Professor Gráinne McLoughlin PhD, SFHEA
Professor of Cognitive Neuroscience
Research interests
- Psychiatry, psychology and neuroscience
Pronouns
She/Her
Biography
Gráinne McLoughlin is Professor of Cognitive Neuroscience at the Social, Genetic & Developmental Psychiatry Centre at the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience at King’s College London.
Her research investigates brain function in neurodevelopmental and psychiatric conditions, with a particular focus on ADHD and the role of brain oscillations in cognitive control.
After completing MRC-funded doctoral research in behavioural genetics and neuroscience at King’s, she undertook postdoctoral research at King’s and the University of California San Diego, supported by fellowships from the NIHR, Royal Society and Swartz Foundation. Her work has used electroencephalography (EEG) to examine brain activity across ADHD, autism, eating disorders, depression, ageing and mild cognitive impairment.
Her research combines large-scale and novel approaches to EEG data collection with the development and application of methods for analysing neural oscillations. She has particular expertise in understanding how the timing and synchronisation of brain activity relate to cognition and behaviour, and how these processes are influenced by genetic liability for neurodevelopmental conditions.
Her current research focuses on translating this understanding of brain function into novel interventions. She leads an MRC-funded programme investigating rhythmic transcranial magnetic stimulation as a potential neurotherapeutic for ADHD, targeting brain oscillations involved in cognitive control.
She has also recently led research funded by the Chen Institute exploring auditory stimulation as a potential approach to modulating brain activity in ageing and dementia.
She is committed to inclusive and accessible neuroscience research, including through the involvement of people with lived experience in shaping research and the development of new interventions.
Research interests
- EEG
- ADHD
- Autism
- Brain oscillations
- Cognitive control
- Transcranial magnetic stimulation and neuromodulation
- Novel neurotherapeutic approaches
- Psychiatric genetics
- Ageing and dementia
Research Groups
Research
Pears Maudsley Centre for Children and Young People
The Pears Maudsley Centre for Children and Young People is set to be the world-leading centre for child and adolescent mental health.
Neurocognitive signatures predicting risk of recurrent depression (NESPRED) study
After recovering from depression, it is currently difficult to advise on the risk of future recurring episodes. The aim of this study is to find better ways to predict the risk of future depressive episodes for a particular person
SYNC-ADHD
Study of Young adults using Neuromodulation to investigate symptom Change in ADHD
Project status: Ongoing
News
Genetic signature of ADHD linked to the brain's timing signals
Genetic variation linked to ADHD manifests directly through disrupted timing in the brain’s cognitive control systems.
Genetic overlap established between theta brain signals and ADHD
New research from the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience (IoPPN) at King’s College London has found a significant genetic association between...
Brain monitoring suggests common link between electrical tremors and mental health disorders
A new review has found that irregular responses in the brain to challenging tasks and mistakes could be key to understanding common links between abnormal...
Research
Pears Maudsley Centre for Children and Young People
The Pears Maudsley Centre for Children and Young People is set to be the world-leading centre for child and adolescent mental health.
Neurocognitive signatures predicting risk of recurrent depression (NESPRED) study
After recovering from depression, it is currently difficult to advise on the risk of future recurring episodes. The aim of this study is to find better ways to predict the risk of future depressive episodes for a particular person
SYNC-ADHD
Study of Young adults using Neuromodulation to investigate symptom Change in ADHD
Project status: Ongoing
News
Genetic signature of ADHD linked to the brain's timing signals
Genetic variation linked to ADHD manifests directly through disrupted timing in the brain’s cognitive control systems.
Genetic overlap established between theta brain signals and ADHD
New research from the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience (IoPPN) at King’s College London has found a significant genetic association between...
Brain monitoring suggests common link between electrical tremors and mental health disorders
A new review has found that irregular responses in the brain to challenging tasks and mistakes could be key to understanding common links between abnormal...