Overview
Background
I am a cognitive neuroscientist with a research focus on the neural basis of language. My research is focused on three related questions:
- How is language processed in the brain?
- How does brain damage affect language processing in individuals with aphasia, i.e. acquired language disorders?
- What brain mechanisms support the recovery of language processing in people with aphasia who improve over time?
To address these questions, my lab studies individuals with aphasia, as well as healthy participants with normal language, using a range of state-of-the-art functional and structural neuroimaging techniques. We combine our multimodal imaging approach with comprehensive language assessments designed to quantify deficits in different components of the language processing system, such as syntactic structure, word meanings, and the selection and assembly of speech sounds.
Availability
- Associate Professor Stephen Wilson is:
- Available for supervision
- Media expert
Fields of research
Research interests
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Aphasia
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Language and the brain
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Cognitive neuroscience
Works
Search Professor Stephen Wilson’s works on UQ eSpace
2014
Journal Article
The impact of vascular factors on language localization in the superior temporal sulcus
Wilson, Stephen M. (2014). The impact of vascular factors on language localization in the superior temporal sulcus. Human Brain Mapping, 35 (8), 4049-4063. doi: 10.1002/hbm.22457
2014
Journal Article
What role does the anterior temporal lobe play in sentence-level processing? Neural correlates of syntactic processing in semantic variant primary progressive aphasia
Wilson, Stephen M., DeMarco, Andrew T., Henry, Maya L., Gesierich, Benno, Babiak, Miranda, Mandelli, Maria Luisa, Miller, Bruce L. and Gorno-Tempini, Maria Luisa (2014). What role does the anterior temporal lobe play in sentence-level processing? Neural correlates of syntactic processing in semantic variant primary progressive aphasia. Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience, 26 (5), 970-985. doi: 10.1162/jocn_a_00550
2014
Book Chapter
Primary progressive aphasia
Henry, Maya L., Wilson, Stephen M. and Rapcsak, Steven Z. (2014). Primary progressive aphasia. Geriatric neurology. (pp. 252-266) edited by Anil K. Nair and Marwan N. Sabbagh. Chichester, West Sussex, United Kingdom: Wiley Blackwell. doi: 10.1002/9781118730676.ch9
2014
Journal Article
Neural substrates of socioemotional self-awareness in neurodegenerative disease
Sollberger, Marc, Rosen, Howard J, Shany-Ur, Tal, Ullah, Jerin, Stanley, Christine M, Laluz, Victor, Weiner, Michael W, Wilson, Stephen M, Miller, Bruce L and Rankin, Katherine P (2014). Neural substrates of socioemotional self-awareness in neurodegenerative disease. Brain and Behavior, 4 (2), 201-14. doi: 10.1002/brb3.211
2014
Journal Article
Treating apraxia of speech with an implicit protocol that activates speech motor areas via inner speech
Farias, Dana, Davis, Christine Herrick and Wilson, Stephen M. (2014). Treating apraxia of speech with an implicit protocol that activates speech motor areas via inner speech. Aphasiology, 28 (5), 515-532. doi: 10.1080/02687038.2014.886323
2014
Journal Article
Neuropsychological, behavioral, and anatomical evolution in right temporal variant frontotemporal dementia: a longitudinal and post-mortem single case analysis
Henry, Maya L., Wilson, Stephen M., Ogar, Jennifer M., Sidhu, Manu S., Rankin, Katherine P., Cattaruzza, Tatiana, Miller, Bruce L., Gorno-Tempini, Maria Luisa and Seeley, William W. (2014). Neuropsychological, behavioral, and anatomical evolution in right temporal variant frontotemporal dementia: a longitudinal and post-mortem single case analysis. Neurocase, 20 (1), 100-109. doi: 10.1080/13554794.2012.732089
2013
Journal Article
The salience network causally influences default mode network activity during moral reasoning
Chiong, Winston, Wilson, Stephen M, D'Esposito, Mark, Kayser, Andrew S, Grossman, Scott N, Poorzand, Pardis, Seeley, William W, Miller, Bruce L and Rankin, Katherine P (2013). The salience network causally influences default mode network activity during moral reasoning. Brain, 136 (Pt 6), 1929-1941. doi: 10.1093/brain/awt066
2013
Journal Article
Dysfunctional visual word form processing in progressive alexia
Wilson, Stephen M., Rising, Kindle, Stib, Matthew T., Rapcsak, Steven Z. and Beeson, Pélagie M. (2013). Dysfunctional visual word form processing in progressive alexia. Brain, 136 (Pt 4), 1260-1273. doi: 10.1093/brain/awt034
2012
Journal Article
Elicitation of specific syntactic structures in primary progressive aphasia
Deleon, Jessica, Gesierich, Benno, Besbris, Max, Ogar, Jennifer, Henry, Maya L., Miller, Bruce L., Gorno-Tempini, Maria Luisa and Wilson, Stephen M. (2012). Elicitation of specific syntactic structures in primary progressive aphasia. Brain and Language, 123 (3), 183-190. doi: 10.1016/j.bandl.2012.09.004
