Research Topics

Psychometrics & Neurometrics

Cue-guided decision-making

This line of research has its roots in the reproducibility crisis that has characterized the psychological and social sciences in recent years. It aims to (1) develop cutting-edge methodological and statistical tools and (2) disseminate the use of more accurate psychometric and statistical models in psychological sciences via active collaborations with national and international research groups. The main techniques adopted to this purpose are: Bayesian inference, Bayesian Informative Hypothesis, Estimation, Computational Models.

Garofalo S., Finotti G., Orsoni M., Giovagnoli S., Benassi M. (2024). Testing Bayesian Informative Hypotheses in 5 steps with R and JASP. Advances in Methods and Practices in Psychological Science. https://doi.org/10.1177/25152459241260259
Badioli, M., Degni, L., Dalbagno, D., Danti, C., Starita, F., di Pellegrino, G., Benassi, M., & Garofalo, S. (2024). Unraveling the influence of Pavlovian cues on decision-making: a pre-registered meta-analysis on Pavlovian-to-instrumental transfer. Neuroscience and Biobehavioral reviews. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neubiorev.2024.105829
de Chiusole, D., Spinoso, M., Anselmi, P., Bacherini, A., Balboni, G., Mazzoni, N., Brancaccio, A., Epifania, O.M., Orsoni, M., Giovagnoli, S., Garofalo, S., Benassi, M., Robusto, E., Stefanutti, L., Pierluigi, Irene Pierluigi, I. (2024). PsycAssist: A Web-Based Artificial Intelligence System Designed for Adaptive Neuropsychological Assessment and Training. Brain Sciences, 14(2), 122. https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci14020122
Finotti, G., Garofalo, S., Costantini, M., & Proffitt, D. R. (2023). Temporal dynamics of the Rubber Hand Illusion. Scientific Reports, 1–18. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-33747-2
Orsoni, M., Giovagnoli, S., Garofalo, S., Magri, S., Benvenuti, M., Mazzoni, E., & Benassi, M. (2023). Preliminary evidence on machine learning approaches for clusterizing students’ cognitive profile. Heliyon, 9(3), e14506. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e14506
Garofalo S., Giovagnoli S., Orsoni M., Starita F. & Benassi M. (2022) Interaction effect: Are you doing the right thing? PLoS ONE 17(7): e0271668. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0271668
Garofalo S., Degni L. A. E., Sellitto M., Braghittoni D., Starita F., Giovagnoli S., di Pellegrino G., & Benassi M. (2022). Unifying Evidence on Delay Discounting: Open Task, Analysis Tutorial, and Normative Data from an Italian Sample. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19(4), 2049. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19042049
Benassi, M., Frattini, D., Garofalo, S., Bolzani, R., and Pansell, T. (2021) Visuo-motor integration , vision perception and attention in mTBI patients. Preliminary findings,” PLoS ONE, 1–14. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0250598
Garofalo S., Marcellini S., Benassi M., Tellaroli P. (2020) Cancerogenic effects of radiofrequency radiation: A statistical reappraisal. Environmental Research. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envres.2020.110233
Giovagnoli S., Marotta L., Magri S., Muccinelli M., Albani A., Casu G., Garofalo S., Benassi M. (2020) Preliminary validation of the CI-FRA checklist: a simple screening tool for measuring the early signs of reading and spelling disorders in Italian primary students. Frontiers in Psychology. Quantitative Psychology and Measurement. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2020.516424
Benassi M., Garofalo S., Ambrosini F., Sant’Angelo R.P., Raggini R., De Paoli G., Ravani C., Giovagnoli S., Orsoni M., and Piraccini G. (2020) Using Two-Step cluster analysis and Latent Class cluster analysis to classify the cognitive heterogeneity of cross-diagnostic psychiatric inpatients. Frontiers in Psychology: Quantitative Psychology and Measurement. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2020.01085

This line of research concerns how daily choices are influenced by environmental cues that signal the presence of potential punishments and rewards, and their adaptive and maladaptive implications (e.g. addiction, impulse-control disorders, anxiety-related conditions). These studies aim to theoretical and methodological advancements in the investigation of reinforcement learning mechanisms and it neurofunctional correlates.

