Overview
Background
Associate Professor Alan Pegna is a neuropsychologist whose interests lie in the field of cognitive neuroscience and clinical neuropsychology. After receiving a Masters degree in Psychology from the University of Geneva (Switzerland) and a second Masters degree in Human Physiology from University College London (UK), he obtained his PhD from the University of Geneva, using brain imaging techniques to study spatial processing in both healthy controls and brain-damaged patients.
He worked for over 20 years as a clinical neuropsychologist at Geneva University Hospital, and as an academic at the University of Geneva, where he supervised numerous research projects in the field of visual processing, again in healthy participants and in persons with focal brain lesions.
He joined UQ in 2015, where he now explores the neural basis of visual and spatial processing of emotional stimuli. More specifically, using EEG, he examines the brain's response to different facial expressions, as well as to faces that vary in their perceived approachability (e.g., their apparent trustwothiness). When possible, these studies are also carried out with brain-damaged individuals, in order to investigate the role of particular brain regions in these processes.
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Availability
- Associate Professor Alan Pegna is:
- Available for supervision
- Media expert
Fields of research
Qualifications
- Doctor of Philosophy, University of Geneva
Works
Search Professor Alan Pegna’s works on UQ eSpace
2011
Journal Article
Face-sensitive processes one hundred milliseconds after picture onset
Dering, Benjamin, Martin, Clara D., Moro, Sancho, Pegna, Alan J. and Thierry, Guillaume (2011). Face-sensitive processes one hundred milliseconds after picture onset. Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, 5 93. doi: 10.3389/fnhum.2011.00093
2011
Journal Article
When the brain remembers, but the patient doesn’t: converging EEG and fMRI evidence for covert recognition in a case of prosopagnosia
Simon, Stephane R., Darque, Asaid, Khateb, Alexandra, Lazeyras, Francois, Mayer, Eugene and Pegna, Alan J. (2011). When the brain remembers, but the patient doesn’t: converging EEG and fMRI evidence for covert recognition in a case of prosopagnosia. Cortex, 47 (7), 823-838. doi: 10.1016/j.cortex.2010.07.009
2011
Journal Article
Chronic deep brain stimulation in mesial temporal lobe epilepsy
Boex, Colette, Seeck, Margitta, Vulliemoz, Serge, Rossetti, Andrea O., Staedler, Claudio, Spinelli, Laurent, Pegna, Alan J., Pralong, Etienne, Villemure, Jean-Guy, Foletti, Giovanni and Pollo, Claudio (2011). Chronic deep brain stimulation in mesial temporal lobe epilepsy. Seizure - European Journal of Epilepsy, 20 (6), 485-490. doi: 10.1016/j.seizure.2011.03.001
2011
Journal Article
Effects of selective attention on threat-related values of emotional faces with and without awareness
Alan, Pegna (2011). Effects of selective attention on threat-related values of emotional faces with and without awareness. Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, 5. doi: 10.3389/conf.fnhum.2011.207.00049
2011
Journal Article
Early ERP modulation for task-irrelevant subliminal faces
Pegna, Alan J., Darque, Alexandra, Berrut, Claire and Khateb, Asaid (2011). Early ERP modulation for task-irrelevant subliminal faces. Frontiers in Psychology, 2 (May) Article 88. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2011.00088
2010
Journal Article
Pronostic neuropsychologique postopératoire des épilepsies extra-temporales : étude rétrospective de 18 patients
El Hassani, Y., Fournet, M., Pegna, A., S.Momjian, , Seeck, M. and Schaller, K. (2010). Pronostic neuropsychologique postopératoire des épilepsies extra-temporales : étude rétrospective de 18 patients. Neurochirurgie, 56 (6), 545. doi: 10.1016/j.neuchi.2010.10.066
2010
Journal Article
An electrophysiological study of conscious visual perception using progressively degraded stimuli
Genetti, Melanie, Britz, Juliane, Michel, Christoph M. and Pegna, Alan J. (2010). An electrophysiological study of conscious visual perception using progressively degraded stimuli. Journal of Vision, 10 (14), 1-14. doi: 10.1167/10.14.1
2010
Journal Article
What's so special about the N170? Modulation of N170 by geometric shape attributes of three-dimensional (3D) objects
Leek, C., Roberts, M., Reppa, I. and Pegna, A. (2010). What's so special about the N170? Modulation of N170 by geometric shape attributes of three-dimensional (3D) objects. Journal of Vision, 9 (8), 71-71. doi: 10.1167/9.8.71
2010
Journal Article
On the origin of the N400 effects: an ERP waveform and source localization analysis in three matching tasks
Khateb, Asaid, Pegna, Alan J., Landis, Theodor, Mouthon, Michaël S. and Annoni, Jean-Marie (2010). On the origin of the N400 effects: an ERP waveform and source localization analysis in three matching tasks. Brain Topography, 23 (3), 311-320. doi: 10.1007/s10548-010-0149-7
2010
Conference Publication
Incomplete development from topological to metric representation of space - a case report
Lopez, U., Descloux, V., Pegna, A. and Maurer, R. (2010). Incomplete development from topological to metric representation of space - a case report. 14th Congress of European-Federation-of-Neurological-Societies, Geneva Switzerland, Sep, 2010. MALDEN: WILEY-BLACKWELL.
