NIC - Sophie Schwartz

	Sophie Schwartz sophie.schwartz@unige.ch my CV

Current Research and Interests Objectives of my research group. Our goal is to better understand the neural mechanisms underlying experience-dependent changes in the adult human brain. We propose that models of learning and neural plasticity should account for important variations in behavioral and brain-states, such as those occurring during sleep. Another main goal of our research is to study the relationship between sleep, emotion regulation, and psychiatric diseases. Thus, we recently published a series of articles on emotional processing in narcoleptic patients and depressed patients. Research topics. Our research focuses on distinct facets of neural plasticity: perceptual and emotional learning, offline replay of neural activity, as well as the effects of attention on perception and learning. We also investigate dream reports because dreams provide important information about brain and mind functions during sleep. Methods. We study brain functions at the macroscopic systems level in healthy adult volunteers, in neurological patients, and in psychiatric patients. Our experimental approach includes the development of novel behavioral tasks, as well as measures of brain activity using functional MRI (fMRI) and electroencephalography (EEG). We also record polysomnography in our sleep studies. Members. My team is currently composed of 2 post-docs, 4 PhD students in neuroscience, 2 master students in neuroscience, 1 civilist. Science in society. Our lab proudly contributes to several events for non-expert audiences such as the Brain Awareness Week, Scientific Cafés for adults, and Scientific Goûters for children, among others. Funding. Our current projects are funded by the Swiss National Science Foundation (NSF) and by the Foundation Pierre Mercier.

Selected References - Please read copyright notice - (browse all papers of the NIC)

Life Goes on in Dreams. Schwartz, S. (2010). Sleep, 33, 59-68.
The Neural Substrates and Timing of Top-Down Processes during Coarse-to-Fine Categorization of Visual Scenes: A Combined fMRI and ERP Study. Peyrin, C., Michel, C. M., Schwartz, S., Thut, G., Seghier, M., Landis, T., Marendaz, C., & Vuilleumier, P. (in press). J Cogn Neurosci.
Abnormal activity in reward brain circuits in human narcolepsy with cataplexy. Ponz, A., Khatami, R., Poryazova, R., Werth, E., Boesiger, P., Bassetti, C. L., & Schwartz, S. (in press). Ann Neurol.
Reduced amygdala activity during aversive conditioning in human narcolepsy. Ponz, A., Khatami, R., Poryazova, R., Werth, E., Boesiger, P., Schwartz, S., & Bassetti, C. L. (in press). Ann Neurol.
Motion direction tuning in human visual cortex. Mercier, M., Schwartz, S., Michel, C. M., & Blanke, O. (2009). Eur J Neurosci, 29(2), 424-434.
Object representations for multiple visual categories overlap in lateral occipital and medial fusiform cortex. Pourtois, G., Schwartz, S., Spiridon, M., Martuzzi, R., & Vuilleumier, P. (2009). Cereb Cortex, 19(8), 1806-1819.
Neuroimaging of narcolepsy. Dang-Vu, T. T., Desseilles, M., Schwartz, S., & Maquet, P. (2009). CNS Neurol Disord Drug Targets, 8(4), 254-263.
Abnormal neural filtering of irrelevant visual information in depression. Desseilles, M., Balteau, E., Sterpenich, V., Dang-Vu, T. T., Darsaud, A., Vandewalle, G., Albouy, G., Salmon, E., Peters, F., Schmidt, C., Schabus, M., Gais, S., Degueldre, C., Phillips, C., Luxen, A., Ansseau, M., Maquet, P., & Schwartz, S. (2009). J Neurosci, 29(5), 1395-1403.
The brain under self-control: modulation of inhibitory and monitoring cortical networks during hypnotic paralysis. Cojan, Y., Waber, L., Schwartz, S., Rossier, L., Forster, A., & Vuilleumier, P. (2009). Neuron, 62(6), 862-875.
Neuroimaging insights into the pathophysiology of sleep disorders. Desseilles, M., Dang-Vu, T., Schabus, M., Sterpenich, V., Maquet, P., & Schwartz, S. (2008). Sleep, 31(6), 777-794.
Abnormal attentional modulation of retinotopic cortex in parietal patients with spatial neglect. Vuilleumier, P., Schwartz, S., Verdon, V., Maravita, A., Hutton, C., Husain, M., & Driver, J. (2008). Curr Biol, 18(19), 1525-1529.
Corrélats cérébraux du rêve. Desseilles, M., Dang-Vu, T., Maquet, P., & Schwartz, S. (2009). Médecine du sommeil, 6(2), 44-51.
Attentional load modifies early activity in human primary visual cortex. Rauss, K. S., Pourtois, G., Vuilleumier, P., & Schwartz, S. (2009). Hum Brain Mapp, 30(5), 1723-1733.
Neuroimaging of narcolepsy. Dang-Vu, T. T., Desseilles, M., Schwartz, S., & Maquet, P. (2009). CNS Neurol Disord Drug Targets, 8(4), 254-263.
Humor processing in human narcolepsy with cataplexy. Ponz, A., & Schwartz, S. (2009). (In M. Goswami & P. Perumal & M. Thorpy (Eds.), Narcolepsy: A clinical guide. New York, USA: Humana/Springer-Verlag.
Dynamic changes in brain activity during prism adaptation. Luaute, J., Schwartz, S., Rossetti, Y., Spiridon, M., Rode, G., Boisson, D., & Vuilleumier, P. (2009). J Neurosci, 29(1), 169-178.
Simultaneous recording of EEG and facial muscle reactions during spontaneous emotional mimicry. Achaibou, A., Pourtois, G., Schwartz, S., & Vuilleumier, P. (2008). Neuropsychologia, 46(4), 1104-1113.

