Matthew Ainsworth

Matthew Ainsworth is a Postdoctoral Research Associate at the University of Oxford, affiliated with The Queen's College. He is part of the Brain & Behaviour Research Group, where his work focuses on understanding the cortical networks underlying perception, memory, and decision making. His research combines behavioral paradigms with advanced neuroimaging (fMRI) and electrophysiology techniques to study neural communication between brain regions such as the temporal and prefrontal cortices.

His investigations often involve non-human primate models to explore functional connectivity and neural plasticity following cortical lesions. Key areas of interest include gamma-frequency oscillations, synaptic plasticity, and the role of frontopolar cortex in goal-directed cognition and counterfactual processing. Ainsworth’s work bridges cognitive neuroscience, neuroimaging, and neurophysiology, with applications ranging from basic science to translational research in neural rehabilitation.

Recent studies highlight his exploration of how ambiguous social interactions modulate the social brain network’s functional connectivity and how low-beta transcranial magnetic stimulation impacts memory processes. His methodologies include innovative tools like the Virtual Electrode Recording Tool (VERTEX) for analyzing extracellular potentials in simulated and biological neural tissues.