Research Statement

I am a neuropsychologist researcher, and my main interest is the study of cognitive deficits following right-brain damage. In particular, my main research investigation is focused on different characteristics of unilateral spatial neglect following right brain damage, including productive symptoms, and new assessment and rehabilitative tools to better evaluate and restore neuropsychological symptoms. In Patrik Vuilleumier’s lab, I am currently carrying out a project to better understand and treat the presence of unawareness for neurological illness (anosognosia) in patients with and without unilateral spatial neglect, combining behavioural, lesional and electrophysiological measures. Finally, I am also investigating different bodily disorders, such as personal neglect and somatoparaphrenia.

Research Expertise

•  Neuropsychological evaluation of brain-damaged patients
•  Rehabilitation research protocols for brain-damaged patients
•  Developing experimental studies on brain-damaged populations (combining behavioural and neuroimaging data)
•  Lesion mapping and analyses techniques (using MRIcroN, NPM, SPM softwares)
•  Multisensory stimulation (including intero-exteroceptive integration)
•  tDCS

Selected Publications:

1. R. Ronchi, I. Rossi, E. Calzolari, N. Bolognini, G. Vallar, “Exploring prism exposure after hemispheric damage: reduced aftereffects following left-sided lesions”. Cortex in press.
2. M. Solcà, R. Ronchi, J. Bello-Ruiz, T. Schmidlin, B. Herbelin, F. Luthi, M. Konzelmann, J.Y. Beaulieu, F. Delaquaize, A. Schnider, A.G. Guggisberg, A. Serino, O. Blanke. “Heartbeat-enhanced immersive virtual reality to treat complex regional pain syndrome”, Neurology (2018), 91(5): e479-e489.
3. R. Ronchi, H.D. Park, O. Blanke, “Bodily self-consciousness and its disorders”, The Parietal lobes. Neurological and neuropsychological deficits, in Handbook of Clinical Neurology (2018), 151: 313-330.
4. R. Salomon, R. Ronchi, J. Dönz, J. Bello-Ruiz, B. Herbelin, N. Faivre, K. Schaller, O. Blanke. “Insula mediates heartbeat related effects on visual consciousness”, Cortex (2018), 101: 87-95.
5. R. Ronchi*, F. Bernasconi*, C. Pfeiffer, J. Bello-Ruiz, M. Kaliuzhna, O. Blanke, “Interoceptive signals impact visual processing: cardiac modulation of visual body perception”, NeuroImage (2017), 158: 176-185.
6. R. Ronchi, L. Algeri, L. Chiapella, M. Gallucci, M.S. Spada, G. Vallar, “Left neglect dyslexia: perseveration and reading error types”, Neuropsychologia (2016), 89: 453-464.
7. R. Ronchi, J. Bello-Ruiz, M. Lukowska, B. Herbelin, I. Cabrilo, K. Schaller, O. Blanke, “Right insular damage decreases heartbeat awareness and alters cardio-visual effects on bodily self-consciousness”, Neuropsychologia (2015), 70: 11-20.
8. R. Ronchi, N. Bolognini, M. Gallucci, L. Algeri, L. Chiapella, M.S. Spada, G. Vallar, “(Un)awareness of unilateral spatial neglect. A quantitative evaluation of performance in visuo-spatial tasks”, Cortex (2014), 61: 167-82.
9. N. Bolognini, R. Ronchi, C. Casati, P. Fortis and G. Vallar, “My hand is back! Multisensory remission of somatoparaphrenic delusion”, Neurology Clinical Practice (2014), 4(3): 216-225.
10. R. Ronchi, L. Algeri, L. Chiapella, M.S. Spada, G. Vallar, “Spatial neglect and perseveration in visuomotor exploration”, Neuropsychology (2012), 26 (5), 588-603.
11. G. Vallar and R. Ronchi, “Somatoparaphrenia: a body delusion. A review of the neuropsychological literature”, Experimental Brain Research (2009), 192 (3), 533-551.