Clinical Social Neuroscience Unit

Social cognition, inter-subjectivity, social behaviors are crucial elements for successful everyday interaction and communication as well as for a mature and fulfilling quality of life.

The primary aim of the Lab is to understand from a neuroscientific point of view the mechanisms (neurochemical and neurophysiological) behind processes at the heart of what has been termed “social intelligence”, such as empathy and prosocial behaviors, in the clinical and non-clinical population. This goal is achieved by using multi-level approach that combines different methodologies: genetic, functional neuroimaging, TMS, EEG and pharmacological manipulations.


Research Lines

  • Basic research: focus on the understanding of the fundamental mechanisms behind social cognition, social emotions and their link to social behaviors.
  • Clinical research: focus on the understanding of deficits in social competence and processing of other people’s mental and emotional states observed in pathology such as sociopathy, autism and alexithymia.
  • Developmental research: focus on the understanding of the development of social emotions, social intelligence and prosociality across the life span.
  • Translational research: focus on bridging different theoretical and methodological approaches such as psychotherapy and neuroscience.

News from the lab

Interested in our last lab retreat? Find a short article and a selection of pictures here.


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