Brandon Forys
@brandonforys.com
PhD student at UBC Psychology (MCLab, BAR Lab). fMRI methods, choices and thoughts about cognitive effort, avoidance + reward. Opinions my own.
Reposted by Brandon Forys
1. Media coverage of a new paper by @ryantomm.bsky.social w @brandonforys.com, @dr-stan.bsky.social et al. Building on Stan’s rodent work, Ryan found that > depression levels were associated w reduced capacity to learn to actively button-press to avoid a nasty sound www.medscape.com/viewarticle/...
Depression Curbs Ability to Actively Avoid Unpleasant Events
Depression in young patients is linked to difficulty in taking action to avoid something unpleasant, while the ability to withdraw and not act remains intact.
www.medscape.com
September 12, 2025 at 10:14 PM
1. Media coverage of a new paper by @ryantomm.bsky.social w @brandonforys.com, @dr-stan.bsky.social et al. Building on Stan’s rodent work, Ryan found that > depression levels were associated w reduced capacity to learn to actively button-press to avoid a nasty sound www.medscape.com/viewarticle/...
For >5 years, the International Sleep Replay Workshops have brought together scientists studying sleep & memory. The next ISRW will be on March 6th in Vancouver (before @CogNeuroNews). Follow the link for details + to join the mailing list - see you there!
isrw.bio.uci.edu
isrw.bio.uci.edu
International Sleep Replay Workshop – Join us for the virtual ISRW-IV in December 2024!
isrw.bio.uci.edu
August 29, 2025 at 9:13 PM
For >5 years, the International Sleep Replay Workshops have brought together scientists studying sleep & memory. The next ISRW will be on March 6th in Vancouver (before @CogNeuroNews). Follow the link for details + to join the mailing list - see you there!
isrw.bio.uci.edu
isrw.bio.uci.edu
Reposted by Brandon Forys
The recording of yesterday's multi-echo fMRI users meeting is now up! youtu.be/LUyvXA81AEs?... @enekourunuela.com @tsalo.bsky.social
May 28, 2025 at 5:40 PM
The recording of yesterday's multi-echo fMRI users meeting is now up! youtu.be/LUyvXA81AEs?... @enekourunuela.com @tsalo.bsky.social
Reposted by Brandon Forys
I just published a new substack post focusing on "holding in personhood." Stefanie Blain-Moraes, Naomi Askenazi,
& Ariane Boulet describe their work using dance, music, and technology to hold people in relationship when communication channels are restricted: open.substack.com/pub/becketto...
& Ariane Boulet describe their work using dance, music, and technology to hold people in relationship when communication channels are restricted: open.substack.com/pub/becketto...
Holding in Personhood
Oh, the days, they waste away, like an unplayed game.
open.substack.com
April 4, 2025 at 7:00 PM
I just published a new substack post focusing on "holding in personhood." Stefanie Blain-Moraes, Naomi Askenazi,
& Ariane Boulet describe their work using dance, music, and technology to hold people in relationship when communication channels are restricted: open.substack.com/pub/becketto...
& Ariane Boulet describe their work using dance, music, and technology to hold people in relationship when communication channels are restricted: open.substack.com/pub/becketto...
So wonderful to be a part of this awesome meeting - thanks @danielhandwerker.bsky.social! If you're interested in working with multi-echo and tedana, be sure to join these monthly meetings.
The recording of the multi-echo fMRI users meeting is now live! youtu.be/dlFtgWP4ItY?...
March 25, 2025 at 8:32 PM
So wonderful to be a part of this awesome meeting - thanks @danielhandwerker.bsky.social! If you're interested in working with multi-echo and tedana, be sure to join these monthly meetings.
Reposted by Brandon Forys
𝗜𝗻𝗱𝗶𝘃𝗶𝗱𝘂𝗮𝗹 𝘃𝗮𝗿𝗶𝗮𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗼𝗳 𝗻𝗲𝘂𝗿𝗮𝗹 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝘂𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿𝗹𝘆𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗳𝗹𝗲𝘅𝗶𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗱𝗲𝗰𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀
"theoretical framework to analyse individual variability in biological and artificial systems that perform flexible decision-making tasks"
Looks like must read!
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
#neuroscience
"theoretical framework to analyse individual variability in biological and artificial systems that perform flexible decision-making tasks"
Looks like must read!
