Sara Guediche, PhD 
Assistant Professor, Neuroscience
Personal Website:
Research Summary
Dr. Sara Guediche is a tenure-track Assistant Professor in the Neuroscience program.
Using speech and language as a model system, her research focuses on understanding flexibility and plasticity in human perception. She uses a combination of methods including behavioral and functional magnetic resonance
imaging (fMRI) experiments to tap into the brain mechanisms that underlie adaptive
behavior. Committed to an interdisciplinary approach to neuroscience research, she
is working to incorporate additional behavioral methods (e.g, eye-tracking), and neuroimaging
methods (e.g, Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy (MRS) and electrophysiology to deepen
our understanding of the neurobiological mechanisms that support the complex processes
involved in language. A former chemist by training, she is excited to find new ways
to build bridges across traditionally distinct STEM areas such as Chemistry, Biology,
Physics, Math and Cognitive Psychology.
Research Interests
The lab focuses on understanding the neural mechanisms that facilitate adaptive behavior
in a changing environment. We investigate these questions in the domain of spoken
language processing. We use both functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), with
computational analysis tools to advance our understanding of the human functional
neuroanatomy of language, and will extend to using MRS in vivo, in humans.
Behavioral experiments:
Behavioral experiments will be conducted in the College of Science Math in a sound-attenuated
room.
- Micro Audiometrics Corp Earscan 3 Automatic laptops
- Beyerdynamic DT 770ro studio professional headphones
- Wearable eyetracking System
- Recording equipment
Neuroimaging experiments:
FMRI experiments will be conducted at the Human MRI Imaging Core.
- 3T Siemens Magnetom avida scanner
- 4-button response box for testing cognitive tasks
- Insert headphones to use with 64-channel head coil
Human MRI Imaging Core
Selected Publications
- Guediche, S, de Bruin, A., Baart, M, & Samuel, AG. (2021). Second-language word recognition in
noise: interdependent neuromodulatory effects of semantic context and crosslinguistic
interactions driven by word form similarity. Neuroimage, 237, 118168.
- Guediche, S, Baart, M, & Samuel, AG. (2020). Semantic priming effects can be modulated by
crosslinguistic interactions during second-language auditory word recognition. Bilingualism: Language and Cognition, 1-11.
- Guediche, S. (2017). Flexible and adaptive processes in speech perception. In A. Lahiri, S. Kotzor
(Eds.). The speech processing lexicon: neurocognitive and behavioural approaches (pp. 155-186). Berlin, Germany: De Gruyter Mouton.
- Guediche S, Fiez JA, & Holt LL. (2016). Adaptive plasticity in speech perception: effects of
external information and internal predictions, Journal of Experimental Psychology: Human Perception and Performance, 42(7), 1048-59.
- Guediche S, Holt LL, Lim S, Laurent P, & Fiez JA. (2015). Evidence for cerebellar contributions to adaptive plasticity in speech perception.
Cerebral Cortex, 7(25),1867-77.
- Guediche S, Blumstein SE, Fiez JA, & Holt LL. (2014). Speech under adverse listening conditions:
insights from behavioral, computational, and neuroscience research. Frontiers in Systems Neuroscience, 7, 126.
