Dr Anna Woollams

Research interests

My research interests focus on multiple aspects of normal and disordered language processing.  I have primarily considered normal reading and the way in which this ability can be disrupted subsequent to brain damage, in particular by illnesses such as stroke and dementia.

The theoretical context of this work is provided by connectionist models of language processing.  These models allow for consideration of the impact of systematic individual differences upon normal reading behaviour and also of the consequences that these may have for performance seen after brain damage.

I am currently validating and extending my previous work using neuroimaging techniques and repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation.  In the future, I aim to apply the predictions of connectionist models to the processes involved in the very first stages of literacy acquisition, using behavioural and electrophysiological measures.