Jessica Nicosia

NicosiaJessicaJessica Nicosia received her B.A. in Biopsychology, Cognition, and Neuroscience and her M.S. in Cognition and Cognitive Neuroscience from the University of Michigan. There she was a member of Dr. Cindy Lustig’s Cognition and Aging Lab where she studied the effects of healthy and abnormal aging on attentional control and the cholinergic system. Throughout her undergraduate research career, she looked at sustained attention in younger and older adults and their susceptibility to distraction. After receiving her B.A., she spent time as a research fellow at the Michigan Institute for Clinical and Health Research Center looking at attentional control in Parkinson’s patients. Finally, she completed her Master’s thesis which examined the effects of nicotine on sustaining attention and resisting distraction. Currently, as a graduate student in the Cognitive Psychology Lab, she is interested in changes in cognitive control throughout the lifespan as well as in individuals with Alzheimer’s Dementia.

email: j.nicosia@wustl.edu

Presentations:

  • Nicosia, J. & Lustig, C. (November, 2016) Smoking effects on attentional control: More than just withdrawal? Society for Neuroscience Annual Meeting, San Diego, CA.
  • Nicosia, J., Caple, A., Berry, A., Kim, K., & Lustig, C. (August, 2015). Cholinergic Influences on Attention. Michigan Institute for Clinical and Health Research Translational Research Symposium, Ann Arbor, MI.
  • Nicosia, J., Demirdag, I., Lin, Z., & Lustig, C. (May, 2015). Paradoxical Effects of Monetary Incentive on Attentional Performance in Older Adults. Stanford Undergraduate Research Conference, Palo Alto, CA.
  • Nicosia, J., Demirdag, I., Lin, Z., & Lustig, C. (May, 2015). Paradoxical Effects of Monetary Incentive on Attentional Performance in Older Adults. UCLA Undergraduate Psychology Research Conference, Los Angeles, CA.
  • Nicosia, J., Demirdag, I., Lin, Z., & Lustig, C. (April, 2015). Paradoxical Effects of Monetary Incentive on Attentional Performance in Older Adults. Undergraduate Research Opportunity Program Spring Symposium, Ann Arbor, MI.
  • Heisler, E., Nicosia, J., Lin, Z., & Lustig, C. (April, 2014). Paying (for) Attention. Undergraduate Research Opportunity Program Spring Symposium, Ann Arbor, MI.