2012
Journal Article
Distinct neural substrates for semantic knowledge and naming in the temporoparietal network
Gesierich, Benno, Jovicich, Jorge, Riello, Marianna, Adriani, Michela, Monti, Alessia, Brentari, Valentina, Robinson, Simon D., Wilson, Stephen M., Fairhall, Scott L. and Gorno-Tempini, Maria Luisa (2012). Distinct neural substrates for semantic knowledge and naming in the temporoparietal network. Cerebral Cortex, 22 (10), 2217-2226. doi: 10.1093/cercor/bhr286
2012
Journal Article
The neural basis of syntactic deficits in primary progressive aphasia
Wilson, Stephen M., Galantucci, Sebastiano, Tartaglia, Maria Carmela and Gorno-Tempini, Maria Luisa (2012). The neural basis of syntactic deficits in primary progressive aphasia. Brain and Language, 122 (3), 190-198. doi: 10.1016/j.bandl.2012.04.005
2012
Book Chapter
Uncovering the neural substrates of language: a voxel-based lesion-symptom mapping approach
Baldo, Juliana V., Wilson, Stephen M. and Dronkers, Nina F. (2012). Uncovering the neural substrates of language: a voxel-based lesion-symptom mapping approach. The handbook of the neuropsychology of language. (pp. 582-594) edited by Miriam Faust. Malden, MA United States: Wiley-Blackwell. doi: 10.1002/9781118432501.ch28
2011
Journal Article
Syntactic processing depends on dorsal language tracts
Wilson, Stephen M, Galantucci, Sebastiano, Tartaglia, Maria Carmela, Rising, Kindle, Patterson, Dianne K, Henry, Maya L, Ogar, Jennifer M, DeLeon, Jessica, Miller, Bruce L and Gorno-Tempini, Maria Luisa (2011). Syntactic processing depends on dorsal language tracts. Neuron, 72 (2), 397-403. doi: 10.1016/j.neuron.2011.09.014
2011
Journal Article
White matter damage in primary progressive aphasias: a diffusion tensor tractography study
Galantucci, Sebastiano, Tartaglia, Maria Carmela, Wilson, Stephen M., Henry, Maya L., Filippi, Massimo, Agosta, Federica, Dronkers, Nina F., Henry, Roland G., Ogar, Jennifer M., Miller, Bruce L. and Gorno-Tempini, Maria Luisa (2011). White matter damage in primary progressive aphasias: a diffusion tensor tractography study. Brain, 134 (10), 3011-3029. doi: 10.1093/brain/awr099
2011
Journal Article
Clinicopathological correlations in corticobasal degeneration
Lee, Suzee E, Rabinovici, Gil D, Mayo, Mary Catherine, Wilson, Stephen M, Seeley, William W, DeArmond, Stephen J, Huang, Eric J, Trojanowski, John Q, Growdon, Matthew E, Jang, Jung Y, Sidhu, Manu, See, Tricia M, Karydas, Anna M, Gorno-Tempini, Maria-Luisa, Boxer, Adam L, Weiner, Michael W, Geschwind, Michael D, Rankin, Katherine P and Miller, Bruce L (2011). Clinicopathological correlations in corticobasal degeneration. Annals of Neurology, 70 (2), 327-340. doi: 10.1002/ana.22424
2011
Journal Article
Semantic dementia and persisting Wernicke's aphasia: linguistic and anatomical profiles
Ogar, J. M., Baldo, J. V., Wilson, S. M., Brambati, S. M., Miller, B. L., Dronkers, N. F. and Gorno-Tempini, M. L. (2011). Semantic dementia and persisting Wernicke's aphasia: linguistic and anatomical profiles. Brain and Language, 117 (1), 28-33. doi: 10.1016/j.bandl.2010.11.004
2010
Journal Article
Neural correlates of syntactic processing in the nonfluent variant of primary progressive aphasia
Wilson, Stephen M, Dronkers, Nina F, Ogar, Jennifer M, Jang, Jung, Growdon, Matthew E, Agosta, Federica, Henry, Maya L, Miller, Bruce L and Gorno-Tempini, Maria Luisa (2010). Neural correlates of syntactic processing in the nonfluent variant of primary progressive aphasia. The Journal of Neuroscience, 30 (50), 16845-16854. doi: 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.2547-10.2010
2010
Journal Article
Connected speech production in three variants of primary progressive aphasia
Wilson, Stephen M, Henry, Maya L, Besbris, Max, Ogar, Jennifer M, Dronkers, Nina F, Jarrold, William, Miller, Bruce L and Gorno-Tempini, Maria Luisa (2010). Connected speech production in three variants of primary progressive aphasia. Brain, 133 (Pt 7), 2069-2088. doi: 10.1093/brain/awq129
2010
Journal Article
Gray matter correlates of set-shifting among neurodegenerative disease, mild cognitive impairment, and healthy older adults
Pa, Judy, Possin, Katherine L, Wilson, Stephen M, Quitania, Lovingly C, Kramer, Joel H, Boxer, Adam L, Weiner, Michael W and Johnson, Julene K (2010). Gray matter correlates of set-shifting among neurodegenerative disease, mild cognitive impairment, and healthy older adults. Journal of the International Neuropsychological Society, 16 (4), 640-650. doi: 10.1017/S1355617710000408
2010
Journal Article
Is relational reasoning dependent on language? A voxel-based lesion symptom mapping study
Baldo, Juliana V., Bunge, Silvia A., Wilson, Stephen M. and Dronkers, Nina F. (2010). Is relational reasoning dependent on language? A voxel-based lesion symptom mapping study. Brain and Language, 113 (2), 59-64. doi: 10.1016/j.bandl.2010.01.004
Supervision
Availability
- Associate Professor Stephen Wilson is:
- Available for supervision
Looking for a supervisor? Read our advice on how to choose a supervisor.
