Dr Gianna Cocchini
Staff details
Gianna is a Senior Lecturer in Neuropsychology at Goldsmiths. She is a member of the Goldsmiths Cognition and Neuroscience Group and a co-founder of the BRNet (Body Representation Network; https://bodyrepresentation.wixsite.com/brnet). Gianna has worked with neurological population for several years before becoming an academic (https://giannacocchini.wixsite.com/gcpage). She has a research record of studies aiming to understand the mechanisms underlying specific aspects of neuropsychological syndromes (in particular, neglect and anosognosia). Her research contributions have covered various areas: anosognosia for cognitive and motor impairment, hemispatial neglect, dual task and alertness in dementia, body mental representation and its distortions
Teaching and Supervision
Main teaching subjects:
- Cognitive and clinical neuropsychology (both undergraduate and postgraduate levels)
- Biological aspects of brain functions (both undergraduate and postgraduate levels)
- Research project (various topics) supervisor (both undergraduate and postgraduate levels)
Research interests
Gianna’s research mainly focuses on cognitive disorders caused by brain lesions or brain degeneration (such as dementia). Key areas are listed below:
• Anosognosia for motor and cognitive impairment
• Body representation
• Hemispatial neglect syndrome
• Personal neglect
• Psychometric assessment
• Alzheimer’s Disease
• Dual task
Publications and research outputs
Book Section
Cocchini, Gianna. 2012. Cognitive Neuropsychology. In: Nick Braisby and Angus Gellatly, eds. Cognitive Psychology. Oxford: Oxford University Press, pp. 399-429. ISBN 978-0-19-923699-2
Cocchini, Gianna and Della Sala, Sergio. 2010. Assessing anosognosia for motor an language impairments. In: George Prigatano, ed. The Study of Anosognosia. New York and Oxford: Oxford University Press, pp. 123-144. ISBN 978-0-19-537909-9
Cocchini, Gianna and Della Sala, Sergio. 2006. Anosognosia. Non ho niente dottore! In: Sergio Della Sala and Nicoletta Beschin, eds. Il cervello ferito. Firenze: Giunti, pp. 159-172. ISBN 88-09-04428-2
Article
Mora, Laura; Gonzalez Alted, Carlos and Cocchini, Gianna. 2023. The flubbed body: pathological body size representation in personal neglect. Neuropsychologia, 183, 108522. ISSN 0028-3932
Mora, Laura; Committeri, Giorgia; Ciavarro, Marco and Cocchini, Gianna. 2022. Selective effects of a brain tumor on the metric representation of the hand: a pre- versus post-surgery comparison. Experimental Brain Research, 240(12), pp. 3183-3192. ISSN 0014-4819
Cocchini, Gianna; Scandola, Michele; Gobetto, Valeria; Cioffi, Maria Cristina; Bartolo, Angela; Moore, James W. and Moro, Valentina. 2022. The ‘healthy side’ of anosognosia for hemiplegia: Increased sense of agency for the unimpaired limb or motor compensation? Neuropsychologia, 177, 108421. ISSN 0028-3932
Della Sala, Sergio; Cocchini, Gianna; Beschin, Nicoletta; Fowler, Elizabeth A.; Kaschel, Patrick and McIntosh, Robert D.. 2022. VATA-ADL: The Visual Analogue Test for Anosognosia for Activities of Daily Living. Archives of Clinical Neuropsychology, 37(6), pp. 1185-1198. ISSN 0887-6177
Caggiano, Pietro; Grossi, Giordana; Carlacci De Mattia, Lucilla; Van Velzen, Jose L. and Cocchini, Gianna. 2022. Objects with motor valence affect the visual processing of human body parts: Evidence from behavioural and ERP studies. Cortex, 153, pp. 194-206. ISSN 0010-9452
Cocchini, Gianna and Beschin, Nicoletta. 2022. The Fluff test: Improved scoring system to account for different degrees of contralesional and ipsilesional personal neglect in brain-damaged patients. Neuropsychological Rehabilitation, 32(1), pp. 69-83. ISSN 0960-2011
Caggiano, Pietro; Bertone, Elena and Cocchini, Gianna. 2021. Same action in different spatial locations induces selective modulation of body metric representation. Experimental Brain Research, 239(8), pp. 2509-2518. ISSN 0014-4819
Mora, Laura; Sedda, Anna; Esteban, Teresa and Cocchini, Gianna. 2021. The signing body: Extensive sign language practice shapes the size of hands and face. Experimental Brain Research, 239(7), pp. 2233-2249. ISSN 0014-4819
Moro, Valentina; Pacella, V.; Luxon, Deborah and Cocchini, Gianna. 2021. Rehabilitation and Modulation aimed at ameliorating awareness in Anosognosia for Hemiplegia. Acta Neuropsychologica, 19(2), pp. 231-256. ISSN 1730-7503
Caggiano, Pietro and Cocchini, Gianna. 2020. The functional body: Does body representation reflect functional properties? Experimental Brain Research, 238, pp. 153-169. ISSN 0014-4819