Badioli, M., Degni, L., Dalbagno, D., Danti, C., Starita, F., di Pellegrino, G., Benassi, M., & Garofalo, S. (2024). Unraveling the influence of Pavlovian cues on decision-making: a pre-registered meta-analysis on Pavlovian-to-instrumental transfer. Neuroscience and Biobehavioral reviews. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neubiorev.2024.105829
Degni, L. A., Garofalo, S., Finotti, G., Starita, F., Robbins, T. W., & di Pellegrino, G. (2024). Sex differences in motivational biases over instrumental actions. NPJ Science of Learning, 9(1), 62. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41539-024-00246-6
Finotti, G., Degni, L. A. E., Badioli, M., Dalbagno, D., Starita, F., Bardi, L., … Garofalo, S. (2024). Cortical beta power reflects the influence of Pavlovian cues on human decision-making. The Journal of Neuroscience, (February), e0414242024. https://doi.org/10.1523/JNEUROSCI.0414-24.2024
Betti, S., Badioli, M., Dalbagno, D., Garofalo, S., di Pellegrino, G., & Starita, F. (2024). Topographically selective motor inhibition under threat of pain. Pain, 165(12), 2851-2862. https://doi.org/10.1097/j.pain.0000000000003301
Marzuki AA, Banca P, Garofalo S, et al. (2024) Compulsive Avoidance in Youths and Adults with Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder: An Aversive Pavlovian-To-Instrumental Transfer Study. Translational Psychiatry. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41398-024-03028-1 Pirazzini, G., Starita, F., Ricci, G., Garofalo, S., di Pellegrino, G., Magosso, E., & Ursino, M. (2023). Changes in brain rhythms and connectivity tracking fear acquisition and reversal. Brain Structure and Function, (0123456789). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00429-023-02646-7
Starita, F., Pirazzini, G., Ricci, G., Garofalo, S., Dalbagno, D., Degni, L. A. E., … Ursino, M. (2023). Theta and alpha power track the acquisition and reversal of threat predictions and correlate with skin conductance response. Psychophysiology, (July 2022), 1–18. https://doi.org/10.1111/psyp.14247
Starita F.; Pirazzini G.; Ricci G.; Garofalo S.; Dalbagno D.; Degni L.A.E.; di Pellegrino G.; Magosso E.; Ursino M. (2023) Theta and alpha power track the acquisition and reversal of threat predictions and correlate with skin conductance response, Psychophysiology, 2023, 00, pp. e14247 - e14247
Degni L. A. E., Dalbagno D., Starita F., Benassi M., di Pellegrino G., & Garofalo S. (2022). General Pavlovian-to-instrumental transfer in humans: Evidence from Bayesian inference. Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience, 16. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnbeh.2022.945503
Starita F., Garofalo S., Dalbagno D., Degni L. A. E., & di Pellegrino G. (2022). Threat Learning Shapes the Kinematics of Goal-Directed Actions. (October), 1–15. https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.4081664
Garofalo S., Battaglia S., Starita F., di Pellegrino G. (2021) Modulation of cue-guided choices by transcranial direct current stimulation. Cortex 137, 124-137 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cortex.2021.01.004
Battaglia S., Garofalo S., di Pellegrino G. and Starita F. Revaluing the role of vmPFC in the acquisition of Pavlovian threat conditioning in humans. Journal of Neuroscience. https://doi.org/10.1523/JNEUROSCI.0304-20.2020
Borgomaneri S., Battaglia S., Garofalo S., Tortora F., Avenanti A. & di Pellegrino G. (2020) State-Dependent TMS over Prefrontal Cortex Disrupts Fear-Memory Reconsolidation and Prevents the Return of Fear. Current Biology. 1–8. doi: 10.1016/j.cub.2020.06.091
Garofalo S., Sagliano L., Starita F., Trojano L. & di Pellegrino G. (2020) Subliminal determinants of cue-guided choice. Scientific Reports. doi: 10.1038/s41598-020-68926-y
Garofalo S., Battaglia S., & di Pellegrino G. (2019) Individual differences in working memory capacity and cue-guided behavior in humans. Scientific Reports. 9, 7327 (2019) doi: s41598-019-43860-w
Battaglia S., Garofalo S. & di Pellegrino G. (2018) Context-dependent extinction of threat memories: influences of healthy aging. Scientific Reports. doi:10.1038/s41598-018-31000-9
Garofalo S. & di Pellegrino G. (2017) Commentary: “Monetary, Food, and Social Rewards Induce Similar Pavlovian-to-Instrumental Transfer Effects”. Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience Jul 20; 11:136. doi:10.3389/fnbeh.2017.00136
Garofalo S. & Robbins T. (2017) Triggering avoidance: dissociable influences of aversive Pavlovian conditioned stimuli on human instrumental behavior. Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience. 11:63. doi:10.3389/fnbeh.2017.00063
Garofalo S. & di Pellegrino G. (2015) Individual differences in the influence of task-irrelevant Pavlovian cues on human behavior. Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience. 9:163. doi:10.3389/fnbeh.2015.00163

Fronto-striatal reward processing

In these works I investigated the fronto-striatal brain systems which support reinforcement learning. In its most basic form, learning is the process by which we become able to use past and current experience to predict future events and guide decision-making. Some of the studies focused on brain signals of Prediction Error (PE). PE signals can inform about changes in the environment by signalling that the current event differs from the predicted one. To shed new light on this crucial topic of learning literature, the major current theoretical accounts of PE were put in contrast by exploring the circumstances in which a mediofrontal event-related component classically associated with PE emerges. Other studies investigated maladaptive forms of reward processing, mediated by a cortico-striatal system, believed to be at the core of the formation of psychotic symptoms in Parkinson’s Disease (PD). When altered, stimulus-reward associations are likely to favour assignment of salience to otherwise irrelevant external and internal states, thus favouring abnormal salience processing and, possibly, psychotic symptoms. Confirming the presence of altered fronto-striatal activation PD patients with psychosis in different stages of reward processing, this work contributed to extend the link between psychotic symptoms and abnormalities in fronto-striatal reward processing.

