Alessio Toraldo

Alessio Toraldo is an Associate Professor of Cognitive Neuropsychology at the Department of Brain and Behavioural Sciences, University of Pavia, Italy, where he has been teaching Cognitive Neuropsychology and Statistics since 2004. He previously served as a Lecturer at the same institution from 2004 to 2015.

Dr. Toraldo earned his Academic degree in Psychology from the University of Padova in 1996 with highest honors (110/110 summa cum laude). He completed his PhD in Psychology at the University of Pavia in 2000. As part of his doctoral research, he visited the Psychology Department at the University of St Andrews in 1999. Following his PhD, he was granted a post-doctoral position at the Cognitive Neuroscience Sector of the International School for Advanced Studies (SISSA-ISAS) in Trieste from 2000 to 2004.

Dr. Toraldo's primary research focuses on cognitive processing involved in visual space perception, studying both normal subjects and patients with right hemisphere lesions, particularly those with neglect and/or hemianopia. His work also investigates neglect dyslexia mechanisms, encoding of stress position in Italian polysyllabic words, humor processing, and the development of statistical methods for neuropsychological diagnosis with particular attention to Information Criteria within a Bayesian approach. His research has led to the development of standardized procedures for diagnosing unilateral neglect and analyzing dissociations in neuropsychological single-case studies.

Analysis of Dr. Toraldo's publication record reveals a consistent trajectory of methodological innovation in neuropsychological assessment. His early work focused on developing refined methods for analyzing the Landmark Task and Block Design test. Over time, his research has increasingly emphasized statistical approaches to neuropsychological diagnosis, culminating in his recent 2022 work on dissociations in single-case studies. A recurring theme throughout his career is the development of standardized, quantifiable methods for assessing cognitive deficits, particularly in spatial attention and perception. His work bridges theoretical cognitive neuroscience with practical clinical applications, providing clinicians with reliable tools for diagnosis and assessment.

Dr. Toraldo has supervised numerous PhD students through the University of Pavia's Doctoral Programs in Psychology, Neuroscience and Data Science. His research has been supported by various grants enabling his work on neuropsychological diagnosis, humor processing, and measurement of visual space. He has collaborated extensively with researchers across Europe and maintains active research projects investigating cognitive processing in normal subjects and patients with neurological conditions.

Dr. Toraldo leads research projects within the Department of Brain and Behavioural Sciences at the University of Pavia, focusing on developing and validating neuropsychological assessment tools. His team works on multiple fronts including theoretical modeling of cognitive processes, development of statistical approaches for diagnosis, and clinical validation of assessment methods. Current projects include "NEUROPSYCHOLOGICAL DIAGNOSIS," "HUMOUR," and "MEASUREMENT OF VISUAL SPACE," each investigating specific aspects of cognitive processing and their neural underpinnings.