Current Projects

Diffusion tensor imaging in wild post mortem primates

This project involves between-group comparisons in DTI scans of fixed brains which were acquired opportunistically post mortem from wild primates. The analysis includes fractional anisotropy measurements in both control and experimental regions of interest, with special steps to control for individual variation in post mortem interval.

Nonlinear registration and template generation in a nonstandard species

This project involves optimization of a nonlinear registration pipeline for a large-brained species for which no prior template exists. The analysis includes de novo template generation and application of the optimized registration algorithm to both structural and functional scans. This will facilitate future group-level statistical comparisons.

Previous Work

For a complete list of Dr. Hecht's previous work, please click here.

Selected Publications

Journal of Neuroscience

Differences in Neural Activation for Object-Directed Grasping in Chimpanzees and Humans. Hecht EE, Murphy LE, Gutman DA, Votaw JR, Schuster DM, Preuss TM, Orban GA, Stout D, Parr LA (2013). J Neurosci 33(35):14117-14134.
View PDF →

Cerebral Cortex

Process Versus Product in Social Learning: Comparative Diffusion Tensor Imaging of Neural Systems for Action Execution-Observation Matching in Macaques, Chimpanzees, and Humans. Hecht EE, Gutman DA, Preuss TM, Sanchez MM, Parr LA, Rilling JK (2012). Cerebral Cortex 5, 1014-24.
View PDF →

Current Biology

Face processing in the chimpanzee brain. Parr LA, Hecht E, Barks SK, Preuss TM, Votaw JR (2009). Current Biology 19, 50-53.
View PDF →

Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience

Early life stress affects cerebral glucose metabolism in adult rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta). Parr LA, Boudreau M, Hecht E, Winslow JT, Nemeroff CB, Sanchez MM (2012). Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience 2, 181-193.
View PDF →

Society for Neuroscience

White and gray matter structural changes during the acquisition of Stone Age tool-making skills. Hecht EE, Gutman DA, Chaminade T, Khreisheh N, Bradley B, Stout D (2013). Society for Neuroscience, San Diego, CA. Manuscript submitted
View PDF →

Methodology Reference

Neuroarchaeology. In Bruner E. (Ed.), Human Paleoneurology. Stout D, Hecht EE (in press).
 
DMS