Caggiano, Pietro; Veronelli, Laura; Mora, Laura; Arduino, Lisa; Corbo, Massimo and Cocchini, Gianna. 2020. The downsized hand in Personal Neglect. Journal of Clinical and Experimental Neuropsychology, 42(10), pp. 1072-1084. ISSN 1380-3395
Chapman, Silvia; Cosentino, Stephanie; Igwe, Kay; Abdurahman, Ayat; Elkind, Mitchell S.V.; Brickman, Adam M.; Charlton, Rebecca A and Cocchini, Gianna. 2020. Mnemonic Monitoring in Anosognosia for Memory Loss. Neuropsychology, 34(6), pp. 675-685. ISSN 0894-4105
Chapman, Silvia; Beschin, Nicoletta; Cosentino, Stephanie; Elkind, Mitchell S.V.; Della Sala, Sergio and Cocchini, Gianna. 2019. Anosognosia for prospective and retrospective memory deficits: assessment and theoretical considerations. Neuropsychology, 33(7), pp. 1020-1031. ISSN 0894-4105
Romano, Daniele; Uberti, Elena; Caggiano, Pietro; Cocchini, Gianna and Maravita, Angelo. 2019. Different tool training induces specific effects on body metric representation. Experimental Brain Research, 237(2), pp. 493-501. ISSN 0014-4819
Cocchini, Gianna; Galligan, Toni; Mora, Laura and Kuhn, Gustav. 2018. The magic hand: plasticity of mental hand representation. The Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology, 71(11), pp. 2314-2324. ISSN 1747-0218
Mora, Laura; Cowie, D; Banissy, Michael J. and Cocchini, Gianna. 2018. My true face: unmasking one’s own face representation. Acta Psychologica, 191, pp. 63-68. ISSN 0001-6918
Chapman, Silvia; Colvin, Leigh E.; Vuorre, Matti; Cocchini, Gianna; Metcalfe, Janet; Huey, Edward D. and Cosentino, Stephanie. 2018. Cross Domain Self-Monitoring in Anosognosia for Memory Loss in Alzheimer’s disease. Cortex, 101, pp. 221-233. ISSN 0010-9452
Cocchini, Gianna; Beschin, Nicoletta and Della Sala, Sergio. 2018. Unawareness for motor impairment and distorted perception of task difficulty. Journal of the International Neuropsychological Society, 24(1), pp. 45-56. ISSN 1355-6177
Cioffi, Maria Cristina; Cocchini, Gianna; Banissy, Michael J. and Moore, James W.. 2017. Ageing and agency: age-related changes in susceptibility to illusory experiences of control. Royal Society Open Science, 4(5), 161065. ISSN 2054-5703
Allen, Rory and Cocchini, Gianna. 2017. Treatment response profiles: An extension of the double dissociation concept in neuropsychological research. Neuropsychological Rehabilitation, 27(1), pp. 80-98. ISSN 0960-2011
Dean, Michael P; Della Sala, Sergio; Beschin, Nicoletta and Cocchini, Gianna. 2017. Anosognosia and self-correction of naming errors in aphasia. Aphasiology, 31(7), pp. 725-740. ISSN 1464-5041
Cocchini, Gianna; Filardi, Maria Serena; Crhonkova, Marcela and Halpern, Andrea. 2017. Musical expertise has minimal impact on dual task performance. Memory, 25(5), pp. 677-685. ISSN 0965-8211
Cocchini, Gianna and Grossi, Giordana. 2016. Extinction: Possible interference of top-down information. A case study. Acta Neuropsychologica, 14(4), pp. 381-387. ISSN 1730-7503
Jansari, Ashok S.; Cocchini, Gianna; Jenkinson, Paul; Bajo, Ana and Ietswaart, Magdalena. 2015. NHS Ethics: Shoe-bombers and why ‘less needs to be more’. Cortex, 71, pp. 409-411. ISSN 0010-9452
Foley, Jennifer A.; Cocchini, Gianna; Logie, Robert H. and Della Sala, Sergio. 2015. No dual-task practice effect in Alzheimer's disease. Memory, 23(4), pp. 518-528. ISSN 0965-8211
Caggiano, Pietro; Beschin, Nicoletta and Cocchini, Gianna. 2014. Personal Neglect Following Unilateral Right And Left Brain Damage. Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences, 140, pp. 164-167. ISSN 1877-0428
Bodak, R; Malhotra, P; Bernardi, N.F.; Cocchini, Gianna and Stewart, Lauren. 2014. Reducing chronic visuo-spatial neglect following right hemisphere stroke through instrument playing. Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, 8(413), ISSN 1662-5161
Cocchini, Gianna; Lello, Owen; McIntosh, Robert and Della Sala, Sergio. 2014. Phantabulation: A case of visual imagery interference on visual perception. Neurocase, 20(5), pp. 581-590. ISSN 1355-4794
Watling, Rosamond; Danckert, James; Linnell, Karina J and Cocchini, Gianna. 2013. Extinction and Anti-extinction: The “Attentional Waiting” Hypothesis. Neuropsychology, 27(2), pp. 275-279. ISSN 0894-4105
Cocchini, Gianna; Crosta, Eleonora; Allen, Rory; Zaro, Francesco and Beschin, Nicoletta. 2013. Relationship between anosognosia and depression in aphasic patients. Journal of Clinical and Experimental Neuropsychology, pp. 1-11.
