Maria Herrojo Ruiz
Staff details
My research programme focuses on the neural mechanisms mediating music performance and sensorimotor learning, both in healthy human subjects and in people with movement disorders. What organisational principles at the cortical and subcortical levels are at work during the performance and monitoring of behavioural sequences? What principles guide the acquisition of novel movement sequences? Specifically, my work focuses on sensorimotor sequences – that is, sequences of movements with associated auditory feedback. Thus, an important aim is to understand the cognitive and neural mechanisms that may contribute to the integration of sound and movement, as well as predictive processes during motor control.
Another line of research focuses on understanding the role of anxiety on motor and perceptual learning. With the support of the British Academy and Leverhulme trust, we are using neuroscientific methods and computational modelling to investigate the effect of anxiety on motor variability to assess motor skill learning. In addition, in a new PhD project funded by the Economic and Social Research Council, we are combining computational modelling with brain imaging methods to investigate the impact of everyday experiences such as anxiety, motivation, and prior expectations upon learning.
Teaching & Supervision
I supervise BSc, MSc and PhD students interested in the following topics:
- Music performance, Motor control and sensorimotor learning, Error-monitoring, Bayesian learning, Anxiety, Musical expectancy, Movement disorders, Neuroimaging (EEG, MEG, Brain stimulation), Neural Data Analysis
- Students should email me for an appointment
Research Interests
My research uses piano performance as an experimental setup to investigate fundamental cognitive functions, such as self-monitoring, sensorimotor learning and movement coordination — processes that are fundamental to human and animal complex behaviours. In addition, I am investigating the effect of anxiety on behavioural variability and prediction processes to assess motor and perceptual learning.
In my research, I use electroencephalography, magnetoencephalography, intracraneal recordings and deep brain stimulation in combination with computational modelling and machine learning methods.
Publications
Article
Cingulate and cerebellar beta oscillations are engaged in the acquisition of auditory‐motor sequences.
Herrojo Ruiz, Maria; Maess, Burkhard; Altenmüller, Eckart; Curio, Gabriel and Nikulin, Vadim. 2017. Cingulate and cerebellar beta oscillations are engaged in the acquisition of auditory‐motor sequences. Human Brain Mapping, ISSN 1065-9471
Reply: Oscillatory coupling of the subthalamic nucleus in obsessive compulsive disorder
Accolla, Ettore A; Horn, Andreas; Herrojo Ruiz, Maria; Neumann, Wolf-Julian and Kühn, Andrea A.. 2017. Reply: Oscillatory coupling of the subthalamic nucleus in obsessive compulsive disorder. Brain: A Journal of Neurology, 140(9), p. 57. ISSN 0006-8950
Brain networks modulated by subthalamic nucleus deep brain stimulation.
Accolla, Ettore A; Herrojo Ruiz, Maria; Horn, Andreas; Schneider, Gerd-Helge; Schmitz-Hübsch, Tanja; Draganski, Bogdan and Kühn, Andrea A. 2016. Brain networks modulated by subthalamic nucleus deep brain stimulation. Brain: A Journal of Neurology, ISSN 0006-8950
Sensory feedback – Dependent neural de-orchestration: The effect of altered sensory feedback on Musician’s Dystonia
Cheng, F.P.-H.; Eddy, M.-L.; Herrojo Ruiz, Maria; Großbach, M. and Altenmüller, E.O.. 2015. Sensory feedback – Dependent neural de-orchestration: The effect of altered sensory feedback on Musician’s Dystonia. Cerebral Cortex, 34(1), pp. 55-65. ISSN 1047-3211
Long-range correlation properties in timing of skilled piano performance: the influence of auditory feedback and deep brain stimulation
Herrojo Ruiz, Maria; Hong, Sang Bin; Hennig, Holger; Altenmüller, Eckart and Kühn, Andrea A.. 2014. Long-range correlation properties in timing of skilled piano performance: the influence of auditory feedback and deep brain stimulation. Frontiers in Psychology, 5,
Beta-band amplitude oscillations in the human internal globus pallidus support the encoding of sequence boundaries during initial sensorimotor sequence learning
Herrojo Ruiz, Maria; Brücke, Christof; Nikulin, Vadim V.; Schneider, Gerd-Helge and Kühn, Andrea A.. 2014. Beta-band amplitude oscillations in the human internal globus pallidus support the encoding of sequence boundaries during initial sensorimotor sequence learning. NeuroImage, 85, pp. 779-793. ISSN 1053-8119
Error signals in the subthalamic nucleus are related to post-error slowing in patients with Parkinson's disease
Siegert, Sandy; Herrojo Ruiz, Maria; Brücke, Christof; Huebl, Julius; Schneider, Gerd-Helge; Ullsperger, Markus and Kühn, Andrea A.. 2014. Error signals in the subthalamic nucleus are related to post-error slowing in patients with Parkinson's disease. Cortex, 60, pp. 103-120. ISSN 0010-9452
Involvement of Human Internal Globus Pallidus in the Early Modulation of Cortical Error-Related Activity
Herrojo Ruiz, Maria; Huebl, J.; Schonecker, T.; Kupsch, A.; Yarrow, K.; Krauss, J. K.; Schneider, G.-H. and Kuhn, A. A.. 2014. Involvement of Human Internal Globus Pallidus in the Early Modulation of Cortical Error-Related Activity. Cerebral Cortex, 24(6), pp. 1502-1517. ISSN 1047-3211
Encoding of sequence boundaries in the subthalamic nucleus of patients with Parkinson's disease
Herrojo Ruiz, Maria; Rusconi, M.; Brucke, C.; Haynes, J.-D.; Schonecker, T. and Kuhn, A. A.. 2014. Encoding of sequence boundaries in the subthalamic nucleus of patients with Parkinson's disease. Brain, 137(10), pp. 2715-2730. ISSN 0006-8950
Enhanced low-frequency oscillatory activity of the subthalamic nucleus in a patient with dystonia
Neumann, Wolf-Julian; Huebl, Julius; Brücke, Christof; Herrojo Ruiz, Maria; Kupsch, Andreas; Schneider, Gerd-Helge and Kühn, Andrea A.. 2012. Enhanced low-frequency oscillatory activity of the subthalamic nucleus in a patient with dystonia. Movement Disorders, 27(8), pp. 1063-1066. ISSN 0885-3185
Error monitoring is altered in musician's dystonia: evidence from ERP-based studies
Strübing, Felix; Herrojo Ruiz, Maria; Jabusch, Hans Christian and Altenmüller, Eckart. 2012. Error monitoring is altered in musician's dystonia: evidence from ERP-based studies. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, 1252(1), pp. 192-199.
