Professor of Neurology, Psychiatry, and Clinical Psychology (UTSW)
Research Interests: Identifying the neural basis of semantic memory with imaging and electrophysiology, and applying these findings to diagnosing and treating patients
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Professional Preparation
M.D. University of Maryland School of Medicine - 1983
B.A. - Psychology The Johns Hopkins University - 1979
Research Areas
Research Interests
My research interests have focused on the neural basis of semantic memory in the human brain. My work, spanning several decades, has focused on identifying the organization of semantic memory in the human brain by proposing that there is both a categorical and featural structure to object memory that exists in multiple semantic memory subsystems in the brain. My laboratory's recent studies have used functional neuroimaging and electrophysiological investigations to explore the neural mechanisms underlying combining these components of an object together to form an integrated object memory. They recently reported that one neural mechanism by which object recall can occur is via synchronizing gamma brain rhythms that are modulated by the thalamus and proposed the Neural Hybrid Model of Semantic Memory. I am now investigating object memory and word finding deficits in multiple disease states in terms of both diagnosing and designing treatment options based on this model.
Publications
Predictors of Life Expectancy in Autopsy-Confirmed Alzheimer’s Disease 2022 - Journal Article
Reversal of unilateral hand movement dysfunction by high definition transcranial direct current stimulation in a patient with chronic traumatic brain injury 2022 - Journal Article
Examination of the Proposed Criteria for Traumatic Encephalopathy Syndrome: Case Report of a Former Professional Football Player. 2022 - Journal Article
Polarity-specific high-definition transcranial direct current stimulation of the anterior and posterior default mode network improves remote memory retrieval. 2021 - Journal Article
Frequency and Predictors of Traumatic Encephalopathy Syndrome in a Prospective Cohort of Retired Professional Athletes. 2021 - Journal Article
Auditory N2 Correlates of Treatment Response in Posttraumatic Stress Disorder. 2021 - Journal Article
Differential effects from cognitive rehabilitation and high-definition tDCS in posterior cortical atrophy: A single-case experimental design. 2021 - Journal Article
Case Report: Improving Verbal Retrieval Deficits With High Definition Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation Targeting the Pre-Supplementary Motor Area in a Patient With Chronic Traumatic Brain Injury. 2021 - Journal Article
Appointments
Professor of Behavioral and Brain Sciences University of Texas at Dallas [2006–Present]
Distinguished Chair in Neuroscience
Professor University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center [2006–Present]
Departments of Neurology and Psychiatry
Professor University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center [2010–Present]
Clinical Psychology Program
Additional Information
Certification
Behavioral Neurology and Neuropsychiatry, UCNS, 10/23/06
Editorial Activities
Editorial Board, Neurocase (1998-)
Editorial Board, Neuropsychology (2006-09)
Editorial Board, Journal of Innovative Optical Health Sciences (2007)
Editorial Board, World Journal of Radiology (2009)
Review Editorial Board, Frontiers in Neuro-psychiatric Imaging and Stimulation (2010-)
Editorial Board, Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease (2015-16)
Researchers from The University of Texas at Dallas have found that a standard therapy for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is more effective when paired with transcranial magnetic stimulation of the brain.
A study led by the UT Dallas Center for BrainHealth examining the neuropsychological status of former National Football League players has found heightened incidence of cognitive deficits and depression among retired players.
But researchers from the center and from UT Southwestern Medical Center say their study, published online Monday in JAMA Neurology, also is significant for what it did not find: evidence of cognitive impairment in the majority of ex-players.
Researchers at Center for BrainHealth at UT Dallas have developed a test that may help detect who is at risk for Alzheimer’s disease.
In a study published in the Journal ofAlzheimer’s Disease, scientists found that individuals with amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI) have twice the risk of others in their age group of progressing to Alzheimer’s after identifying a specific variation in their brain waves.
A University of Texas at Dallas neuroscience research team led by Dr. John Hart Jr. has received a nearly $7.4 million grant from the U.S. Department of Defense for a multisite study on a novel treatment protocol for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The researchers are seeking up to 330 military veterans with combat-related PTSD for the study, which will include both repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) and cognitive processing therapy (CPT). The funding comes four months after publication of the team’s Journal of Affective Disorders study, which indicated that CPT for PTSD is more effective when paired with rTMS.
Dr. John Hart Jr. received $2,022,497 from the Congressionally Directed Medical Research Program for his research on Treatment of Verbal Retrieval Deficits in Mild Traumatic Brain Injury with High Definition Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation. Dr. Hart plans to use the grant to test the efficacy of targeting pre-supplementary motor areas (preSMA) with HD transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) to treat verbal retrieval deficits in veterans with remote mild traumatic brain injury histories and subjective complaints of verbal retrieval deficits.
Lauren Roginski (1996); Tiffini Smith (1997-99); Felix Yu (1999-2000); Matthew Brier (2006-10); Shehznan Baqui (2009-12); Rajen Patel (2008-10); Nistha Jajal (2009-10);Michael Lugo (2009-10); Ben Kunze (2010-11); Shadi Lavasani (2010-11); Megha Bhatia (2010-11); Kim Vu (2010-11); Najam Siddique (2010-11); Rigoberto Hernandez (2010-12); Briana Flores (2010-12); Seth Mansinghani (2010-13); Palak Patel (2011-12); Robert Bell (2011-12); Carissa Dees (2011-12); Demi Krieger (2011-15); Athula Pudhiyidath (2012-15); Gregory Frank (2013-14); Scott Shakal (2012-17); Jihyeon Choi (2014-15); Ryan Tychinkski (2015); Kylee Yeatman (2015-16); Mohamed Mahmoud (2015-16); Rebecca Border (2015-16); Sahithi Kaza (2015-16); Shezai Padani (2015-16); Rachel O’Hair (2016-17); Reana Limones (2016-17); Emily Williams (2018); Nikita Prabahkar (2019); Mika Esquillo (2019-20); Riya Kumar (2019-); Caroline Reckart (2020-22); Crista Thyvelikakath (2020-)
Funding
Multi-site confirmatory efficacy treatment trial of combat-related PTSD
$7,359,925 - Department of Defense [2018/08–2023/07]
Three-armed treatment trial for PTSD consisting of either application of rTMS alone, sham rTMS combined with CPT, or rTMS combined with CPT.
Treatment of Verbal Retrieval Deficits in Mild Traumatic Brain Injury with High Definition Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation
$2,022,628 - Department of Defense [2020/09–2023/08]
Assessing the efficacy of HD tDCS in improving word finding abilities in those with a TBI who are impaired for this function.
Longitudinal Continuation of TARCC Hispanic Cohort, Texas Alzheimer’s Research and Care Consortium (TARCC)
$4,522,439 - State of Texas [2018/08–2023/08]
Multisite study using longitudinal assessments including neurological, neuropsychological, and neuroimaging measures to assess Hispanic subjects who are normal aging controls or have MCI/AD.
Treatment of Memory Disorders in Gulf War Illness with High Definition Transcranial Direct Cortical Stimulation
$948,911 - Department of Defense [2016/09–2022/09]
Assessing the efficacy of HD tDCS in improving word finding abilities in those with GWI who are impaired for this function.