Derek Hamilton

Derek Hamilton is Professor and Department Chair of Psychology at University of New Mexico's College of Arts and Sciences. He leads research on neurobiological consequences of prenatal alcohol exposure, hippocampal function, and behavioral neuroscience. Dr. Hamilton directs studies examining how developmental exposures alter neural plasticity and cognitive function.

His laboratory investigates spatial navigation mechanisms, synaptic plasticity alterations from ethanol exposure, and neural correlates of learning/memory deficits. Current projects analyze hippocampal place cell activity, neurotransmitter system interactions, and sex-specific neurodevelopmental effects.

Recent publications demonstrate integration of behavioral analysis, electrophysiology, neuroimaging, and computational methods to examine cognitive control, memory systems, and neural network organization in neurodevelopmental models.