Jaap Oosterlaan
Prof. Dr. Jaap Oosterlaan
What fascinates you in the area of cognitive neuropsychology?
I am especially fascinated by research on neurocognitive dysfunctions in children. The mainstay of my research is into neurocognitive dysfunctions of children with impulse control disorders and hyperkinetic disorder / ADHD in particular. Studies focus on higher order cognitive control processes employing computer based tasks combined with psychophysiological measures and imaging techniques including, EEG and fMRI. Studies look into the impact of feedback, motivational factors and medication.
Additional interests are neurocognitive dysfunctions in children with congenital and acquired CNS disorders, such as children born with very low birth weight and craniofacial anomalies. I am co-ordinator of a university affiliated outpatient clinic for children with hyperkinetic disorder (please see for details: www.debascule.com). Crosstalk between science and clinical practice is of utmost importance for progress in research and high standard clinical care.
What are recent accomplishments in your research?
Our team has contributed to elucidating the neurocognitive underpinnings of hyperkinetic disorder, addictions, autism, and Tourette disorder. We have shown that many of these disorders are characterised by complex profiles of neurocognitive deficits.
What are you working on at the moment?
Our current efforts are directed to further study the neurocognitive substrate of childhood impulse control disorders. Various studies are on their way. We try to unravel the reasons for impulse control difficulties in children with hyperkinetic disorder using sophisticated measures of inhibitory control and fMRI while testing children on and off medication. Furthermore, we have joined an international study on the heritability of hyperkinetic disorder in which we study the heritability of neurocognitive deficits is these children.
