Cognitive Neuroscience of Language Laboratory
Prof. Urs Maurer
Rm 603C, Sino Building, the Chinese University of Hong Kong
3943 9223
umaurer@cuhk.edu.hk
Our lab investigates neural mechanisms underlying language processing with a focus on reading acquisition, reading across cultures, and dyslexia. We are specialized on topographic analyses of EEG data, and use this technique in combination with eye-tracking and fMRI.
Our aim is to understand how the brain processes visual words and written text. We want to make use of this knowledge to improve early identification of dyslexia and to develop and evaluate dyslexia intervention programs.
Person-in-charge:
Prof. Urs Maurer
Members:
Xin Huang, Coral (postdoc)
Jianhong Mo, Lanny (postdoc)
Siu Hin Ngan, Vince (postdoc)
Yiu Hei Chan, Lucas (PhD student)
Yuxi Chen, Max (PhD student)
Jie Ma, Maggie (PhD student)
Yaqi Yang (PhD student)
Siyi Zhao (PhD student)
Tak Kwan Lam, Quentin (Mphil student)
Ying Tung Mak, Nek (project coordinator)
Weichu Miao, Aaron (assistant computer officer)
Jai Dellosa Ariza (RA)
Tsz Kwan Chow, Queenie (RA)
Xiaodan Deng, Holiday (RA)
Ka Lou Jee, Caroline (RA)
Chi Ying Ng, Melody (RA)
Hei Lam Wong, Tim (RA)
Tsin Ming Wong, Wing (RA)
Alumni:
Hiu Lam Cham, Clare (Mphil student, co-supervised with A. Schirmer)
Shuting Huo (postdoc, now RAP at CUHK)
Chor Ming Lo, Jason (PhD, co-supervised with C. McBride)
Ting Yan Ng, Hezul (PhD, now RAP at Lingnan)
Yijun Ruan (PhD, co-supervised with C. McBride, now Lecturer at Fuzhou U)
Tik-Sze Siu, Carrey (postdoc, now Senior Lecturer at U Canterbury)
Bingbing Song (PhD, co-supervised with W. Sommer, now RAP at South China Normal)
Fang Wang (PhD, postdoc, now postdoc at Stanford U)
Jie Wang, Jane (postdoc, now Assoc. Prof. at EduHK)
Wai Leung Wong, Brian (Mphil, now PhD student at BCBL San Sebastian)
Xiaochang, Zheng (Mphil)
- Neural facilitation through fast magnocellular visual projections in reading Chinese
- Influence of cultural experience on neural mechanisms underlying visual processing of faces, objects, and characters
- Long-term evaluation of two types of dyslexia interventions at behavioural and neural levels
- Cognitive subtypes and intergenerational transmission of dyslexia in Chinese families
Yang, Y., Huo, S., Wang, J., & Maurer, U. (in press). Spectral and Topological Abnormalities of Resting and Task State EEG in Chinese Children with Developmental Dyslexia. Brain Topography.
Huo, S., Lo, J. C. M., Lui K. F. H., Maurer, U., McBride, C., (in press). EEG N1 specialization to print in Chinese primary school students: Developmental trajectories, longitudinal changes, and individual differences. Child Development.
Song, B., Sommer, W., & Maurer, U. (2025). Discrete repetition effects for visual words compared to faces and animals, but no modulation by expectation: An event-related potential study. European Journal of Neuroscience, 61(5), e70047
Wong, W. L., Huo, S., Maurer, U. (2024). Adaptation patterns and their associations with mismatch negativity: An electroencephalogram study with controlled expectations. European Journal of Neuroscience, 60(9), 6312-6329
Ruan, Y., Maurer, U., McBride, C. (2024). Effectiveness of Reading Interventions on Literacy Skills for Chinese Children with and without Dyslexia: A Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials. Educational Psychology Review, 36(3), 80.
Huang, X., Wong, W. L., Ng, H. T.-Y., Sommer, W., Dimigen, O., Maurer, U. (2024). Neural mechanism underlying preview benefits and masked priming effects in visual word processing. Attention, Perception, & Psychophysics, 1-20.
Song, B., Sommer, W., Maurer, U. (2024). Expectation modulates repetition suppression at later but not early stages during visual word recognition: Evidence from event-related potentials. Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience, 1-16.
Maurer, U., Rometsch, S., Song, B., Zhao, J., Zhao, P., & Li, S. (2024). Repetition suppression for familiar visual words through acceleration of early processing. Brain Topography, 37(4), 608-620.
Wang, J., Wu, K. C., Mo, J., Wong, W. L., Siu, T. S. C., McBride, C., Chung, K. K. H., Wong, P. C. M., Maurer, U. (2021). Remediation of a Phonological Representation Deficit in Chinese Dyslexic Children: A Comparison between Metalinguistic Training and Working Memory Training. Developmental Science, 24(3), e13065
Lo, J. C. M., McBride, C., Ho, C. S. H., & Maurer, U. (2019). Event-related potentials during Chinese single-character and two-character word reading in children. Brain and Cognition, 136, 103589.
Eberhard-Moscicka, A. K., Jost, L. B., Raith, M., Maurer, U. (2015). Neurocognitive mechanisms of learning to read: print tuning in beginning readers related to word-reading fluency and semantics but not phonology. Developmental Science, 18, 106-18.
Maurer, U., Bucher, K., Brem, S., Benz R., Kranz, F., Schulz, E., van der Mark, S., Steinhausen, H.-C., Brandeis, D. (2009). Neurophysiology in preschool improves behavioral prediction of reading ability throughout primary school. Biological Psychiatry, 66, 341-348.
Maurer, U., Brem, S., Bucher, K., Kranz, F., Benz, R., Halder, P., Steinhausen, H.-C., & Brandeis, D. (2007). Impaired tuning of a fast occipito-temporal response to print in dyslexic children learning to read. Brain, 130, 3200-3210.