Dr Narun Pat (Pornpattananangkul) studies brain bases of individual differences in cognition, emotion and motivation. His laboratory employs cognitive neuroscience methods (such as, fMRI, EEG and polygenic scores) along with modern data science tools (such as, big data, machine learning and computational modeling). His research has been supported by Health Research Council of New Zealand, Oakley Mental Health Research Foundation, Otago Medical Research Foundation and University of Otago.
Narun joined the Department in 2019. He was trained by clinical and social neuroscientists during his PhD in Brain Behavior and Cognition at Northwestern University in the US. He was then trained by a neuroeconomist during his first post-doctoral position at National University of Singapore. He later worked with psychiatrists and neuroimagers during his second post-doctoral training at the National Institute of Mental Health in the US. Accordingly, he has developed an interdisciplinary research program to study individual differences and has collaborated with people across fields of study locally and internationally. He obtained several academic awards from agencies such as Fulbright and the US National Institute of Health.
Research interests
human cognitive neuroscience techniques (fMRI and EEG)
individual differences in cognition, emotion and motivation
mental and neurodevelopmental health (e.g., mood disorders and ADHD)
Pat, N., Wang, Y., Bartonicek, A., Candia, J., & Stringaris, A. (2023). Explainable machine learning approach to predict and explain the relationship between task-based fMRI and individual differences in cognition. Cerebral Cortex, 33, 2682-2703. doi: 10.1093/cercor/bhac235
Journal - Research Article
Huang, Y., Pat, N., Kok, B. C., Chai, J., Feng, L., & Yu, R. (2023). Getting over past mistakes: Prospective and retrospective regret in older adults. Journals of Gerontology Series B, 78(3), 469-478. doi: 10.1093/geronb/gbac159
Journal - Research Article
Tetereva, A., Li, J., Deng, J. D., Stringaris, A., & Pat, N. (2022). Capturing brain-cognition relationship: Integrating task-based fMRI across tasks markedly boosts prediction and test-retest reliability. NeuroImage, 263, 119588. doi: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2022.119588
Journal - Research Article
Pat, N., Wang, Y., Anney, R., Riglin, L., Thapar, A., & Stringaris, A. (2022). Longitudinally stable, brain-based predictive models mediate the relationships between childhood cognition and socio-demographic, psychological and genetic factors. Human Brain Mapping, 43, 5520-5542. doi: 10.1002/hbm.26027
Journal - Research Article
Pat, N., Riglin, L., Anney, R., Wang, Y., Barch, D. M., Thapar, A., & Stringaris, A. (2022). Motivation and cognitive abilities as mediators between polygenic scores and psychopathology in children. Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 61(6), 782-795. doi: 10.1016/j.jaac.2021.08.019
Journal - Research Article
Bartonicek, A., Wickham, S. R., Pat, N., & Conner, T. S. (2021). The value of Bayesian predictive projection for variable selection: An example of selecting lifestyle predictors of young adult well-being. BMC Public Health, 21, 695. doi: 10.1186/s12889-021-10690-3
Journal - Research Article
Vidal-Ribas, P., Janiri, D., Doucet, G. E., Pornpattananangkul, N., Nielson, D., Frangou, S., & Stringaris, A. (2021). Multimodal neuroimaging of suicidal thoughts and behaviors in a U.S. population-based sample of school-age children. American Journal of Psychiatry, 178(4), 321-332. doi: 10.1176/appi.ajp.2020.20020120
Journal - Research Article
Nielson, D. M., Keren, H., O'Callaghan, G., Jackson, S. M., Douka, I., Zheng, C. Y., … Pornpattananangkul, N., … Stringaris, A. (2021). Great expectations: A critical review of and recommendations for the study of reward processing as a cause and predictor of depression. Biological Psychiatry, 89(2), 134-143. doi: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2020.06.012
Journal - Research Other
Harada, T., Mano, Y., Komeda, H., Hechtman, L. A., Pornpattananangkul, N., Parrish, T. B., … Chiao, J. Y. (2020). Cultural influences on neural systems of intergroup emotion perception: An fMRI study. Neuropsychologia, 137, 107254. doi: 10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2019.107254
