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Don Rojas

Professor

Programs: Clinical Psychology – Associated Faculty, Cognitive Neuroscience Psychology

Office: 

Phone: 9704915213

Education:

  • Ph.D., Colorado State University, 1995

Google Scholar: View Google Scholar Profile

About

Area of Specialization: Cognitive neuroscience, developmental disorders, neuroimaging, MEG and EEG

Teaching Courses: Cognitive Neuroscience, Honors Seminar

Current Research: The main focus of my research endeavors is sensory and motor processing in neurodevelopmental disorders such as autism and childhood onset schizophrenia. A major theme in my work has been the identification of heritable biomarkers in autism, using non-invasive neuroimaging and electrophysiological techniques in first-degree relatives. Recent work has focused on auditory temporal processing and gamma-band timing deficits as well as magnetic resonance spectroscopy of amino acid neurotransmitter systems associated with gamma-band oscillations. I am also affiliated with the Magnetoencephalography (MEG) Laboratory and Brain Imaging Center at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus and have expertise in several brain-imaging methods, primarily MEG, but also including structural MRI, fMRI and MR spectroscopy. Current research at CSU involves EEG and functional near infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) to examine the coupling of electrophysiology and hemodynamics in sensory and motor systems.

Lab: Rojas Laboratory

Lab Location: BSB 273

Lab Description: 

The Rojas Lab group utilizes the following technology in its research: 1. NIRx Near Infrared Spectroscopy cap-based fNIRS system with 48 emitters and 32 detectors 2. g.Tec 128 channel HiAmp active electrode EEG system 3. SR Research Eyelink 1000 Plus eye tracker with 2 kHz camera upgrade

Publications

  • “Gamma-band abnormalities as markers of autism spectrum disorders.” Rojas, D.C. & Wilson, L.B. Biomarkers in Medicine. 8(3), 353-368., 2014
  • “Test-retest reliability of auditory gamma-band responses across multiple analytical techniques.” McFadden, K.L., Steinmetz, S.E., Carroll, A.M., Simon, S.T., Wallace, A. & Rojas, D.C. PLoS One, 9(1):e85748. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0085748., 2014
  • “Decreased left perisylvian GABA concentration in children with autism and unaffected siblings.” Rojas, D.C., Singel, D., Steinmetz, S., Hepburn, S. Brown, M.S. Neuroimage, 86, 28-34., 2014
  • “Altered oscillation patterns and connectivity during picture naming in autism.” Buard, I., Rogers, S.J., Hepburn, S., Kronberg, E. & Rojas, D.C. Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, 7:742. DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2013.00742., 2013
  • “Increased glutamate concentration in the auditory cortex of persons with autism and first-degree relatives: A 1H-MRS study.” Brown, M.S., Singel, D., Hepburn, S. & Rojas, D.C. Autism Research, 6(1), 1-10., 2013