Available projects
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A universal aphasia battery for assessing language disorders in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people who speak traditional languages and creoles
Aphasia is an acquired language disorder resulting from injury to language areas of the brain, and is a common and debilitating consequence of stroke. Optimal management and treatment of aphasia depends first on carrying out a comprehensive and accurate assessment of the nature and severity of the aphasia. It is essential to determine which language domains are impaired or spared (e.g., word finding, expressive syntax, receptive syntax, etc.) so that interventions can be targeted to the needs of the individual. There are several widely used batteries of tests for aphasia assessment in English and other European languages, but there are presently no validated aphasia batteries in most of the languages of the world. In particular, there are no aphasia batteries in any of the traditional languages or creoles spoken by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. The goal of this project is to create a “universal” aphasia battery and to “instantiate” it in several traditional languages and creoles. For the battery to be “universal” means that its items will not make reference to specific word forms (e.g., “name a stethoscope”) but will instead be defined in terms of linguistic properties (e.g., “name a low-frequency man-made item with a phonologically complex 3-syllable name”). This structure will enable the battery to be instantiated faithfully in any language or dialect, rather than being translated or adapted from a source language. We will develop specific items to create aphasia batteries in Kalaw Kawaw Ya, Yumplatok (Torres Strait Creole), Pintupi-Luritja, Pitjantjatjara, Warlpiri, NT Kriol, Aboriginal English, and standard Australian English. This work will result in validated aphasia batteries ready for clinical use in several widely spoken traditional languages and creoles, as well as a foundation for development of aphasia batteries in other Indigenous languages of Australia and other community languages spoken in Australia and across the world.
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Neural correlates of recovery from aphasia after stroke
Aphasia is one of the most common and debilitating consequences of stroke. Aphasia is caused by damage to language regions of the brain, which are usually localized to the left hemisphere. Fortunately, most individuals with aphasia after a stroke experience some degree of recovery of language function over time. The pace of recovery is greatest in the first weeks and months, but clinically meaningful gains in language function are possible even years after stroke. Recovery from aphasia is thought to depend on neural plasticity, that is, functional reorganization of surviving brain regions such that they take on new or expanded roles in language processing. However, despite much research, the mechanisms that underlie this process of functional reorganization remain poorly understood. The overall goals of this project are to better characterize the neural correlates of recovery from aphasia after stroke, and to determine which patterns of functional reorganization are associated with more versus less favorable language outcomes. This project involves a range of innovative methodologies including functional MRI with adaptive language mapping, comprehensive language assessments designed to quantify deficits in different components of the language processing system, and advanced machine learning algorithms to disentangle complex relationships between structural damage, neurofunctional changes, and language outcomes. A better understanding of the biological mechanisms that underlie recovery from aphasia will improve the clinical management of individuals with aphasia.
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Language and the brain
I am interested in advising students on any and all projects related to language and the brain. This includes research with individuals with aphasia (acquired language deficits due to neurological damage) as well as language processing in neurologically normal individuals. Please visit our lab website to learn more about our research program.
Supervision history
Current supervision
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Doctor Philosophy
Behavioral and neurological predictors of post-stroke aphasia recovery
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Professor David Copland, Dr Lena Oestreich
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Doctor Philosophy
A universal aphasia battery for assessing language disorders in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people who speak traditional languages and creoles
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Professor David Copland
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Doctor Philosophy
A universal aphasia battery for assessing language disorders in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people who speak traditional languages and creoles
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Professor David Copland
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Doctor Philosophy
Investigating the Feasibility of a Communication Partner Training Programme for Bilingual Patients with Aphasia and Their Significant Others
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Kirstine Shrubsole, Professor David Copland
Media
Enquiries
Contact Associate Professor Stephen Wilson directly for media enquiries about:
- Aphasia
- Language and the brain
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