Journal - Research Article
Glazer, J. E., Kelley, N. J., Pornpattananangkul, N., & Nusslock, R. (2019). Hypomania and depression associated with distinct neural activity for immediate and future rewards. Psychophysiology, 56(3), e13301. doi: 10.1111/psyp.13301
Journal - Research Article
Kelley, N. J., Glazer, J. E., Pornpattananangkul, N., & Nusslock, R. (2019). Reappraisal and suppression emotion-regulation tendencies differentially predict reward-responsivity and psychological well-being. Biological Psychology, 140, 35-47. doi: 10.1016/j.biopsycho.2018.11.005
Journal - Research Article
Nadig, A., Kelley, N. J., Pornpattananangkul, N., Glazer, J. E., & Nusslock, R. (2019). Shifts in attentional scope modulate event-related potentials evoked by reward. Cognitive, Affective & Behavioral Neuroscience, 19, 586-599. doi: 10.3758/s13415-019-00705-3
Journal - Research Article
Pornpattananangkul, N., Chowdhury, A., Feng, L., & Yu, R. (2019). Social discounting in the elderly: Senior citizens are good Samaritans to strangers. Journals of Gerontology Series B, 74(1), 52-58. doi: 10.1093/geronb/gbx040
Journal - Research Article
Pornpattananangkul, N., Grogans, S., Yu, R., & Nusslock, R. (2019). Single-trial EEG dissociates motivation and conflict processes during decision-making under risk. NeuroImage, 188, 483-501. doi: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2018.12.029
Journal - Research Article
Pornpattananangkul, N., Leibenluft, E., Pine, D. S., & Stringaris, A. (2019). Association of brain functions in children with anhedonia mapped onto brain imaging measures. JAMA Psychiatry, 76(6), 624-633. doi: 10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2019.0020
Journal - Research Article
Glazer, J. E., Kelley, N. J., Pornpattananangkul, N., Mittal, V. A., & Nusslock, R. (2018). Beyond the FRN: Broadening the time-course of EEG and ERP components implicated in reward processing. International Journal of Psychophysiology, 132, 184-202. doi: 10.1016/j.ijpsycho.2018.02.002
Journal - Research Article
Pornpattananangkul, N., Kok, B. C., Chai, J., Huang, Y., Feng, L., & Yu, R. (2018). Choosing for you: Diminished self-other discrepancies in financial decisions under risk in the elderly. Psychology & Aging, 33(6), 871-891. doi: 10.1037/pag0000284
Journal - Research Article
Pornpattananangkul, N., Zhen, S., & Yu, R. (2018). Common and distinct neural correlates of self-serving and prosocial dishonesty. Human Brain Mapping, 39(7), 3086-3103. doi: 10.1002/hbm.24062
Journal - Research Article
Pornpattananangkul, N., Nadig, A., Heidinger, S., Walden, K., & Nusslock, R. (2017). Elevated outcome-anticipation and outcome-evaluation ERPs associated with a greater preference for larger-but-delayed rewards. Cognitive, Affective & Behavioral Neuroscience, 17(3), 625-641. doi: 10.3758/s13415-017-0501-4
Journal - Research Article
Reznik, S. J., Nusslock, R., Pornpattananangkul, N., Abramson, L. Y., Coan, J. A., & Harmon-Jones, E. (2017). Laboratory-induced learned helplessness attenuates approach motivation as indexed by posterior versus frontal theta activity. Cognitive, Affective & Behavioral Neuroscience, 17(4), 904-916. doi: 10.3758/s13415-017-0521-0
Journal - Research Article
Pornpattananangkul, N., Zhang, J., Chen, Q., Kok, B. C., & Yu, R. (2017). Generous to whom? The influence of oxytocin on social discounting [Short communication]. Psychoneuroendocrinology, 79, 93-97. doi: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2017.02.016
Journal - Research Other
Pornpattananangkul, N., & Nusslock, R. (2016). Willing to wait: Elevated reward-processing EEG activity associated with a greater preference for larger-but-delayed rewards. Neuropsychologia, 91, 141-162. doi: 10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2016.07.037
Journal - Research Article
Pornpattananangkul, N., Hariri, A. R., Harada, T., Mano, Y., Komeda, H., Parrish, T. B., … Chiao, J. Y. (2016). Cultural influences on neural basis of inhibitory control. NeuroImage, 139, 114-126. doi: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2016.05.061
Journal - Research Article