Cocchini, Gianna; Beschin, Nicoletta and Della Sala, Sergio. 2012. Assessing anosognosia: a critical review. Acta Neuropsychologica, 10(3), pp. 419-443.
Beschin, Nicoletta; Cocchini, Gianna; Allen, Rory and Della Sala, Sergio. 2012. Anosognosia and neglect respond differently to the same treatments. Neuropsychological Rehabilitation, 22(4), pp. 550-562.
Williamson, V. J.; Cocchini, Gianna and Stewart, Lauren. 2011. The relationship between pitch and space in congenital amusia. Brain and Cognition, 76(1), pp. 70-76.
Cocchini, Gianna; Beschin, Nicoletta; Fotopoulou, Aikaterini and Della Sala, Sergio. 2010. Explicit and implicit anosognosia or upper limb motor impairment. Neuropsychologia, 48(5), pp. 1489-1494. ISSN 0028-3932
Sergio, Della Sala; Cocchini, Gianna; Robert, Logie; Michael, Allerhand and Sarah, MacPherson. 2010. Dual Task During Encoding, Maintenance, and Retrieval in Alzheimer's Disease. Journal of Alzheimer's Disease, 19(2), pp. 503-515. ISSN 1387-2877
Cocchini, Gianna; Gregg, Nicola; Beschin, Nicoletta; Dean, Michael and Sala, Sergio Della. 2010. Vata-L: Visual-Analogue Test Assessing Anosognosia for Language Impairment. The Clinical Neuropsychologist, 24(8), pp. 1379-1399. ISSN 1385-4046
Della Sala, Sergio; Cocchini, Gianna; Beschin, Nicoletta and Cameron, A.. 2009. Vata-m: Visual-Analogue test assessing anosognosia for motor impairment. The Clinical Neuropsychologist, 23(3), pp. 406-427. ISSN 1385-4046
Della Sala, Sergio; Cocchini, Gianna; Beschin, Nicoletta and Cameron, Annette. 2009. Vata-m: Visual-Analogue test assessing Anosognosia for motor impairment. The Clinical Neuropsychologist, 23(3), pp. 406-427. ISSN 1385-4046
Cocchini, Gianna; Beschin, Nicoletta; Cameron, Annette; Fotopoulou, Aikaterini and Della Sala, Sergio. 2009. Anosognosia for motor impairment following left brain damage. Neuropsychology, 23(2), pp. 223-230. ISSN 0894-4105
Cocchini, Gianna; Watling, Rosamond; Sala, Sergio Della and Jansari, Ashok. 2007. Pseudoneglect in back space. Brain and Cognition, 63(1), pp. 79-84. ISSN 02782626
Cocchini, Gianna; Bartolo, Angela and Nichelli, Paolo. 2006. Left ipsilesional neglect for visual imagery: a mental image generation impairment? Neurocase, 12(3), pp. 197-206. ISSN 13554794
Cocchini, Gianna; Logie, Robert; Della Sala, Sergio and Baddeley, Alan D.. 2004. Is There a Specific Executive Capacity for Dual Task Coordination? Evidence From Alzheimer's Disease. Neuropsychology, 18(3), pp. 504-513. ISSN 08944105
Cocchini, Gianna; Della Sala, Sergio; Logie, R. H.; Sacco, L. and Spinnler, H.. 2004. Dual task effects of walking when talking in Alzheimer's disease. Revue Neurologique, 160(1), pp. 74-80. ISSN 0035-3787
Cocchini, Gianna; Bartolo, Angela and Nichelli, Paolo. 2004. Ipsilesional neglect for left imaginal space. Cortex, 40, pp. 164-165.
