Hugo Spiers
@hugospiers.bsky.social
Prof of Cognitive Neuroscience & Vice Dean at UCL, Fellow of the Royal Inst. of Navigation. I study how we remember, navigate & imagine space
Photo: Our upcoming field research in the Marshall Islands
https://spierslab.wixsite.com/wavesandwayfinding
Photo: Our upcoming field research in the Marshall Islands
https://spierslab.wixsite.com/wavesandwayfinding
Moyamoya is a rare cerebrovascular disorder where arteries at the base of the brain narrow, blocking blood flow.
It can be devastating in children.
Lauren Harris, Charlotte Malcolm et al find metrics from neuroimaging help identify the neurocogntiive outcomes for these children:
tinyurl.com/mrx3vhy9
It can be devastating in children.
Lauren Harris, Charlotte Malcolm et al find metrics from neuroimaging help identify the neurocogntiive outcomes for these children:
tinyurl.com/mrx3vhy9
November 9, 2025 at 5:38 PM
Moyamoya is a rare cerebrovascular disorder where arteries at the base of the brain narrow, blocking blood flow.
It can be devastating in children.
Lauren Harris, Charlotte Malcolm et al find metrics from neuroimaging help identify the neurocogntiive outcomes for these children:
tinyurl.com/mrx3vhy9
It can be devastating in children.
Lauren Harris, Charlotte Malcolm et al find metrics from neuroimaging help identify the neurocogntiive outcomes for these children:
tinyurl.com/mrx3vhy9
New preprint from Satoshi Kuroki & Sébastien Royer
Grid cells encode reward distance during path integration in cue-rich environments
www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-7...
Grid cells encode reward distance during path integration in cue-rich environments
www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-7...
October 22, 2025 at 9:43 AM
New preprint from Satoshi Kuroki & Sébastien Royer
Grid cells encode reward distance during path integration in cue-rich environments
www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-7...
Grid cells encode reward distance during path integration in cue-rich environments
www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-7...
Allocentric flocking
by
Mohammad Salahshour & Iain Couzin
"We find collective motion can emerge spontaneously when individuals act as sensory inputs to each other’s networks, but only if individuals employ allocentric bearings to neighbors."
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
by
Mohammad Salahshour & Iain Couzin
"We find collective motion can emerge spontaneously when individuals act as sensory inputs to each other’s networks, but only if individuals employ allocentric bearings to neighbors."
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
October 15, 2025 at 8:44 AM
Allocentric flocking
by
Mohammad Salahshour & Iain Couzin
"We find collective motion can emerge spontaneously when individuals act as sensory inputs to each other’s networks, but only if individuals employ allocentric bearings to neighbors."
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
by
Mohammad Salahshour & Iain Couzin
"We find collective motion can emerge spontaneously when individuals act as sensory inputs to each other’s networks, but only if individuals employ allocentric bearings to neighbors."
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Photo of me in the @uk.theconversation.com setting up an accelerometer to record the motion of our trimaran in our recent fieldwork research on spatial navigation. Such an incredible experience working with the Marshallese community for this research
theconversation.com/my-voyage-to...
theconversation.com/my-voyage-to...
October 4, 2025 at 9:38 AM
Photo of me in the @uk.theconversation.com setting up an accelerometer to record the motion of our trimaran in our recent fieldwork research on spatial navigation. Such an incredible experience working with the Marshallese community for this research
theconversation.com/my-voyage-to...
theconversation.com/my-voyage-to...
New publication:
Our first publication from this fMRI dataset exploring brain dynamics to the built environment. First time in my lab shifting into aesthetics and exploring how networks of brain regions are engaged by positive space and the act of evaluating a space:
Our first publication from this fMRI dataset exploring brain dynamics to the built environment. First time in my lab shifting into aesthetics and exploring how networks of brain regions are engaged by positive space and the act of evaluating a space:
October 2, 2025 at 8:33 AM
New publication:
Our first publication from this fMRI dataset exploring brain dynamics to the built environment. First time in my lab shifting into aesthetics and exploring how networks of brain regions are engaged by positive space and the act of evaluating a space:
Our first publication from this fMRI dataset exploring brain dynamics to the built environment. First time in my lab shifting into aesthetics and exploring how networks of brain regions are engaged by positive space and the act of evaluating a space:
New publication from our lab:
Brain Dynamics during Architectural Experience: Prefrontal and Hippocampal Regions Track Aesthetics and Spatial Complexity
1st author is Lara Gregorian, with collaborators @pfvelasco.bsky.social Zita Patai and Fiona Zisch
Stimuli:
www.researchgate.net/publication/...
Brain Dynamics during Architectural Experience: Prefrontal and Hippocampal Regions Track Aesthetics and Spatial Complexity
1st author is Lara Gregorian, with collaborators @pfvelasco.bsky.social Zita Patai and Fiona Zisch
Stimuli:
www.researchgate.net/publication/...
October 1, 2025 at 9:16 PM
New publication from our lab:
Brain Dynamics during Architectural Experience: Prefrontal and Hippocampal Regions Track Aesthetics and Spatial Complexity
1st author is Lara Gregorian, with collaborators @pfvelasco.bsky.social Zita Patai and Fiona Zisch
Stimuli:
www.researchgate.net/publication/...