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
#neuroscience
March 21, 2025 at 6:18 PM
𝗜𝗻𝗱𝗶𝘃𝗶𝗱𝘂𝗮𝗹 𝘃𝗮𝗿𝗶𝗮𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗼𝗳 𝗻𝗲𝘂𝗿𝗮𝗹 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝘂𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿𝗹𝘆𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗳𝗹𝗲𝘅𝗶𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗱𝗲𝗰𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀
"theoretical framework to analyse individual variability in biological and artificial systems that perform flexible decision-making tasks"
Looks like must read!
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
#neuroscience
"theoretical framework to analyse individual variability in biological and artificial systems that perform flexible decision-making tasks"
Looks like must read!
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
#neuroscience
Reposted by Brandon Forys
Interesting🧵⤵️
Why can sounds like dogs barking or a phone ringing sound pleasant in some situations, but very unpleasant in others? We explored this question in our new paper out now in @plosone.org: doi.org/10.1371/jour... (a thread):
Hear it here: Built environments predict ratings and descriptions of ambiguous sounds
The built environments we move through are a filter for the stimuli we experience. If we are in a darker or a lighter room or space, a neutrally valenced sound could be perceived as more unpleasant or...
doi.org
February 11, 2025 at 12:24 AM
Interesting🧵⤵️
Reposted by Brandon Forys
An image-computable model of speeded decision-making - our latest in @elife.bsky.social combining a CNN with a response time model. TL/DR: Training to reproduce human RTs results in different kinds of representations versus purely task-optimized training.
An image-computable model of speeded decision-making
elifesciences.org
January 29, 2025 at 11:31 PM
An image-computable model of speeded decision-making - our latest in @elife.bsky.social combining a CNN with a response time model. TL/DR: Training to reproduce human RTs results in different kinds of representations versus purely task-optimized training.
Reposted by Brandon Forys
Thanks to everyone's feedback, we have updated our calculator to optimize sample size N & scan time T for fMRI studies: leonoqr.github.io/ORSP_Calcula...
The first new feature is that users can explore how different N & T leads to different accuracy, e.g., N=1000 & T=30min => 81% max accuracy. 🧵
The first new feature is that users can explore how different N & T leads to different accuracy, e.g., N=1000 & T=30min => 81% max accuracy. 🧵
January 24, 2025 at 12:02 AM
Thanks to everyone's feedback, we have updated our calculator to optimize sample size N & scan time T for fMRI studies: leonoqr.github.io/ORSP_Calcula...
The first new feature is that users can explore how different N & T leads to different accuracy, e.g., N=1000 & T=30min => 81% max accuracy. 🧵
The first new feature is that users can explore how different N & T leads to different accuracy, e.g., N=1000 & T=30min => 81% max accuracy. 🧵
Reposted by Brandon Forys
Cool new paper from Brandon Forys et al. Congrats!
[Bonus: the figure in the paper suggests that the "newer" (and nicer) building is where my lab is. 😀]
[Bonus: the figure in the paper suggests that the "newer" (and nicer) building is where my lab is. 😀]
Why can sounds like dogs barking or a phone ringing sound pleasant in some situations, but very unpleasant in others? We explored this question in our new paper out now in @plosone.org: doi.org/10.1371/jour... (a thread):
Hear it here: Built environments predict ratings and descriptions of ambiguous sounds
The built environments we move through are a filter for the stimuli we experience. If we are in a darker or a lighter room or space, a neutrally valenced sound could be perceived as more unpleasant or...
doi.org
January 16, 2025 at 5:35 AM
Cool new paper from Brandon Forys et al. Congrats!
[Bonus: the figure in the paper suggests that the "newer" (and nicer) building is where my lab is. 😀]
[Bonus: the figure in the paper suggests that the "newer" (and nicer) building is where my lab is. 😀]
Why can sounds like dogs barking or a phone ringing sound pleasant in some situations, but very unpleasant in others? We explored this question in our new paper out now in @plosone.org: doi.org/10.1371/jour... (a thread):
Hear it here: Built environments predict ratings and descriptions of ambiguous sounds
The built environments we move through are a filter for the stimuli we experience. If we are in a darker or a lighter room or space, a neutrally valenced sound could be perceived as more unpleasant or...
doi.org
January 15, 2025 at 8:25 PM
Why can sounds like dogs barking or a phone ringing sound pleasant in some situations, but very unpleasant in others? We explored this question in our new paper out now in @plosone.org: doi.org/10.1371/jour... (a thread):
Yesterday, I taught the first class of the first undergrad course I'm teaching - cognitive neuroscience - and it was so exciting to see so many students from a variety of academic backgrounds coming together. It looks like it will be a great semester with this talented group!