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Abnormal activity in hypothalamus and amygdala during humour processing in human narcolepsy with cataplexy. Schwartz, S., Ponz, A., Poryazova, R., Werth, E., Boesiger, P., Khatami, R., & Bassetti, C. L. (2008). Brain, 131(Pt 2), 514-522.

Effects of perceptual learning on primary visual cortex activity in humans. Pourtois, G., Rauss, K. S., Vuilleumier, P., & Schwartz, S. (2008). Vision Res, 48(1), 55-62.
Functional MRI evidence for neural plasticity at early stages of visual processing in humans. Schwartz, S. (2007). (In N. Osaka & I. Rentschler & I. Biederman (Eds.), Object recognition, attention, and action (pp. 27-40). Tokyo Berlin Heidelberg New York: Springer.
Moving with or without will: functional neural correlates of alien hand syndrome. Assal, F., Schwartz, S., & Vuilleumier, P. (2007). Ann Neurol, 62(3), 301-306.
Inhibitory motor control in apneic and insomniac patients: a stop task study. Sagaspe, P., Philip, P., & Schwartz, S. (2007). J Sleep Res, 16(4), 381-387.
Looking at human eyes affects contralesional stimulus processing after right hemispheric stroke. Maravita, A., Posteraro, L., Husain, M., Vuilleumier, P., Schwartz, S., & Driver, J. (2007). Neurology, 69(16), 1619-1621.
Impaired perceptual memory of locations across gaze-shifts in patients with unilateral spatial neglect. Vuilleumier, P., Sergent, C., Schwartz, S., Valenza, N., Girardi, M., Husain, M., & Driver, J. (2007). J Cogn Neurosci, 19(8), 1388-1406.
Neuroimaging of REM sleep and dreaming. Dang Vu, T., Schabus, M., Desseilles, M., Schwartz, S., & Maquet, P. (2007). (In D. Barrett & P. McNamara (Eds.), The new science of dreaming (pp. 95-113). Westport, CT: Preager.
Role of frontal versus temporal cortex in verbal fluency as revealed by voxel-based lesion symptom mapping. Baldo, J. V., Schwartz, S., Wilkins, D., & Dronkers, N. F. (2006). J Int Neuropsychol Soc, 12(6), 896-900.
Neural Basis for Priming of Pop-Out during Visual Search Revealed with fMRI. Kristjansson, A., Vuilleumier, P., Schwartz, S., Macaluso, E., & Driver, J. (2006). Cereb Cortex.
Neural systems for orienting attention to the location of threat signals: An event-related fMRI study. Pourtois, G., Schwartz, S., Seghier, M. L., Lazeyras, F., & Vuilleumier, P. (2006). Neuroimage.
Dreaming: A neuroimaging view. Dang-Vu, T. T., Desseilles, M., Albouy, G., Darsaud, A., Gais, S., Rauchs, G., Schabus, M., Sterpenich, V., Vandewalle, G., Schwartz, S., & Maquet, P. (2005). Swiss Archives of Neurology and Psychiatry, 156(8), 415–425.
Dreaming: A neuropsychological view. Schwartz, S., Dang-Vu, T. T., Ponz, A., Duhoux, S., & Maquet, P. (2005). Swiss Archives of Neurology and Psychiatry, 156(8), 426–439.
Illusory persistence of touch after right parietal damage: neural correlates of tactile awareness. Schwartz, S., Assal, F., Valenza, N., Seghier, M. L., & Vuilleumier, P. (2005). Brain, 128(Pt 2), 277-290.