2009
Journal Article
Seeing the phantom: a functional magnetic resonance imaging study of a supernumerary phantom limb
Khateb, Asaid, Simon, Stéphane R., Dieguez, Sebastian, Lazeyras, François, Momjian-Mayor, Isabelle, Blanke, Olaf, Landis, Theodor, Pegna, Alan J. and Annoni, Jean-Marie (2009). Seeing the phantom: a functional magnetic resonance imaging study of a supernumerary phantom limb. Annals of Neurology, 65 (6), 698-705. doi: 10.1002/ana.21647
2009
Journal Article
Temporal dynamics of awareness for facial identity revealed with ERP
Genetti, Melanie, Khateb, Asaid, Heinzer, Severine, Michel, Christoph M. and Pegna, Alan J. (2009). Temporal dynamics of awareness for facial identity revealed with ERP. Brain and Cognition, 69 (2), 296-305. doi: 10.1016/j.bandc.2008.08.008
2009
Journal Article
Neuropsychological disturbances in frontal lobe epilepsy due to mutated nicotinic receptors
Picard, Fabienne, Pegna, Alan J., Arntsberg, Venke, Lucas, Nadia, Kaczmarek, Izabela, Todica, Olga, Chiriaco, Carmelina, Seeck, Margitta and Brodtkorb, Eylert (2009). Neuropsychological disturbances in frontal lobe epilepsy due to mutated nicotinic receptors. Epilepsy & Behavior, 14 (2), 354-359. doi: 10.1016/j.yebeh.2008.11.003
2009
Journal Article
Electrophysiological correlates of affective blindsight
Andino, Sara L. Gonzalez, de Peralta Menendez, Rolando Grave, Khateb, Asaid, Landis, Theodor and Pegna, Alan J. (2009). Electrophysiological correlates of affective blindsight. Neuroimage, 44 (2), 581-589. doi: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2008.09.002
2008
Journal Article
Intact navigation skills after bilateral loss of striate cortex
de Gelder, Beatrice, Tamietto, Marco, van Boxtel, Geert, Goebel, Rainer, Sahraie, Arash, van den Stock, Jan, Stienen, Bernard M.C., Weiskrantz, Lawrence and Pegna, Alan (2008). Intact navigation skills after bilateral loss of striate cortex. Current Biology, 18 (24), R1128-R1129. doi: 10.1016/j.cub.2008.11.002
2008
Journal Article
Electrophysiological evidence for early non-conscious processing of fearful facial expressions
Pegna, Alan J., Landis, Theodor and Khateb, Asaid (2008). Electrophysiological evidence for early non-conscious processing of fearful facial expressions. International Journal of Psychophysiology, 70 (2), 127-136. doi: 10.1016/j.ijpsycho.2008.08.007
2008
Conference Publication
Dissociating the semantic relation and language effects in the bilingual brain: an event-related potential study
Khateb, A., Pegna, A. J., Michel, C. M., Landis, T. and Annoni, J. M. (2008). Dissociating the semantic relation and language effects in the bilingual brain: an event-related potential study. 12th Congress of the European-Federation-of-Neurological-Societies, Madrid Spain, Aug 23-26, 2008. MALDEN: WILEY-BLACKWELL.
