Cogan Lab
@coganlab.bsky.social
The Cogan Lab at Duke University: Investigating speech, language, and cognition using invasive neural human electrophysiology
http://coganlab.org
http://coganlab.org
Can a speech BCI learn across people?
In Nature Communications, led by @zspald.bsky.social:
High-density µECoG reveals shared neural dynamics that can be aligned to improve cross-patient speech decoding, even with little data from a new participant.
doi.org/10.1038/s414...
1/5
In Nature Communications, led by @zspald.bsky.social:
High-density µECoG reveals shared neural dynamics that can be aligned to improve cross-patient speech decoding, even with little data from a new participant.
doi.org/10.1038/s414...
1/5
Shared latent representations of speech production for cross-patient speech decoding - Nature Communications
Current speech brain-computer interfaces (BCIs) rely on patient-specific decoding approaches. Here, the authors show that patient-specific data can be aligned to a shared space that preserves speech i...
doi.org
August 19, 2026 at 7:31 PM
Can a speech BCI learn across people?
In Nature Communications, led by @zspald.bsky.social:
High-density µECoG reveals shared neural dynamics that can be aligned to improve cross-patient speech decoding, even with little data from a new participant.
doi.org/10.1038/s414...
1/5
In Nature Communications, led by @zspald.bsky.social:
High-density µECoG reveals shared neural dynamics that can be aligned to improve cross-patient speech decoding, even with little data from a new participant.
doi.org/10.1038/s414...
1/5
How does a speech plan become fluent movement?
In Nature Human Behaviour, led by Kumar Duraivel:
Intracranial recordings reveal how hierarchical speech plans become continuous motor sequences across planning, articulation, and monitoring networks.
doi.org/10.1038/s415...
1/5
In Nature Human Behaviour, led by Kumar Duraivel:
Intracranial recordings reveal how hierarchical speech plans become continuous motor sequences across planning, articulation, and monitoring networks.
doi.org/10.1038/s415...
1/5
Distinct neural processes link speech planning and execution - Nature Human Behaviour
Direct recordings from the human brain reveal a hierarchy in planning to speak, with neural activity organizing whole syllables before the individual sounds that compose them are sequenced.
doi.org
August 18, 2026 at 2:07 PM
How does a speech plan become fluent movement?
In Nature Human Behaviour, led by Kumar Duraivel:
Intracranial recordings reveal how hierarchical speech plans become continuous motor sequences across planning, articulation, and monitoring networks.
doi.org/10.1038/s415...
1/5
In Nature Human Behaviour, led by Kumar Duraivel:
Intracranial recordings reveal how hierarchical speech plans become continuous motor sequences across planning, articulation, and monitoring networks.
doi.org/10.1038/s415...
1/5
Two new papers from the lab in Nature Human Behaviour and Nature Communications, spanning the neural mechanisms of speech production and new approaches to speech neurotechnology!
🧠 Speech plans → fluent motor sequences
🗣️ Speech BCIs across people
Links below 👇
@dukebrain.bsky.social
1/3
🧠 Speech plans → fluent motor sequences
🗣️ Speech BCIs across people
Links below 👇
@dukebrain.bsky.social
1/3
August 17, 2026 at 3:09 PM
Two new papers from the lab in Nature Human Behaviour and Nature Communications, spanning the neural mechanisms of speech production and new approaches to speech neurotechnology!
🧠 Speech plans → fluent motor sequences
🗣️ Speech BCIs across people
Links below 👇
@dukebrain.bsky.social
1/3
🧠 Speech plans → fluent motor sequences
🗣️ Speech BCIs across people
Links below 👇
@dukebrain.bsky.social
1/3
Last week, Areti Majumdar (2nd year PhD student) presented @jerrytang.bsky.social and colleague’s seminal paper on reconstructing continuous language from non-invasive brain recordings. This 🧵 explores our thoughts and questions.
July 21, 2026 at 6:54 PM
Last week, Areti Majumdar (2nd year PhD student) presented @jerrytang.bsky.social and colleague’s seminal paper on reconstructing continuous language from non-invasive brain recordings. This 🧵 explores our thoughts and questions.
Reposted by Cogan Lab
New paper out: Led by super grad student Jim Zhang and in collaboration with Greg Cogan, we review and synthesize Insights into the neural mechanisms supporting cognitive stability and flexibility from human intracranial electroencephalography.
For free access: authors.elsevier.com/a/1nRYWY3M3p...
For free access: authors.elsevier.com/a/1nRYWY3M3p...