Cocchini, Gianna; Beschin, Nicoletta and Della Sala, S.. 2002. Chronic anosognosia: a case report and theoretical account. Neuropsychologia, 40(12), pp. 2030-2038. ISSN 00283932
Cocchini, Gianna; Della Sala, Sergio; Logie, Robert and Baddeley, Alan D.. 2002. Concurrent performance of two memory tasks: Evidence for domain-specific working memory systems. Memory and Cognition, 30(7), pp. 1086-1095. ISSN 0090502X
Cocchini, Gianna; Beschin, Nicoletta and Della Sala, Sergio. 2002. Chronic anosognosia: a case report and theoretical account. Neuropsychologia, 40(12), pp. 2030-2038. ISSN 00283932
Cocchini, Gianna; Beschin, Nicoletta and Jehkonen, Mervi. 2001. The fluff test: a simple task to assess body representation neglect. Neuropsychological Rehabilitation, 11(1), pp. 17-31. ISSN 0960-2011
Cocchini, Gianna; Cubelli, Roberto; Della Sala, Sergio and Beschin, Nicoletta. 1999. Neglect without extinction. Cortex, 35(3), pp. 285-313. ISSN 0010-9452
Baddeley, Alan D.; Cocchini, Gianna; Della Sala, Sergio; Logie, Robert and Spinnler, Hans. 1999. Working memory and vigilance: Evidence from normal ageing and Alzheimer’s disease. Brain and Cognition, 41(1), pp. 87-108. ISSN 0278-2626
Beschin, Nicoletta; Cocchini, Gianna; Della Sala, Sergio; Logie, Robert and Spinnler, Hans. 1997. What the eyes perceive, the brain ignores: A case of pure unilateral representational neglect. Cortex, 33, pp. 3-26. ISSN 0010-9452
Barbarotto, R.; Laiacona, Marcella and Cocchini, Gianna. 1996. A case of simulated, psychogenic or focal pure retrograde amnesia: did an entire life become unconscious? Neuropsychologia, 34(6), pp. 575-585. ISSN 0028-3932
Brazzelli, Miriam; Cocchini, Gianna; Della Sala, Sergio and Spinnler, Hans. 1994. Alzheimer patients show a sensitivity decrement over time on a tonic alertness task. Journal of Clinical and Experimental Neuropsychology, 16(6), pp. 851-860. ISSN 1380-3395
Other
Beschin, Nicoletta; Cocchini, Gianna; Cameron, Annette and Della Sala, Sergio. 2008. The VATAm: visual-analogical test for anosognosia for motor deficit. Giunti O.S., Firenze.
Further profile content
Featured publications
The ‘healthy side’ of anosognosia for hemiplegia: Increased sense of agency for the unimpaired limb or motor compensation?
Neuropsychologia, in press
2022:
Objects with motor valence affect the visual processing of human body parts: Evidence from behavioural and ERP studies
Cortex, 153, 194-206
2020:
Mnemonic monitoring in anosognosia for memory loss
Neuropsychology, 34, 675-685
Grants and awards
Explicit and implicit awareness for hemiplegia in right and left brain-damaged subjects
Stroke Association - 2003-2005
Anosognosia for language disorders following brain damage
The Wellcome Trust - 2006-2009
The multifaceted body: updates into Body Representation and Embodiment
EPS Research workshop - 2017-2018
Clinical engagement
Gianna has worked very closely with clinicians in different countries to devise and publish diagnostic tools to assess various aspects of common neuropsychological syndromes. Some of these measures have been translated in several languages and are routinely used in clinical practice and research setting. A list of tests is provided below and a full version of some of these measures is available on a dedicated web page https://giannacocchini.wixsite.com/gcpage:
• Fluff test: A test to assess personal neglect
• VATAm: Visual Analogue Test to Assess Anosognosia for motor impairment
• VATA–L: Visual Analogue Test to Assess Anosognosia for language impairment
• VATAmem: Visual Analogue Test to Assess Anosognosia for memory deficits
• VATA_ADL: Visual Analogue Test to Assess Everyday life difficulties
• BMT: Bimanual Motor task (to assess implicit forms of anosognosia)
• ECT: Errand Choice Test (to assess implicit forms of anosognosia)
