Martin Schaefer

Martin Schaefer is a Postdoctoral Researcher in the Department of Clinical Neuroscience at Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden. His work is conducted within the Perception Neuroscience research group led by Johan Lundström and Artin Arshamian. His research primarily focuses on the relationship between physiological processes and cognitive functions, particularly examining how breathing affects neural activity and visual perception.

Dr. Schaefer's primary research interests lie at the intersection of cognitive neuroscience and behavioral psychology. His current work investigates how respiration influences pupil size dynamics and visual perception, building on his doctoral research that examined how breathing affects brain activity and behavioral performance using EEG and physiological methods. His research spans multiple domains including pupillometry, respiratory neuroscience, sensory processing, and neural oscillations.

Schaefer's publication record demonstrates significant contributions to understanding the connections between bodily rhythms and cognitive processing. His most recent work has revealed the 'pupillary respiratory-phase response,' showing that pupil size fluctuates in sync with breathing patterns - smallest around inhalation onset and largest during exhalation. This discovery represents a fourth fundamental response of the pupil beyond light, focus, and cognitive effects.

His research has important implications for understanding how internal bodily rhythms influence perception and may provide new diagnostic tools for neurological disorders. The findings suggest a deeper connection between breathing and the nervous system than previously realized, potentially affecting how we process visual information within each respiratory cycle.