July 15, 2026 at 3:52 PM
New paper out: Led by super grad student Jim Zhang and in collaboration with Greg Cogan, we review and synthesize Insights into the neural mechanisms supporting cognitive stability and flexibility from human intracranial electroencephalography.
For free access: authors.elsevier.com/a/1nRYWY3M3p...
For free access: authors.elsevier.com/a/1nRYWY3M3p...
Our new review paper lead by CNAP PhD Student Jim Zhang and @tobiasegner.bsky.social is now published in Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews: “Insights into the neural mechanisms supporting cognitive stability and flexibility from human intracranial EEG.”
doi.org/10.1016/j.ne...
1/5
doi.org/10.1016/j.ne...
1/5
Redirecting
doi.org
July 15, 2026 at 3:53 PM
Our new review paper lead by CNAP PhD Student Jim Zhang and @tobiasegner.bsky.social is now published in Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews: “Insights into the neural mechanisms supporting cognitive stability and flexibility from human intracranial EEG.”
doi.org/10.1016/j.ne...
1/5
doi.org/10.1016/j.ne...
1/5
Last week, Nanlin Shi (postdoctoral associate) presented T. Lei et al.’s new Nature paper, “Active dissociation of intracortical spiking and high gamma activity,” on whether intracortical HGA reflects local spiking or broader population activity.
June 30, 2026 at 3:50 PM
Last week, Nanlin Shi (postdoctoral associate) presented T. Lei et al.’s new Nature paper, “Active dissociation of intracortical spiking and high gamma activity,” on whether intracortical HGA reflects local spiking or broader population activity.
Last week, Zac Spalding (@zspald.bsky.social, 4th year PhD student, @dukeubme.bsky.social) presented Aditya Singh and colleagues’ 2025 paper on multi-regional, multi-subject neural speech decoding using from SEEG electrodes.
April 7, 2026 at 6:09 PM
Last week, Zac Spalding (@zspald.bsky.social, 4th year PhD student, @dukeubme.bsky.social) presented Aditya Singh and colleagues’ 2025 paper on multi-regional, multi-subject neural speech decoding using from SEEG electrodes.
Last week, Baishen Liang (postdoctoral associate) led a discussion on a recent ieeg
speech paper from the Chang Lab by Patrick W. Hullett and colleagues on the frontal
and temporal parallel cortical speech processing pathways.
speech paper from the Chang Lab by Patrick W. Hullett and colleagues on the frontal
and temporal parallel cortical speech processing pathways.
March 25, 2026 at 5:48 PM
Last week, Baishen Liang (postdoctoral associate) led a discussion on a recent ieeg
speech paper from the Chang Lab by Patrick W. Hullett and colleagues on the frontal
and temporal parallel cortical speech processing pathways.
speech paper from the Chang Lab by Patrick W. Hullett and colleagues on the frontal
and temporal parallel cortical speech processing pathways.
Very excited to have you here and looking forward to working with you :)
Exciting news! I'm starting a 6-month research stay at Duke University with @coganlab.bsky.social, exploring the neural mechanisms of verbal working memory, speech planning, and inner speech. If you are in the area and would like to meet up, feel free to reach out.
February 11, 2026 at 8:16 PM
Very excited to have you here and looking forward to working with you :)
Last week, Jim Zhang (4th year PhD student,
@DukeBrain
) presented Sina Tafazoli’s paper on building compositional tasks with shared neural subspaces. This 🧵 explores our thoughts (🤍 & ❔)
@DukeBrain
) presented Sina Tafazoli’s paper on building compositional tasks with shared neural subspaces. This 🧵 explores our thoughts (🤍 & ❔)
February 11, 2026 at 3:56 PM
Last week, Jim Zhang (4th year PhD student,
@DukeBrain
) presented Sina Tafazoli’s paper on building compositional tasks with shared neural subspaces. This 🧵 explores our thoughts (🤍 & ❔)
@DukeBrain
) presented Sina Tafazoli’s paper on building compositional tasks with shared neural subspaces. This 🧵 explores our thoughts (🤍 & ❔)
Come by tomorrow morning to see Baishen's work on verbal working memory!
