Research Interests

My interests focus on the location and dynamics of working memory function in the human brain. The development of working memory function is probably one of the most recent evolutionary advances and one that has led to the emergence of self-consciousness and related high level mental function. My laboratory uses a range of imaging and psychophysiological techniques to visualise such function in normal and psychopathological groups, including structural and functional magnetic resonance imaging and high density electroencephalography. Our work is concerned with contributions to the functional localisation literature and with applications such as the biological evaluation of functional disorders and the mental control of external devices. Clinical activities include the neuropsychological assessment of functional disorders.

Postgraduate Students

Selected Publications

Clark, C. R., Geffen, G. M., Geffen, L. B. (1989). Catecholamines and the covert orientation of attention in humans. Neuropsychologia, 27 (2): 131-139.

Clark, C. R., Moores, K. A., Lewis, A., Weber, D. L., Fitzgibbon, S., Greenblatt, R., Brown, G. Taylor, J. (2001) Cortical network dynamics during verbal working memory function. International Journal of Psychophysiology 42 (2):67-82.

Clark, C. R., McFarlane, A. C., Morris, P., Weber, D. L., Sonkkilla, C., Shaw, M., Marcina, J., Tochon-Danguy, H. J. Egan, G. F., (2003) Cerebral function in post-traumatic stress disorder during verbal working memory updating: a PET study. Biological Psychiatry. 15; 53 (6):474-81.

Moores, K. A., Clark, C. R., Hadfield, J. L. M., Brown, G. C., Taylor, J., Fitzgibbon, S. P., Lewis, A. C., Weber, D. L., & Greenblatt, R. (2003). Investigating the generators of the scalp recorded visuo-verbal P300 using cortically constrained source localization. Human Brain Mapping, 18 (1), 53-77.

Clark, C. R., Veltmeyer, M. D., Hamilton, R. J., Paul, R, Hermens, D., & Gordon, E. (2004) Spontaneous alpha peak frequency predicts working memory performance across the age span. International Journal of Psychophysiology 53: 1-9.

Clark, C. R., Paul, R. H., Williams, L. M., Arns, M., Fallahpour, K., Handmer, C.,& Gordon, G. (2006) Standardized assessment of cognitive functioning across the full age-span using an automated touchscreen battery. Archives of Clinical Neuropsychology. 21: 449–467

View a comprehensive list of publications.

Contact Details

Ms Vivien Ratcliffe
Personal Assistant to the Head of School

School of Psychology
Flinders University
GPO Box 2100
Adelaide, South Australia 5001

Office: 354 Social Sciences North
Phone: (+61 8) 8201 2506
Fax: (+61 8) 8201 3877
Email: Richard.Clark@flinders.edu.au