Dr Alejandro Ezquerro-Nassar

Interests

Despite our intuitions to the contrary, we have no direct access to the physical properties of the world around us. Instead, we rely on fragile brain processes to interpret and navigate our complex environment. Often taken for granted, our ability to distinguish between the real and the imagined is not a given. Hallucinations, false memories and dreams are just some examples of how reality monitoring processes can fail us.

I am interested in the processes that give rise to such perceptual and cognitive distortions. Specifically, my research involves the use of EEG and statistical modelling techniques to investigate the neural-cognitive dynamics of the sleep onset period and the phenomenology of what is commonly referred to as the hypnagogic state. Other interests include cognitive control, dreaming and philosophy of mind.

Research Focus

Equipment

Behavioural analysis

Computational modelling

Confocal microscopy

Electroencephalography (EEG)