EEG oscillatory patterns are associated with error prediction during music performance and are altered in musician's dystonia
Herrojo Ruiz, Maria; Strübing, Felix; Jabusch, Hans-Christian and Altenmüller, Eckart. 2010. EEG oscillatory patterns are associated with error prediction during music performance and are altered in musician's dystonia. NeuroImage, 55(4), pp. 1791-1803.
Unsupervised statistical learning underpins computational, behavioural, and neural manifestations of musical expectation
Pearce, Marcus T.; Herrojo Ruiz, Maria; Kapasi, Selina; Wiggins, Geraint and Bhattacharya, Joydeep. 2010. Unsupervised statistical learning underpins computational, behavioural, and neural manifestations of musical expectation. NeuroImage, 50(1), ISSN 1053-8119
Unsupervised statistical learning underpins computational, behavioural, and neural manifestations of musical expectation
Pearce, Marcus T.; Herrojo Ruiz, Maria; Kapasi, Selina; Wiggins, Geraint and Bhattacharya, Joydeep. 2010. Unsupervised statistical learning underpins computational, behavioural, and neural manifestations of musical expectation. NeuroImage, 50(1), pp. 302-313. ISSN 1053-8119
Early right alpha band phase desynchronization and late gamma band oscillations in processing musical syntax
Herrojo Ruiz, Maria; Koelsch, Stefan and Bhattacharya, Joydeep. 2009. Early right alpha band phase desynchronization and late gamma band oscillations in processing musical syntax. Human Brain Mapping, 30(4), pp. 1207-1225. ISSN 1065-9471
Defective inhibition and inter-regional phase synchronization in pianists with musician's dystonia: An EEG study
Herrojo Ruiz, Maria; Senghaas, Patricia; Grossbach, Michael; Jabusch, Hans-Christian; Bangert, Marc; Hummel, Friedhelm; Gerloff, Christian and Altenmüller, Eckart. 2009. Defective inhibition and inter-regional phase synchronization in pianists with musician's dystonia: An EEG study. Human Brain Mapping, 30(8), pp. 2689-2700. ISSN 1065-9471
Detecting Wrong Notes in Advance: Neuronal Correlates of Error Monitoring in Pianists
Herrojo Ruiz, Maria; Jabusch, H.-C. and Altenmuller, E.. 2009. Detecting Wrong Notes in Advance: Neuronal Correlates of Error Monitoring in Pianists. Cerebral Cortex, 19(11), pp. 2625-2639. ISSN 1047-3211
Decrease in early right alpha band phase synchronization and late gamma band oscillations in processing syntax in music
Herrojo Ruiz, Maria; Koelsch, Stefan and Bhattacharya, Joydeep. 2009. Decrease in early right alpha band phase synchronization and late gamma band oscillations in processing syntax in music. Human Brain Mapping, 30(4), pp. 1207-1225. ISSN 1065-9471
Decrease in early right alpha band phase synchronization and late gamma band oscillations in processing syntax in music
Herrojo Ruiz, Maria; Koelsch, Stefan and Bhattacharya, Joydeep. 2009. Decrease in early right alpha band phase synchronization and late gamma band oscillations in processing syntax in music. Human brain mapping, 30(4), pp. 1207-1225. ISSN 1097-0193
Encoding of Boundaries is Critical for Sensorimotor Sequence Learning: An MEG study
Michail, Georgios; Nikulin, Vadim; Curio, Gabriel; Maess, Burkhard and Herrojo Ruiz, Maria. Encoding of Boundaries is Critical for Sensorimotor Sequence Learning: An MEG study. NeuroImage, ISSN 1053-8119