Hemispheric specialization of human inferior temporal cortex during coarse-to-fine and fine-to-coarse analysis of natural visual scenes. Peyrin, C., Schwartz, S., Seghier, M., Michel, C., Landis, T., & Vuilleumier, P. (2005). Neuroimage.
View-independent coding of face identity in frontal and temporal cortices is modulated by familiarity: an event-related fMRI study. Pourtois, G., Schwartz, S., Seghier, M. L., Lazeyras, F., & Vuilleumier, P. (2005). Neuroimage, 24(4), 1214-1224.
Selective attention modulates neural substrates of repetition priming and ‘‘implicit’’ visual memory: Suppressions and enhancements revealed by fMRI. Vuilleumier, P., Schwartz, S., Duhoux, S., Dolan, R. J., & Driver, J. (2005). Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience, 17(8), 1245–1260.
The voices of wrath: brain responses to angry prosody in meaningless speech. Grandjean, D., Sander, D., Pourtois, G., Schwartz, S., Seghier, M. L., Scherer, K. R., & Vuilleumier, P. (2005). Nat Neurosci, 8(2), 145-146.
Portraits or people? Distinct representations of face identity in the human visual cortex. Pourtois, G., Schwartz, S., Seghier, M. L., Lazeyras, F., & Vuilleumier, P. (2005). J Cogn Neurosci, 17(7), 1043-1057.
Emotion and attention interactions in social cognition: Brain regions involved in processing anger prosody. Sander, D., Grandjean, D., Pourtois, G., Schwartz, S., Seghier, M. L., Scherer, K. R., & Vuilleumier, P. (2005). Neuroimage.
Attentional load and sensory competition in human vision: modulation of fMRI responses by load at fixation during task-irrelevant stimulation in the peripheral visual field. Schwartz, S., Vuilleumier, P., Hutton, C., Maravita, A., Dolan, R. J., & Driver, J. (2005). Cereb Cortex, 15(6), 770-786.
What dreaming can reveal about cognitive and brain functions during sleep: A lexico-statistical analysis of dream reports. Schwartz, S. (2004). Psychological Belgica, 44(1/2), 5-42.
Regional organisation of brain activity during paradoxical sleep (PS). Maquet, P., Ruby, P., Schwartz, S., Laureys, S., Albouy, G., Dang-Vu, T., Desseilles, M., Boly, M., Melchior, G., & Peigneux, P. (2004). Arch Ital Biol, 142(4), 413-419.
Tactile awareness and limb position in neglect: Functional magnetic resonance imaging. Valenza, N., Seghier, M. L., Schwartz, S., Lazeyras, F., & Vuilleumier, P. (2004). Ann Neurol, 55(1), 139-143.
Pervasive influence of semantics in letter and category fluency: a multidimensional approach. Schwartz, S., Baldo, J., Graves, R. E., & Brugger, P. (2003). Brain Lang, 87(3), 400-411.
Are life episodes replayed during dreaming? Schwartz, S. (2003). Trends in Cognitive Sciences, 7(8), 325-327.
See also Response to Schwartz: Dreaming and episodic memory. Fosse, R., Fosse, M. J., & Stickgold, R. (2003). Trends in Cognitive Sciences, 7(8), 327-328.