January 8, 2025 at 8:25 PM
Yesterday, I taught the first class of the first undergrad course I'm teaching - cognitive neuroscience - and it was so exciting to see so many students from a variety of academic backgrounds coming together. It looks like it will be a great semester with this talented group!
Reposted by Brandon Forys
A related question: I would really like to incorporate LLMs into the class. Does anyone have good examples of how they have used them in graduate teaching?
I have been teaching a grad seminar for 10 years and I'd like to rework it to make it more engaging. Have any of you brought active learning techniques into your graduate seminars? I'd love to hear how you went about it and any tips you might have. Here is the syllabus: github.com/poldrack/psy...
GitHub - poldrack/psych202: Materials for Psych 202: Cognitive Neursocience seminar
Materials for Psych 202: Cognitive Neursocience seminar - poldrack/psych202
github.com
January 8, 2025 at 12:19 AM
A related question: I would really like to incorporate LLMs into the class. Does anyone have good examples of how they have used them in graduate teaching?
Great talk by @ar0mcintosh.bsky.social at #UBC on the amazing work being done with the Virtual Brain to model and understand how brain activity - and corresponding network - shift with aging. A very powerful tool!
December 11, 2024 at 7:17 PM
Great talk by @ar0mcintosh.bsky.social at #UBC on the amazing work being done with the Virtual Brain to model and understand how brain activity - and corresponding network - shift with aging. A very powerful tool!
I know many people use VSCode or similar for fMRI analysis scripting, but I’ve really come to like PyCharm - good SFTP interface for working with compute clusters, Copilot inline for code checking, etc. I just wish it could handle remote Jupyter notebook mounting a little more nicely…random thought!
November 28, 2024 at 8:28 AM
I know many people use VSCode or similar for fMRI analysis scripting, but I’ve really come to like PyCharm - good SFTP interface for working with compute clusters, Copilot inline for code checking, etc. I just wish it could handle remote Jupyter notebook mounting a little more nicely…random thought!
Reposted by Brandon Forys
OpenNeuro.org is now on Bluesky! Follow us for project updates and exciting new datasets.
OpenNeuro
OpenNeuro.org
November 18, 2024 at 7:11 PM
OpenNeuro.org is now on Bluesky! Follow us for project updates and exciting new datasets.
Reposted by Brandon Forys
With so many new people flooding onto Blue Sky I thought I'd re-post this just-out cognitive neuroscience paper from my lab - the fruit of many years and much labour.
Our paper led by Mana Ehlers w James Kryklywy, @brandonforys.bsky.social, et al. is finally out! We model neural instantiation of specific affective information acquired with learning. It's the result of a huge amount of work and persistence in the face of obstacles: direct.mit.edu/imag/article...
Valenced tactile information is evoked by neutral visual cues following emotional learning
Abstract. Learning which stimuli in our environment co-occur with painful or pleasurable events is critical for survival. Previous research has established the basic neural and behavioral mechanisms o...
direct.mit.edu
November 16, 2024 at 2:09 PM
With so many new people flooding onto Blue Sky I thought I'd re-post this just-out cognitive neuroscience paper from my lab - the fruit of many years and much labour.
Reposted by Brandon Forys
How do DA and 5HT drugs alter reinforcement learning? Join us next Wednesday for talks by @anahitm.bsky.social, Diego Pizzagalli, Michael Browning, Roshan Cools, Emma Robinson, Yael Niv, Cath Harmer, Isabel Berwian, @nathanieldaw.bsky.social and Anne Collins. Links etc: acplab.org/2024/11/15/r...
RELMED Workshop 20th Nov 2024 – Applied Computational Psychiatry Lab
acplab.org
November 15, 2024 at 6:00 PM
How do DA and 5HT drugs alter reinforcement learning? Join us next Wednesday for talks by @anahitm.bsky.social, Diego Pizzagalli, Michael Browning, Roshan Cools, Emma Robinson, Yael Niv, Cath Harmer, Isabel Berwian, @nathanieldaw.bsky.social and Anne Collins. Links etc: acplab.org/2024/11/15/r...
👋 I’m Brandon, a PhD student at UBC Psychology with @beckety.bsky.social and Alan Kingstone. I investigate factors driving our choices in cognitive effort + features of our environment that affect how we interpret everyday stimuli, as well as the neural representations of avoidance and reward.