Peer-reviewed publications on this topic

Knolle F., Garofalo S., Viviani, Justicia, Ermakova, Blank, Williams, Arrondo, Ramachandra, Tudor-Sfetea, Bunzeck, Duezel, Robbins, Barker, Murray G. K. (2020) Altered subcortical emotional salience processing differentiates Parkinson's patients with and without psychotic symptoms. NeuroImage: Clinical. doi:/10.1016/j.nicl.2020.102277
Garofalo S., Justicia-Diaz A., Arrondo G., Ermakova A. O., Ramachandra P., Tudor-Sfetea C., Robbins T. W., Barker R. A., Fletcher P. C., Murray G. K. (2017). Cortical and striatal reward processing in Parkinson’s disease psychosis. Frontiers in Neurology 8:156. doi:10.3389/fneur.2017.00156
Garofalo S., Timmermann C., Battaglia S., Maier M. E., & di Pellegrino G. (2017) Mediofrontal Negativity Signals Unexpected Timing of Salient Outcomes. Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience. doi:10.1162/jocn_a_01074
Magosso M., Forcelli V., Garofalo S., di Pellegrino G., Ursino M. (2015) Event-Related Brain Potential Signaling Unexpected Timing of Feedback: A Source Localization Analysis. Conference Proceedings IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society. Aug;2015:618-21. doi:0.1109/EMBC.2015.7318438
Garofalo S., Maier M.E. & di Pellegrino G. (2014) Mediofrontal negativity signals unexpected omission of aversive events. Scientific Reports. 4, 4816. doi:10.1038/srep04816

Other studies and collaborations

Stampanoni Bassi M., Garofalo S., Marfia G.A., Gilio L., Simonelli I., Finardi A., Furlan R., Sancesario G.M., Di Giandomenico J., Storto M., Mori F., Centonze D. and Iezzi E. (2017) Amyloid-β Homeostasis Bridges Inflammation, Synaptic Plasticity Deficits and Cognitive Dysfunction in Multiple Sclerosis. Frontiers in Molecular Neuroscience. 10:390. doi:10.3389/fnmol.2017.00390
Adenzato M., Brambilla M., Manenti R., De Lucia L., Garofalo S., Enrici I., Cotelli M. (2017) Gender differences in cognitive Theory of Mind revealed by transcranial direct current stimulation on medial prefrontal cortex. Scientific Reports. doi:10.1038/srep41219

Pubblications in conference book of abstracts

Knolle F., Garofalo S., Viviani R., Ermakova A., Murray G. (2020) M145. Altered subcortical emotional salience processing and a ‘jumping to conclusions’ bias in Parkinson’s patients with psychotic symptoms, Schizophrenia Bulletin, Volume 46, Issue Supplement_1, April 2020, Pages S190–S191, https://doi.org/10.1093/schbul/sbaa030.457
Bolzani, R., Piraccini, G., Ygge, J., Sant’Angelo, R. P., Raggini, R., Garofalo, S., & Benassi, M. (2019) Smooth Pursuit Eye Movements in Patients with Schizophrenia and Bipolar Disorder. Journal of Vision. 19(10):303d. doi: https://doi.org/10.1167/19.10.303d

Book chapters

Garofalo S.*, Finotti G.*, Starita F., Bouchard A.E. &Fecteau S. (In press) Effort-based decision making. The SAGE Handbook of Cognitive and Systems Neuroscience (Vol. II).
Bouchard A. E.*, Garofalo S.* & Fecteau S. (In press) Incentive influences on cognitive control and decision making. The SAGE Handbook of Cognitive and Systems Neuroscience (Vol. II).
Bouchard A. E., Garofalo S., Rouillard C., & Fecteau S. (2021). Cognitive Functions in Substance-Related and Addictive Disorders. In Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation in Neuropsychiatric Disorders (pp. 519–531). Springer International Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-76136-3_26
Garofalo S., di Pellegrino G. Individual differences in the influence of task-irrelevant Pavlovian cues on human behavior In: Bissonette GB, Roesch MR (Eds.). 2016. Neural Circuitry of Behavioral Flexibility: Dopamine and Related Systems. Frontiers Media SA. p. 74–84. doi:10.3389/fnbeh.2016.00006

*shared first-authorship

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