzhak Fried prior to joining faculty in 2014. Dr. Suthana’s research focuses on development of invasive and non-invasive methodologies that can restore cognitive functions such as learning and memory and characterization of brain changes associated with successful and unsuccessful learning and memory.
The research activities of the laboratory are focused in two principal areas:
Neuromodulation of brain activity and function
The laboratory seeks new ways to treat psychiatric and neurological disorders through invasive (e.g. deep brain stimulation) and non-invasive neuromodulation (e.g. transcranial magnetic stimulation) techniques. The laboratory also works closely with the UCLA school of Engineering to develop a novel high-channel wireless neuromodulation device that can simultaneously stimulate and record single-unit and local field potential signals from deep brain structures in a closed loop responsive manner. Research programs are dedicated to linking novel neurotechnologies with clinical research that will lead to therapeutic treatments for psychiatric and neurological impairments.
Neuroimaging of cognition and behavior
Using high-resolution functional magnetic resonance imaging, diffusion tensor imaging, and electroencephalography the lab seeks to understand brain activation changes associated with successful and unsuccessful learning and memory processes in young adults and older individuals that are at at-risk for Alzheimer’s disease.
Our Facilities
We have laboratory desk space in Wasserman 4th floor and the Center for Health Sciences (CHS). TMS, fMRI and EEG studies are completed at CHS. Patient testing is completed at the Ronald Reagan Medical Center 6th floor.