Papers
2
Total Citations
10
H-Index
2
About
Sally Cole is a cognitive neuroscientist whose research lies at the intersection of reward processing, reinforcement learning, and neuromodulation. Her work primarily investigates how prefrontal transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) can alter dopaminergic activity in the dorsal striatum and anterior midcingulate cortex to influence goal-directed behavior. In her most-cited paper (2022, 8 citations), Cole demonstrated that 10-Hz repetitive TMS to the left dorsal lateral prefrontal cortex boosts response vigour during reinforcement learning in healthy adults, revealing a causal link between prefrontal excitability and motivated behaviour. Her more recent work (2025, 2 citations) extends this line of inquiry to clinical populations, showing that blunted anterior midcingulate responses to reward in opioid users can be normalized by prefrontal TMS—a finding with significant implications for addiction treatment. By bridging basic cognitive neuroscience with translational applications, Cole’s research offers mechanistic insights into how non-invasive brain stimulation can remediate reward-related deficits. Her work is particularly notable for its potential to inform interventions for treatment dropout and relapse in substance use disorders, positioning her as an emerging leader in the field of neuromodulation and addiction neuroscience.
Research Focus
Key Achievements
Top Papers
- 1
- 2