UC Davis Health
Department of Neurological Surgery

Oehrn Lab | Neurological Surgery | UC Davis Health

The Oehrn Lab

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brain stimulation model
  • Principal Investigator

    Carina Oehrn, M.D., Ph.D.

    Carina Oehrn, M.D., PhD., is a cognitive neuroscientist and physician specializing in intracranial electrophysiology and adaptive deep brain stimulation. Her research focuses on the neural mechanisms underlying non-motor symptoms in movement disorders and the development of novel brain stimulation therapies. She primarily studies Parkinson’s disease and cerebral palsy, with an emphasis on brain functions related to memory and emotional regulation. Using intracranial recordings, she investigates basal ganglia–cortical and cerebellar–cortical networks to understand the neural dynamics driving cognitive and affective symptoms. Her aim is to develop automated, personalized neuromodulation strategies that improve both motor and non-motor function in real-world settings. One of her key priorities is to bring her research from the laboratory into patients’ homes and to study brain activity and behavior in everyday life.

  • Research Goals

    The Oehrn Lab at the UC Davis Center for Neuroscience and the Department of Neurological Surgery specializes in intracranial and scalp electrophysiological recordings in humans and deep brain stimulation.

    The team is interested in understanding the function of rhythmic brain activity, known as neural oscillations. Their research focuses on the neural bases of cognitive and affective processing in patients with Parkinson’s disease, with the goal of developing novel brain stimulation therapies to improve non-motor symptoms. Their research extends from the lab to real-life settings, where the team decodes brain activity as patients go about their daily lives.

    Ultimately, the team aims to develop adaptive deep brain stimulation paradigms that sense brain activity and adjust stimulation in real-time to meet individual patient needs and comprehensively improve movement, mood and cognition.

  • Current Projects

    • Intracranial Recordings + EEG in Parkinson’s Disease
      • The neural signature of working memory in the basal ganglia
      • Neural biomarkers of depression and anxiety in basal ganglia–cortical networks
      • Real-life memory processes in Parkinson’s disease
      • The neural signature of theta-frequency working memory enhancement in the subthalamic nucleus
      • Processing of motor language in Parkinson’s disease
    • Intracranial Recordings + EEG in Cerebral Palsy
      • Intracranial cerebellar recordings and EEG to study cerebellar–cortical networks during cognitive and emotional processing in cerebral palsy
    • Noninvasive and Wearable Neurotechnology
      • Auditory gamma stimulation for motor symptoms in Parkinson’s disease
      • Development of smart ring–based digital biomarkers for Parkinson’s disease symptoms