Prof. Avi Karni M. D.
04-8288052
Head of Laboratory: Human Brain and Learning Laboratory
Research at the HBL laboratory focuses on the neuro-behavioral constraints that are imposed on the ability of humans to acquire, retain and master novel skills (“how to” knowledge). The studies stem from the notion that human learning and especially the generation of long-term memory reflects a set of basic and highly controlled biological processes (neuronal plasticity), at cellular and brain systems level, that need to be accounted for, and satisfied in order to achieve mastery and skill. The goal is to contribute to a neuro-behavioral perspective on learning, across the human life span, so as to better recruit biological memory processes in the practice of teaching, skill acquisition and in the rehabilitation of disabled individuals. In the lab, analyses of behavior, physiological measurements and brain-imaging techniques are employed to study learning and memory in multiple domains; from the generation of novel movement sequences to the mastery of a new language.
- Procedural Learning
- Memory Consolidation Processes
- Developmental Learning Disabilities, Functional Brain Mapping
1981 MD, Tel Aviv University, Sackler School of Medicine, Tel-Aviv
1992 PhD in Neurobiology, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot
1992 Neurology board certification, Sheba Medical Center, Tel Hashomer, Ramat-Gan
1996 Post-doctoral fellow, National Institutes of Health, NIMH, Bethesda, MD
- Korman M., Shaklai S., Cisamariu K., Gal C., Maaravi- Hesseg R., Levy I., Keren O., Karni A. & Sacher Y. (2018). Atypical within-session motor procedural learning after traumatic brain injury but well-preserved between-session procedural memory consolidation. Frontiers in human neuroscience. 12:10. doi: 10.3389/fnhum.2018.00010
- Gabitov E., Boutin A., Pinsard B., Censor N., Fogel S. M., Albouy G., King B. R., Benali H., Carrier J., Cohen L. G., Karni A. & Doyon J. (2017). Re-stepping into the same river: competition problem rather than a reconsolidation failure in an established motor skill. Scientific reports, 7(1), 9406. doi: 10.1038/s41598-017-09677-1.
- Korman M., Levy I., Karni A., (2017). Procedural memory consolidation in Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder is promoted by scheduling of practice to evening hours. Frontiers in Psychiatry 8, 140 doi: 10.3389/fpsyt.2017.00140.
- Rubinsten O. & Karni A., (2017). Innateness of magnitude perception? Skill can be acquired and mastered at all ages. The Behavioral and Brain Sciences 40, e186. doi: 10.1017/S0140525X16002247.
- Gabay Y., Karni A., Banai K. (2017). The perceptual learning of time-compressed speech: A comparison of training protocols with different levels of difficulty. Plos One 12(5), e0176488. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0176488.
- Zohar- Shai B., Tzelgov J., Karni A., Rubinsten O. (2017). It Does Exist! A Left-to-Right Spatial-Numerical Association of Response Codes (SNARC) Effect Among Native Hebrew Speakers. Journal of experimental psychology. Human perception and performance. 43 (4), 719-728 doi: 10.1037/xhp0000336.
- Korman M., Herling Z., Levy I., Egbarieh N., Engel-Yeger B. & Karni A., (2017). Background matters: Minor vibratory stimulation during motor skill acquisition selectively reduces off-line memory consolidation. Neurobiology of learning and memory 140, 27-32.
- Rumpf JJ, Wegscheider M, Hinselmann K, Fricke C, King BR, Weise D, Klann J, Binkofski F, Buccino G, Karni A, Doyon J, Classen J. (2016): Enhancement of motor consolidation by post-training transcranial direct current stimulation in older people. Neurobiol Aging. 2016 Sep 13;49:1-8. doi: 10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2016.09.003
- Albouy G, King BR, Schmidt C, Desseilles M, Dang-Vu TT, Balteau E, Phillips C, Degueldre C, Orban P, Benali H, Peigneux P, Luxen A, Karni A, Doyon J, Maquet P, Korman M (2016): Cerebral Activity Associated with Transient Sleep-Facilitated Reduction in Motor Memory Vulnerability to Interference. Sci Reports 2016 Oct 11;6:34948. doi: 10.1038/srep34948.
- Fogel S, Vien C, Karni A, Benali H, Carrier J, Doyon J. (2016): Sleep spindles: a physiological marker of age-related changes in gray matter in brain regions supporting motor skill memory consolidation. Neurobiol Aging. 2016 Oct 11;49:154-164. doi: 10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2016.10.009.
- Fox O, Adi-Japha E, Karni A. (2017): Motor memory consolidation processes in young female adults with ADHD may be less susceptible to interference. Neurosci Lett. 2017 Jan 10;637:91-95. doi: 10.1016/j.neulet.2016.11.044.
- Maisam Hayek1,2, Shoshi Dorfberger1,3, Avi Karni1,2,4 & Zohar Eviatar1,5,6 Transcoding number words to multi-digit numerals: the strange case of Arabic bilinguals. Under revision to Memory & Cognition.