Vanderbilt University · PsychologyCognitive Bridges Lab
Laurie E Cutting · Nashville, Tennessee
Research Focus
Dr. Laurie E. Cutting's research lab at Vanderbilt University focuses on understanding the cognitive and neural mechanisms behind children's academic success, particularly in reading and math. The lab examines how executive functions (cognitive skills) influence academic performance and how interventions can effectively improve learning outcomes. By using advanced neuroimaging techniques, the lab seeks to reveal the brain processes that underlie reading comprehension and math skills, ultimately paving the way for more tailored educational strategies.
executive functionreading comprehensionmath skillsneuroimaginginterventionscognitive developmentlongitudinal studiesadolescent cognition
Research Aims
5AIM 01Investigate the relationship between executive function specialization and academic outcomes in elementary school children.
AIM 02Examine how neural systems respond during educational interventions to improve learning.
AIM 03Understand the neural correlates of reading and math skills in children.
AIM 04Explore the effects of different text types on reading comprehension in adolescents.
AIM 05Analyze the impact of various environments on child cognitive development.
Skills the Lab Values
functional neuroimagingbehavioral testingstatistical analysisexperimental designdata collectionlongitudinal research methodologieschild development assessmentcognitive skill assessmentPython programming
Output against the department
Publications185top 37% of dept.110th of 296
this lab
most publishedleast published
Citations9.0ktop 32% of dept.96th of 296
this lab
most citedleast cited
Career totals from OpenAlex, compared against labs that share a department. A department spans everything from one paper to tens of thousands, so bar heights are on a log scale — otherwise the largest lab would flatten every other bar to a line.