Carlo Leto

Hello! I am an Italian PhD candidate at the Institut du Cerveau (ICM) - Sorbonne Université, Paris, France, supervised by Antoni Valero-Cabre and Jacobo Sitt.

I completed my BSc in Psychology at Leiden University (2020), where I developed an interest in cognitive processes and how the brain generates conscious experience. I then pursued an MSc in Neuroscience & Cognition at Utrecht University (2022), conducting research internships at the AttentionLab (Utrecht) on attentional mechanisms in working memory, and at the Dynamics of Cognitive Processes group (INS, Marseille) on neural dynamics of auditory perception using MEG. I concluded my Master’s with an in-depth literature review exploring how the brain processes timing information and integrates different event timescales.

My doctoral research investigates the neural mechanisms of mind-wandering and spontaneous thought. I combine concurrent TMS-EEG, tACS, and behavioral paradigms to causally probe how prefrontal theta oscillations influence attentional control and the transitions between focused and wandering states. I design experiments, analyze neurophysiological data, and integrate findings across behavioral and neural levels. Alongside empirical work, I’ve conducted an extensive literature review examining mind-wandering as a dynamic transitional process—exploring definitional challenges, individual variability, and the role of spontaneous thought in memory integration and goal re-prioritization.

I’m particularly interested in scientific writing and synthesizing complex ideas across disciplines. I’m drawn to interdisciplinary approaches connecting neuroscience, psychology, and philosophy of mind, and I’m open to collaborations exploring consciousness, executive control, and the dynamics of thought.