Lastly (not least):
Wed. Nov 19 8am-12pm: 411.11 / MM10
Sensory-motor mechanisms for verbal working memory*
Postdoc Baishen Liang will be presenting his work on sensory-motor transformations for vWM
@gregoryhickok.bsky.social
*Also presenting at APAN
Wed. Nov 19 8am-12pm: 411.11 / MM10
Sensory-motor mechanisms for verbal working memory*
Postdoc Baishen Liang will be presenting his work on sensory-motor transformations for vWM
@gregoryhickok.bsky.social
*Also presenting at APAN
November 19, 2025 at 1:12 AM
Come by tomorrow morning to see Baishen's work on verbal working memory!
Come by this morning to see Areti's poster!
Next:
Mon. Nov 17 8am-12pm: 173.10 / S11
Multimodal sensory-motor transformations for speech
@dukeengineering.bsky.social PhD Student Areti Majumdar will be presenting her work on multimodal sensory-motor transformations for speech
Mon. Nov 17 8am-12pm: 173.10 / S11
Multimodal sensory-motor transformations for speech
@dukeengineering.bsky.social PhD Student Areti Majumdar will be presenting her work on multimodal sensory-motor transformations for speech
November 17, 2025 at 2:59 PM
Come by this morning to see Areti's poster!
At #Sfn2025 ?
Come see some of the lab's posters this afternoon!
Come see some of the lab's posters this afternoon!
Coming to San Diego for SfN and/or APAN? Come check out the intracranial work from the lab (7 posters)! There's a bit of everything this year, so come say hello!
#Sfn2025 #Neuroscience #neuroskyence
@dukebrain.bsky.social @dukeneurosurgery.bsky.social @dukeengineering.bsky.social
#Sfn2025 #Neuroscience #neuroskyence
@dukebrain.bsky.social @dukeneurosurgery.bsky.social @dukeengineering.bsky.social
November 16, 2025 at 2:30 PM
At #Sfn2025 ?
Come see some of the lab's posters this afternoon!
Come see some of the lab's posters this afternoon!
Coming to San Diego for SfN and/or APAN? Come check out the intracranial work from the lab (7 posters)! There's a bit of everything this year, so come say hello!
#Sfn2025 #Neuroscience #neuroskyence
@dukebrain.bsky.social @dukeneurosurgery.bsky.social @dukeengineering.bsky.social
#Sfn2025 #Neuroscience #neuroskyence
@dukebrain.bsky.social @dukeneurosurgery.bsky.social @dukeengineering.bsky.social
November 10, 2025 at 8:55 PM
Coming to San Diego for SfN and/or APAN? Come check out the intracranial work from the lab (7 posters)! There's a bit of everything this year, so come say hello!
#Sfn2025 #Neuroscience #neuroskyence
@dukebrain.bsky.social @dukeneurosurgery.bsky.social @dukeengineering.bsky.social
#Sfn2025 #Neuroscience #neuroskyence
@dukebrain.bsky.social @dukeneurosurgery.bsky.social @dukeengineering.bsky.social
Come by tomorrow morning to hear about verbal working memory!
Saturday Sept. 13 11am-12:30pm, Poster Session C
C54: Baishen Liang (Postdoctoral Associate) will be presenting his work on sensory-motor mechanisms for verbal working memory.
Hope to see you all there!
C54: Baishen Liang (Postdoctoral Associate) will be presenting his work on sensory-motor mechanisms for verbal working memory.
Hope to see you all there!
September 12, 2025 at 11:16 PM
Come by tomorrow morning to hear about verbal working memory!
Stop by this afternoon to see some intracranial speech decoding in the hippocampus and to say hello!
Friday Sept 12 4:30pm-6:00pm, Poster Session B
B70: Yuchao Wang (Rotation CNAP PhD Student) will be presenting his work on auditory pseudoword decoding in the hippocampus.
B70: Yuchao Wang (Rotation CNAP PhD Student) will be presenting his work on auditory pseudoword decoding in the hippocampus.
September 12, 2025 at 5:59 PM
Stop by this afternoon to see some intracranial speech decoding in the hippocampus and to say hello!
Coming to DC for SNL later this week?
Come check out our posters on speech decoding and verbal working memory using intracranial recordings!
@snlmtg.bsky.social
#SNL2025
Come check out our posters on speech decoding and verbal working memory using intracranial recordings!
@snlmtg.bsky.social
#SNL2025
September 10, 2025 at 8:18 PM
Coming to DC for SNL later this week?
Come check out our posters on speech decoding and verbal working memory using intracranial recordings!
@snlmtg.bsky.social
#SNL2025
Come check out our posters on speech decoding and verbal working memory using intracranial recordings!