Nusslock, R., Young, C. B., Pornpattananangkul, N., & Damme, K. S. F. (2015). Neurophysiological and neuroimaging techniques. In R. L. Cautin & S. O. Lilienfeld (Eds.), The encyclopedia of clinical psychology. (pp. 1976-1984). John Wiley & Sons. doi: 10.1002/9781118625392.wbecp557
Chapter in Book - Research
Hu, X., Pornpattananangkul, N., & Nusslock, R. (2015). Executive control- and reward-related neural processes associated with the opportunity to engage in voluntary dishonest moral decision making. Cognitive, Affective & Behavioral Neuroscience, 15(2), 475-491. doi: 10.3758/s13415-015-0336-9
Journal - Research Article
Pornpattananangkul, N., & Nusslock, R. (2015). Motivated to win: Relationship between anticipatory and outcome reward-related neural activity. Brain & Cognition, 100, 21-40. doi: 10.1016/j.bandc.2015.09.002
Journal - Research Article
Pornpattananangkul, N., Hu, X., & Nusslock, R. (2015). Threat/reward-sensitivity and hypomanic-personality modulate cognitive-control and attentional neural processes to emotional stimuli. Social Cognitive & Affective Neuroscience, 10(11), 1525-1536. doi: 10.1093/scan/nsv042
Journal - Research Article
Walden, K., Pornpattananangkul, N., Curlee, A., McAdams, D. P., & Nusslock, R. (2015). Posterior versus frontal theta activity indexes approach motivation during affective autobiographical memories. Cognitive, Affective & Behavioral Neuroscience, 15, 132-144. doi: 10.3758/s13415-014-0322-7
Journal - Research Article
Zabelina, D. L., O'Leary, D., Pornpattananangkul, N., Nusslock, R., & Beeman, M. (2015). Creativity and sensory gating indexed by the P50: Selective versus leaky sensory gating in divergent thinkers and creative achievers. Neuropsychologia, 69, 77-84. doi: 10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2015.01.034
Journal - Research Article
Pornpattananangkul, N., Zink, C. F., & Chiao, J. Y. (2014). Neural basis of social status hierarchy. In J. T. Cheng, J. L. Tracy & C. Anderson (Eds.), The psychology of social status. (pp. 303-323). New York, NY: Springer. doi: 10.1007/978-1-4939-0867-7_14
Chapter in Book - Research
Pornpattananangkul, N., & Chiao, J. Y. (2014). Comment: Affect control theory and cultural priming: A perspective from cultural neuroscience. Emotion Review, 6(2), 136-137. doi: 10.1177/1754073913512001
Journal - Research Other
Pornpattananangkul, N., Cheong, B. K., & Chiao, J. Y. (2014). The role of negativity bias in political judgment: A cultural neuroscience perspective. Behavioral & Brain Sciences, 37(3), 325-326. doi: 10.1017/S0140525X13002707
Journal - Research Other
Chiao, J. Y., Cheong, B. K., Pornpattananangkul, N., Mrazek, A. J., & Blizinsky, K. D. (2013). Cultural neuroscience: Understanding human diversity. In M. J. Gelfand, C.-Y. Chiu & Y.-Y. Hong (Eds.), Advances in culture and psychology. (pp. 1-76). New York, NY: Oxford University Press.
Chapter in Book - Research
Chiao, J. Y., Cheong, B. K., Pornpattananangkul, N., Mrazek, A. J., & Blizinsky, K. D. (2013). Cultural neuroscience: Progress and promise. Psychological Inquiry, 24(1), 1-19. doi: 10.1080/1047840X.2013.752715
Journal - Research Article
Hu, X., Pornpattananangkul, N., & Rosenfeld, J. P. (2013). N200 and P300 as orthogonal and integrable indicators of distinct awareness and recognition processes in memory detection. Psychophysiology, 50(5), 454-464. doi: 10.1111/psyp.12018
Journal - Research Article
Cheong, B. K., Mrazek, A. J., Pornpattananangkul, N., Blizinsky, K. D., & Chiao, J. Y. (2013). Constraints, catalysts and coevolution in cultural neuroscience: Reply to commentaries. Psychological Inquiry, 24, 71-79. doi: 10.1080/1047840X.2013.773599
Journal - Research Other
Hechtman, L. A., Pornpattananangkul, N., & Chiao, J. Y. (2012). Psychological constructionism and cultural neuroscience. Behavioral & Brain Sciences, 35, 152-153. doi: 10.1017/S0140525X11001713
Journal - Research Other
Chiao, J. Y., Hechtman, L., & Pornpattananangkul, N. (2011). Cultural neuroscience and the collective good. In D. R. Forsyth & C. L. Hoyt (Eds.), For the greater good of all: Perspectives on individualism, society, and leadership. (pp. 49-67). New York, NY: Palgrave Macmillan. doi: 10.1057/9780230116269
Chapter in Book - Research