Randolph Helfrich

My research focuses on understanding the circuit and network mechanisms that underlie higher cognitive functions using a multimodal cognitive neurophysiology approach. These functions include, but are not limited to, goal-directed attention, cognitive control, and the critical role of sleep in facilitating learning and memory.

We study neurophysiological markers that bridge cellular mechanisms, such as excitability and synaptic plasticity, with whole-brain network dynamics that govern goal-directed human behavior. Our approach combines intracranial human electrophysiology (iEEG/ECoG/sEEG and single unit recordings) with non-invasive imaging techniques (EEG, MEG/OPM, polysomnography) and brain stimulation. In addition, I leverage my unique dual training in neurology and neuroscience to investigate specific patient cohorts with well-characterized pathologies, enabling us to assess their causal contributions to cognitive processing. We employ a range of analytical tools, including timeseries analyses, combined with non-linear, information-theoretical, machine learning, and computational modeling approaches to gain deeper insights into the underlying neuronal computations.

The goal of this multimodal approach is the integration of basic and clinical perspectives across different species and methodologies, which is instrumental in achieving a comprehensive understanding of the mechanisms that underlie cognitive processing.