@snlmtg.bsky.social
#SNL2025
Last week, Zac Spalding (@zspald.bsky.social, 4th year PhD student, @dukeubme.bsky.social) presented Adam Gosztolai, Robert Peach, and colleagues’ 2025 paper on MARBLE, a method for finding interpretable latent representations of neural dynamics.
MARBLE: interpretable representations of neural population dynamics using geometric deep learning - Nature Methods
MARBLE uses geometric deep learning to map dynamics such as neural activity into a latent representation, which can then be used to decode the neural activity or compare it across systems.
www.nature.com
September 9, 2025 at 2:51 PM
Last week, Zac Spalding (@zspald.bsky.social, 4th year PhD student, @dukeubme.bsky.social) presented Adam Gosztolai, Robert Peach, and colleagues’ 2025 paper on MARBLE, a method for finding interpretable latent representations of neural dynamics.
Reposted by Cogan Lab
Exciting work by PhD student Zac Spalding @zspald.bsky.social and multiple labs across departments at Duke! A combination of human electrophysiology, modeling/decoding, and cognitive concepts to improve BCI for speech in patients. 👏 🧠📈
We’re happy to present @zspald.bsky.social 's work on shared neural representations of speech production across individuals! We find that patient-specific data can be aligned to a shared space that preserves speech information, enabling cross-patient speech BCIs.
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
August 27, 2025 at 3:45 AM
Exciting work by PhD student Zac Spalding @zspald.bsky.social and multiple labs across departments at Duke! A combination of human electrophysiology, modeling/decoding, and cognitive concepts to improve BCI for speech in patients. 👏 🧠📈
From Cogan Lab Journal Club with @zspald.bsky.social
these decomposition acronyms are getting out of hand!
these decomposition acronyms are getting out of hand!
August 26, 2025 at 8:55 PM
From Cogan Lab Journal Club with @zspald.bsky.social
these decomposition acronyms are getting out of hand!
these decomposition acronyms are getting out of hand!
We’re happy to present @zspald.bsky.social 's work on shared neural representations of speech production across individuals! We find that patient-specific data can be aligned to a shared space that preserves speech information, enabling cross-patient speech BCIs.
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
August 25, 2025 at 1:24 PM
We’re happy to present @zspald.bsky.social 's work on shared neural representations of speech production across individuals! We find that patient-specific data can be aligned to a shared space that preserves speech information, enabling cross-patient speech BCIs.
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Last week, Nanlin Shi (Postdoctoral Associate) presented Jessie Liu and colleague’s latest work on speech encoding in the middle Precentral Gyrus (mPrCG). This 🧵 explores our thoughts (🤍 & ❔)
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Speech sequencing in the human precentral gyrus - Nature Human Behaviour
Liu et al. examine the role of sustained neural activity in the planning and production of speech sequences, revealing a key role for the middle precentral gyrus.
www.nature.com
August 19, 2025 at 1:43 PM
Last week, Nanlin Shi (Postdoctoral Associate) presented Jessie Liu and colleague’s latest work on speech encoding in the middle Precentral Gyrus (mPrCG). This 🧵 explores our thoughts (🤍 & ❔)
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
This week, Jim Zhang (3rd year PhD student, @dukebrain.bsky.social) presented Brooke Staveland’s paper on circuit dynamics of approach-avoidance conflict in humans. This 🧵 explores our thoughts (🤍 & ❔)
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Circuit dynamics of approach-avoidance conflict in humans
Debilitating anxiety is pervasive in the modern world. Choices to approach or avoid are common in everyday life and excessive avoidance is a cardinal feature of all anxiety disorders. Here, we used in...
www.biorxiv.org
July 22, 2025 at 2:19 PM
This week, Jim Zhang (3rd year PhD student, @dukebrain.bsky.social) presented Brooke Staveland’s paper on circuit dynamics of approach-avoidance conflict in humans. This 🧵 explores our thoughts (🤍 & ❔)
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Last week, Areti Majumdar (1st year PhD student) presented Leyao Yu and colleagues’ new paper on two overlapping but distinct frontal networks for word retrieval. This 🧵 explores our thoughts (🤍 & ❔)
doi.org/10.1016/j.ce...
doi.org/10.1016/j.ce...
July 16, 2025 at 5:27 PM
Last week, Areti Majumdar (1st year PhD student) presented Leyao Yu and colleagues’ new paper on two overlapping but distinct frontal networks for word retrieval. This 🧵 explores our thoughts (🤍 & ❔)
doi.org/10.1016/j.ce...
doi.org/10.1016/j.ce...