Christine Deruelle

Papers

Total Citations

183

H-Index

About

Christine Deruelle is a leading cognitive neuroscientist whose research sits at the intersection of social cognition, neurodevelopmental disorders, and human-machine interaction. Her work fundamentally explores how the human brain processes social information, with a particular focus on autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Deruelle’s major contributions include pioneering investigations into how individuals with ASD interact with artificial agents, such as humanoid robots, using functional MRI to reveal the neural underpinnings of these interactions. Her highly cited 2012 study (128 citations) on mentalizing during alleged competition with artificial intelligence challenged assumptions about the specificity of brain regions involved in inferring mental states, suggesting that these networks may generalize beyond human-to-human contexts. She has also made significant strides in understanding atypical hypothalamic activity in ASD, demonstrating how social context modulates neural responses differently in affected individuals. With a career spanning innovative fMRI methodologies and translational applications for social therapies, Deruelle’s work has shaped our understanding of how both typical and atypical brains navigate social worlds—whether with humans or machines. Her findings continue to inform the development of robotic tools for cognitive therapies, bridging neuroscience, psychology, and artificial intelligence.