Publications by Emanuela De Falco

Feature-based encoding of face identity by single neurons in the human amygdala and hippocampus

Neurons in the human amygdala and hippocampus are classically thought to encode a person’s identity invariant to visual features. However, it remains largely unknown how visual information from higher visual cortical areas is translated into such a semanti ...

2025

Changes in spatial self-consciousness elicit grid cell–like representation in the entorhinal cortex

Olaf Blanke, Emanuela De Falco, Baptiste Gauthier, Louis Philippe Albert, Hyeongdong Park, Hyukjun Moon, Corentin Marie Hervé Robert Tasu

Grid cells in the entorhinal cortex (EC) encode an individual’s location in space, integrating both environmental and multisensory bodily cues. Notably, body-derived signals are also primary signals for the sense of self. While studies have demonstrated th ...

2024

Noninvasive modulation of the hippocampal-entorhinal complex during spatial navigation in humans

Olaf Blanke, Friedhelm Christoph Hummel, Pierre Theopistos Vassiliadis, Elena Beanato, Esra Neufeld, Emanuela De Falco, Fabienne Windel, Maximilian Jonas Wessel, Traian Popa, Baptiste Gauthier

Because of the depth of the hippocampal-entorhinal complex (HC-EC) in the brain, understanding of its role in spatial navigation via neuromodulation was limited in humans. Here, we aimed to better elucidate this relationship in healthy volunteers, using tr ...

American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)2024

Single neurons in the thalamus and subthalamic nucleus process cardiac and respiratory signals in humans

Olaf Blanke, Fosco Bernasconi, Emanuela De Falco, Mariana Babo Rebelo, Marco Solcà

2024

Physical Body Orientation Impacts Virtual Navigation Experience and Performance

Olaf Blanke, Emanuela De Falco, Hsin-Ping Wu, Hyukjun Moon

Most human navigation studies in MRI rely on virtual navigation. However, the necessary supine position in MRI makes it fundamentally different from daily ecological navigation. Nonetheless, until now, no study has assessed whether differences in physical ...

Soc Neuroscience2023

Impaired cognitive flexibility and heightened urgency are associated with increased alcohol consumption in rodent models of excessive drinking

Emanuela De Falco

Alcohol use disorder (AUD) is characterized by impairments in decision-making that can exist as stable traits or transient states. Cognitive inflexibility reflects an inability to update information that guides decision-making and is thought to contribute ...

WILEY2021

When shared concept cells support associations: Theory of overlapping memory engrams

Wulfram Gerstner, Emanuela De Falco, Tilo Schwalger, Chiara Gastaldi

Assemblies of neurons, called concepts cells, encode acquired concepts in human Medial Temporal Lobe. Those concept cells that are shared between two assemblies have been hypothesized to encode associations between concepts. Here we test this hypothesis in ...

2021