Dr Beth Parkin

I am a Senior Lecturer in the Psychology department at the University of Westminster . I completed my PhD at the Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, UCL, where I investigated how stress affects decision-making and reasoning, and the brain networks that underpin these processes. My PhD also explored the physiological mechanisms underpinning transcranial electrical stimulation. Before this, I worked with Professor Adam Hampshire and Professor Adrian Owen at the MRC Cognition and Brain Sciences Unit in Cambridge, developing neuroimaging assessments to detect cognitive processing in non-responsive patients with disorders of consciousness.

My research investigates the neural mechanisms that support higher-order cognition, including working memory, decision-making and reasoning, with the aim of understanding how the brain exerts control over behaviour. I am also interested in how these abilities are affected by neurological and psychiatric conditions. My work combines behavioural testing, neuroimaging and non-invasive brain stimulation, and I am currently leading a trial examining the effects of transcutaneous vagus nerve stimulation on the body's stress response.

I am increasingly interested in the ethical and human rights implications of AI-powered neurotechnology. As tools for reading, analysing and influencing brain activity become more powerful, my work explores how neural data can be protected and how these technologies can be governed responsibly. I have worked with the European Commission on these topics and served as an expert advisor to the UK Information Commissioner's Office on its public consultation on neurotechnology.

For details of all my research outputs, visit my WestminsterResearch profile.