2008
Journal Article
Language control and lexical competition in bilinguals: An event-related fMRI study
Abutalebi, Jubin, Annoni, Jean-Marie, Zimine, Ivan, Pegna, Alan J., Seghier, Mohamed L., Lee-Jahnke, Hannelore, Lazeyras, François, Cappa, Stefano F. and Khateb, Asaid (2008). Language control and lexical competition in bilinguals: An event-related fMRI study. Cerebral Cortex, 18 (7), 1496-1505. doi: 10.1093/cercor/bhm182
2008
Journal Article
The selective amobarbital test in the anterior choroidal artery: Perfusion pattern assessed by intraarterial SPECT and prediction of postoperative verbal memory
Vulliemoz, S., Pegna, A. J., Annoni, J. -M., Yilmaz, H., Willi, J. P., Spinelli, L., Landis, T. and Seeck, M. (2008). The selective amobarbital test in the anterior choroidal artery: Perfusion pattern assessed by intraarterial SPECT and prediction of postoperative verbal memory. Epilepsy & Behavior, 12 (3), 445-455. doi: 10.1016/j.yebeh.2007.11.015
2008
Journal Article
Group analysis and the subject factor in functional magnetic resonance imaging: Analysis of fifty right-handed healthy subjects in a semantic language task
Seghier, Mohamed L., Lazeyras, François, Pegna, Alan J., Annoni, Jean-Marie and Khateb, Asaid (2008). Group analysis and the subject factor in functional magnetic resonance imaging: Analysis of fifty right-handed healthy subjects in a semantic language task. Human Brain Mapping, 29 (4), 461-477. doi: 10.1002/hbm.20410
Funding
Past funding
Supervision
Availability
- Associate Professor Alan Pegna is:
- Available for supervision
Before you email them, read our advice on how to contact a supervisor.
Available projects
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Role of the amygdala in rapid emotional face processing
Evidence has shown that the amygdala is responsible for the rapid detection of threat and emotion, however hard evidence is lacking to confirm this idea. This project will examine the electrical brain response to emotional stimuli in healthy individuals as well as patients who have undergone surgical removal of their amygdala (amygdalectomies). The aim will be to establish whether the amydgala indeed contributes to the rapid processing of the visual stimuli.
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Role of the amygdala in attentional capture of emotional stimuli
Evidence has shown that the amygdala is responsible for the rapid detection of threat and emotion. One question that arises is whether this process is a prequisite for attention shifting. This project will investigate the electrical coorelate of attention-shifting in healthy individuals as well as patients who have undergone surgical removal of their amygdala (amygdalectomies). The project aims to determine if amydgala removal affects the automatic shift of attetion towards threatening stimuli..
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Effects of personal space on face processing: an ERP and VR study
It has been known for some time that different brain regions process stimuli according to whether they are situated in near (peripersonal) or far (extrapersonal) space. Furthermore, evidence has demonstrated the existence of a personal spatial boundary that, when crossed by another individual, creates a sense of discomfort. Using ERP in conjunction with Virtual Reality, this project will examine the brain response to neutral and emotionally expressive faces, as well as trustworthy and untrustworthy faces, situated within or beyond personal space.
Supervision history
Current supervision
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Doctor Philosophy
Examining Stress, and Cognitive-Affective Processing in Emotion Disorders
Principal Advisor
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Doctor Philosophy
Investigating the Relationship Between Prediction and Attention in Response to Emotional Stimuli in the Human Brain
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Derek Arnold
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Master Philosophy
Exploring links between Human Eating Disorder pathology and the visual perception of foods.
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Dr James Kesby
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Doctor Philosophy
Do Fearful Faces Attract Spatial Attention under Different Conditions of Visual Awareness?
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor Stefanie Becker
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Doctor Philosophy
Attraction vs suppression. Comparing EEG and eye-tracking to disentangle the mechanisms of attention.
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor Jess Taubert
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Doctor Philosophy
Effects of oxytocin on the temporal dynamics of emotion processing
Principal Advisor
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Doctor Philosophy
The role of the amygdala in primate social intelligence.
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Amanda Robinson, Professor Eric Vanman, Associate Professor Jess Taubert
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Doctor Philosophy
The sensory make-up of virtual environments and its role in the effective transfer of learning to real-world tasks
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Guy Wallis, Associate Professor Stefanie Becker, Associate Professor Philip Grove
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Doctor Philosophy
Investigating the importance of VSTM in visual attention vs target identification
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor Stefanie Becker
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Doctor Philosophy
Effectiveness of Memory Rehabilitation Techniques in Improving Memory Function in Patients with Epilepsy
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Catherine Haslam
Completed supervision
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2024
Doctor Philosophy
Investigating the Role of the Amygdala in the Early Processing of Emotional Faces and Threat Related Stimuli
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor Jess Taubert
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2024
Doctor Philosophy
Rapid Visual Processing of Looming Emotional Faces
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor Ada Kritikos
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2024
Doctor Philosophy
The Influence of Agency on Space Representation and Social Threat
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor Ada Kritikos
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2022
Doctor Philosophy
Preterm Birth and its Impact on the Maturation of Executive Function
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Sailesh Kumar, Dr Samudragupta Bora
Media
Enquiries
Contact Associate Professor Alan Pegna directly for media enquiries about:
- awareness
- blindsight
- brain
- brain damage
- brain-behaviour relation
- cognition
- cognitive function
- electrophysiology
- emotion
- epilepsy
- face
- face blindness
- Neuropsychology
- object recognition
- prosopagnosia
- space
- stroke
- vision
- visual perception
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