Sleep-related consolidation of a visuomotor skill: brain mechanisms as assessed by functional magnetic resonance imaging. Maquet, P., Schwartz, S., Passingham, R., & Frith, C. (2003). J Neurosci, 23(4), 1432-1440.
Neural correlates of perceptual learning: A functional MRI study of visual texture discrimination. Schwartz, S., Maquet, P., & Frith, C (2002). PNAS.
Comments on this article:
- Jones, R. (2003). Visual learning visualized. Nature Neuroscience, 4, 10
- Stickgold, R., Fosse, R., & Walker, M. P. (2002). Linking brain and behavior in sleep-dependent learning and memory consolidation. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A, 99(26), 16519-16521
Sleep imaging and the neuro-psychological assessment of dreams. Schwartz, S., & Maquet, P. (2002). Trends Cogn Sci, 6(1), 23-30.
[Evaluation of dreams by the neuropsychological approach. Utility in the characterization of cerebral correlates in oneiric activity by functional neuroimaging]. Maquet, P., & Schwartz, M. S. (2002). Bull Mem Acad R Med Belg, 157(3-4), 214-217; discussion 218-219.
[L'anatomie des rêves.] Jean-Baptiste, P., & Schwartz, S. (2002). Sciences et Avenir(668), 54-66. (see also comment about this article in "Le Monde")
Testing memory for unseen visual stimuli in patients with extinction and spatial neglect. Vuilleumier, P., Schwartz, S., Clarke, K., Husain, M., & Driver, J. (2002). J Cogn Neurosci, 14(6), 875-886.
Distinct patterns of word retrieval in right and left frontal lobe patients: a multidimensional perspective. Schwartz, S., & Baldo, J. (2001). Neuropsychologia, 39(11), 1209-1217.
Functional neuroanatomical correlates of hysterical sensorimotor loss. Vuilleumier, P., Chicherio, C., Assal, F., Schwartz, S., Slosman, D., & Landis, T. (2001). Brain, 124(Pt 6), 1077-1090.
Beware and be aware: capture of spatial attention by fear-related stimuli in neglect. Vuilleumier, P., & Schwartz, S. (2001). Neuroreport, 12(6), 1119-1122.
Emotional facial expressions capture attention. Vuilleumier, P., & Schwartz, S. (2001). Neurology, 56(2), 153-158.
Modulation of visual perception by eye gaze direction in patients with spatial neglect and extinction. Vuilleumier, P., & Schwartz, S. (2001). Neuroreport, 12(10), 2101-2104.
Implicit processing and learning of visual stimuli in parietal extinction and neglect. Vuilleumier, P., Schwartz, S., Husain, M., Clarke, K., & Driver, J. (2001). Cortex, 37(5), 741-744.
A historical loop of one hundred years: Similarities between 19th century and contemporary dream research. Schwartz, S. (2000). Dreaming, 10(1), 55-66.

You can download my PhD thesis (in French, I am afraid)

Matière à rêver: Exploration statistique et neuropsychologique des phénomènes oniriques au travers des textes et des images de rêves. Schwartz, S. (1999). University of Lausanne, Switzerland.

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