Associate Professor Alan Pegna
Associate Professor

Alan Pegna

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Phone: 
+61 7 336 56412

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

Cognitive and computational psychology Psychology

Qualifications

  • Doctor of Philosophy, University of Geneva

Search Professor Alan Pegna’s works on UQ eSpace

179 works between 1986 and 2025
All (179) Journal Article (149) Conference Publication (30)

81 - 100 of 179 works

2012

Journal Article

Neuropsychological outcome after extra-temporal epilepsy surgery

El Hassani, Yassine, Fournet, Maryll, Momjian, Shahan, Pollo, Claudio, Seeck, Margitta, Pegna, Alan and Schaller, Karl (2012). Neuropsychological outcome after extra-temporal epilepsy surgery. Acta Neurochirurgica, 154 (8), 1337-1342. doi: 10.1007/s00701-012-1379-0

Neuropsychological outcome after extra-temporal epilepsy surgery

2012

Journal Article

Attentional modulation of early ERP components in response to faces: Evidence from the attentional blink paradigm

Darque, Alexandra, Del Zotto, Marzia, Khateb, Asaid and Pegna, Alan J. (2012). Attentional modulation of early ERP components in response to faces: Evidence from the attentional blink paradigm. Brain Topography, 25 (2), 167-181. doi: 10.1007/s10548-011-0199-5

Attentional modulation of early ERP components in response to faces: Evidence from the attentional blink paradigm

2012

Conference Publication

Amygdala response for faces in a patient with cortical blindness

Pegna, A., Hervais-Adelman, A., Lore, L., Del Zotto, M. and de Gelder, B. (2012). Amygdala response for faces in a patient with cortical blindness. LONDON: PION LTD.

Amygdala response for faces in a patient with cortical blindness

2012

Journal Article

Can post-ictal memory predict post-operative memory in patients with temporal lobe epilepsy?

Vuilliemoz, S., Prilipko, O., Herrmann, F. R., Pollo, C., Landis, T., Pegna, A. J. and Seeck, M. (2012). Can post-ictal memory predict post-operative memory in patients with temporal lobe epilepsy?. Epilepsia, 53 (10), e170-e173. doi: 10.1111/j.1528-1167.2012.03535.x

Can post-ictal memory predict post-operative memory in patients with temporal lobe epilepsy?

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

Face-sensitive processes one hundred milliseconds after picture onset

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

When the brain remembers, but the patient doesn’t: converging EEG and fMRI evidence for covert recognition in a case of prosopagnosia

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

Chronic deep brain stimulation in mesial temporal lobe epilepsy

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

Effects of selective attention on threat-related values of emotional faces with and without awareness

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

Early ERP modulation for task-irrelevant subliminal faces

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

Pronostic neuropsychologique postopératoire des épilepsies extra-temporales : étude rétrospective de 18 patients

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

An electrophysiological study of conscious visual perception using progressively degraded stimuli

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

What's so special about the N170? Modulation of N170 by geometric shape attributes of three-dimensional (3D) objects

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

On the origin of the N400 effects: an ERP waveform and source localization analysis in three matching tasks

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.

Incomplete development from topological to metric representation of space - a case report

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

Seeing the phantom: a functional magnetic resonance imaging study of a supernumerary phantom limb

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

Temporal dynamics of awareness for facial identity revealed with ERP

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

Neuropsychological disturbances in frontal lobe epilepsy due to mutated nicotinic receptors

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

Electrophysiological correlates of affective blindsight

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

Intact navigation skills after bilateral loss of striate cortex

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

Electrophysiological evidence for early non-conscious processing of fearful facial expressions

Past funding

  • 2016
    A brain physiology laboratory for neuropsychological research in the new Queensland Neuropsychology Research Centre
    UQ Major Equipment and Infrastructure
    Open grant

Availability

Associate Professor Alan Pegna is:
Available for supervision

Before you email them, read our advice on how to contact a supervisor.

Available projects

  • 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.

  • 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..

  • 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

Completed supervision

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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