November 15, 2024 at 4:05 PM
👋 I’m Brandon, a PhD student at UBC Psychology with @beckety.bsky.social and Alan Kingstone. I investigate factors driving our choices in cognitive effort + features of our environment that affect how we interpret everyday stimuli, as well as the neural representations of avoidance and reward.
Reposted by Brandon Forys
Announcing: BIDS Validator 2.0
This is a complete rewrite to base the validator on the declarative BIDS schema. Most importantly, this validator boasts long-awaited support for BIDS Derivative datasets.
bids-standard.github.io/bids-validat...
#BIDS #BrainImagingDataStructure
This is a complete rewrite to base the validator on the declarative BIDS schema. Most importantly, this validator boasts long-awaited support for BIDS Derivative datasets.
bids-standard.github.io/bids-validat...
#BIDS #BrainImagingDataStructure
BIDS Validator
bids-standard.github.io
November 13, 2024 at 7:32 PM
Announcing: BIDS Validator 2.0
This is a complete rewrite to base the validator on the declarative BIDS schema. Most importantly, this validator boasts long-awaited support for BIDS Derivative datasets.
bids-standard.github.io/bids-validat...
#BIDS #BrainImagingDataStructure
This is a complete rewrite to base the validator on the declarative BIDS schema. Most importantly, this validator boasts long-awaited support for BIDS Derivative datasets.
bids-standard.github.io/bids-validat...
#BIDS #BrainImagingDataStructure
Thanks for the post @beckety.bsky.social - well said and excited to see this out at long last!
Our paper led by Mana Ehlers w James Kryklywy, @brandonforys.bsky.social, et al. is finally out! We model neural instantiation of specific affective information acquired with learning. It's the result of a huge amount of work and persistence in the face of obstacles: direct.mit.edu/imag/article...
Valenced tactile information is evoked by neutral visual cues following emotional learning
Abstract. Learning which stimuli in our environment co-occur with painful or pleasurable events is critical for survival. Previous research has established the basic neural and behavioral mechanisms o...
direct.mit.edu
November 14, 2024 at 3:19 AM
Thanks for the post @beckety.bsky.social - well said and excited to see this out at long last!
Reposted by Brandon Forys
New substack post. I interview entrepreneur & special effects producer Philipp Wolf on his strengths-based approach to neurdivergence, his midlife autism diagnosis, and swyvl, his company designing XR to share the experience of neurodivergent nervous systems: open.substack.com/pub/becketto...
Simulating neurodiversity
An interview with Philipp Wolf
open.substack.com
November 13, 2024 at 2:41 AM
New substack post. I interview entrepreneur & special effects producer Philipp Wolf on his strengths-based approach to neurdivergence, his midlife autism diagnosis, and swyvl, his company designing XR to share the experience of neurodivergent nervous systems: open.substack.com/pub/becketto...
Reposted by Brandon Forys
I just published a new substack post on dancing with neurodiversity. If you like it please subscribe (for free). open.substack.com/pub/becketto...
September 21, 2024 at 12:16 PM
I just published a new substack post on dancing with neurodiversity. If you like it please subscribe (for free). open.substack.com/pub/becketto...
What drives our choices to use more or less cognitive effort for reward? I’m excited to share our new paper out now in #eNeuro: “Short-term memory capacity predicts willingness to expend cognitive effort for reward.” doi.org/10.1523/ENEU...
Short-term memory capacity predicts willingness to expend cognitive effort for reward
We must often decide whether the effort required for a task is worth the reward. Past rodent work suggests that willingness to deploy cognitive effort can be driven by individual differences in percei...
doi.org
June 12, 2024 at 7:10 PM
What drives our choices to use more or less cognitive effort for reward? I’m excited to share our new paper out now in #eNeuro: “Short-term memory capacity predicts willingness to expend cognitive effort for reward.” doi.org/10.1523/ENEU...
Fantastic post from @beckety.bsky.social, go give it a read!
I wrote a new substack post on connecting with spared implicit understanding in people with dementia through nonverbal means. I talk about the perspective of philosopher/psychiatrist Thomas Fuch & interview social worker extraordinaire Elaine Book. open.substack.com/pub/becketto...
CONNECTING THROUGH DEMENTIA
The roar of the traffic, the passage of undifferentiated faces, this way and that way, drugs me into dreams; rubs the features from faces. People might walk through me. And what is this moment of time...
open.substack.com
February 3, 2024 at 1:45 AM
Fantastic post from @beckety.bsky.social, go give it a read!