Description of work

I am interested in the study of human cognition, and especially in the role of the neurotransmitter dopamine in valuation and decision-making mechanisms. I plan to combine a variety of experimental methods with computational models of reinforcement learning to study human neural activity in two main projects:

• Sub-second electrochemical (fast-scan cyclic voltammetry) recordings of dopamine concentrations in dopaminergic target nuclei (primarily striatum) of human patients during a neuroeconomic task.
• High-resolution functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) of human midbrain nuclei (dopaminergic and non-dopaminergic) during a simple decision-making task.

I am also interested in the study of the social aspects of human cognition, which I plan to explore using simultaneous fMRI scanning (hyper-scanning) of multiple subjects engaged in a social task. The study of quintessentially human cognitive traits (complex behavioral repertoire, ability to value abstract rewards, sensitivity to social signals) will allows us to better understand how these affect a wide range of human activities, from social organization to education to economics.

Education and Training

• Baylor College of Medicine: Postdoctoral fellowship
• Baylor College of Medicine: Ph.D.

Previous Positions

Postdoctoral fellow, Baylor College of Medicine

Selected Publications

• Kishida KT, Sandberg SG, Lohrenz T, Comair YG, Sáez I, Comair YG, Phillips PEM, Montague PR. (2011). Sub-second dopamine detection in human striatum. PLoS ONE, 6(8):e23291.
• Sáez I, Friedlander MJ. (2009). Plasticity between neuronal pairs in layer 4 of visual cortex varies with synapse state. J Neurosci, 29(48):15286-98.
• Sáez, I, Friedlander MJ. (2009). Synaptic output of individual layer 4 neurons in guinea pig visual cortex. J Neurosci, 29(15):4930-44.
• Argence M, Sáez I, Sassu R, Vassias I, Vidal PP, de Waele C. (2006). Modulation of inhibitory and excitatory synaptic transmission in rat inferior colliculus after unilateral cochleectomy: an in situ and immunofluorescence study. Neuroscience, 141(3):1193-207.