Brain Dynamics during Architectural Experience: Prefrontal and Hippocampal Regions Track Aesthetics and Spatial Complexity
1st author is Lara Gregorian, with collaborators @pfvelasco.bsky.social Zita Patai and Fiona Zisch
Stimuli:
www.researchgate.net/publication/...
Navigating from the rising sun position in the open pacific.
Want to know more, come listen to my 3pmUK/10am EST talk today:
Want to know more, come listen to my 3pmUK/10am EST talk today:
September 12, 2025 at 9:12 AM
Navigating from the rising sun position in the open pacific.
Want to know more, come listen to my 3pmUK/10am EST talk today:
Want to know more, come listen to my 3pmUK/10am EST talk today:
"Neurocognitive outcomes following postoperative paediatric cerebellar mutism syndrome (CMS): A systematic review"
tinyurl.com/ycxny6uh
Lead PI, Charlotte Malcolm at GOSH
In CMS the ability to speak is lost for period & then returns, here the team now show consistent long-term cognitive impairments
tinyurl.com/ycxny6uh
Lead PI, Charlotte Malcolm at GOSH
In CMS the ability to speak is lost for period & then returns, here the team now show consistent long-term cognitive impairments
September 11, 2025 at 7:31 PM
"Neurocognitive outcomes following postoperative paediatric cerebellar mutism syndrome (CMS): A systematic review"
tinyurl.com/ycxny6uh
Lead PI, Charlotte Malcolm at GOSH
In CMS the ability to speak is lost for period & then returns, here the team now show consistent long-term cognitive impairments
tinyurl.com/ycxny6uh
Lead PI, Charlotte Malcolm at GOSH
In CMS the ability to speak is lost for period & then returns, here the team now show consistent long-term cognitive impairments
Wow!
Impact of environmental range size on hippocampal structure in chimpanzees
(conference paper)
Fascinating follow up to the famous work on London taxi drivers and their hippocampal size.
cds.ismrm.org/protected/25...
Impact of environmental range size on hippocampal structure in chimpanzees
(conference paper)
Fascinating follow up to the famous work on London taxi drivers and their hippocampal size.
cds.ismrm.org/protected/25...
September 10, 2025 at 2:46 PM
Wow!
Impact of environmental range size on hippocampal structure in chimpanzees
(conference paper)
Fascinating follow up to the famous work on London taxi drivers and their hippocampal size.
cds.ismrm.org/protected/25...
Impact of environmental range size on hippocampal structure in chimpanzees
(conference paper)
Fascinating follow up to the famous work on London taxi drivers and their hippocampal size.
cds.ismrm.org/protected/25...
Come find out what we discovered in our science expedition to Aur Atoll my first online talk next Friday (12th of Sept):
mailchi.mp/stir/spring-...
mailchi.mp/stir/spring-...
September 5, 2025 at 8:31 PM
Come find out what we discovered in our science expedition to Aur Atoll my first online talk next Friday (12th of Sept):
mailchi.mp/stir/spring-...
mailchi.mp/stir/spring-...
We safely returned to Majuro a week ago after a successful research expedition to the atoll of Aur.
View here of Majuro just after sunset on our last day.
An incredible experience. Hard to put into words.
Next comes the data analysis after a family holiday.
View here of Majuro just after sunset on our last day.
An incredible experience. Hard to put into words.
Next comes the data analysis after a family holiday.
August 17, 2025 at 2:23 PM
We safely returned to Majuro a week ago after a successful research expedition to the atoll of Aur.
View here of Majuro just after sunset on our last day.
An incredible experience. Hard to put into words.
Next comes the data analysis after a family holiday.
View here of Majuro just after sunset on our last day.
An incredible experience. Hard to put into words.
Next comes the data analysis after a family holiday.
Well, I've had my research disrupted by all sorts of things, power cuts, participants not turning up, software fails...
but disrupted by a Tsunami is a new one!
Our team are still en route via Hawai'i to run our research on the ocean in the Marshall Islands, but with a few days delay to get there
but disrupted by a Tsunami is a new one!
Our team are still en route via Hawai'i to run our research on the ocean in the Marshall Islands, but with a few days delay to get there
July 30, 2025 at 9:24 PM
Well, I've had my research disrupted by all sorts of things, power cuts, participants not turning up, software fails...
but disrupted by a Tsunami is a new one!
Our team are still en route via Hawai'i to run our research on the ocean in the Marshall Islands, but with a few days delay to get there
but disrupted by a Tsunami is a new one!
Our team are still en route via Hawai'i to run our research on the ocean in the Marshall Islands, but with a few days delay to get there
Very grateful to everyone who has backed us on Experiment, from $2 to $600 all useful to helping the community we are visiting on the atoll of Aur in the Marshall Islands.
experiment.com/projects/a-c...
experiment.com/projects/a-c...
July 15, 2025 at 7:30 PM
Very grateful to everyone who has backed us on Experiment, from $2 to $600 all useful to helping the community we are visiting on the atoll of Aur in the Marshall Islands.
experiment.com/projects/a-c...
experiment.com/projects/a-c...
A huge thanks for everyone who has supported our fundraiser for the indigenous community on Aur Atoll in the Marshall Islands.
We will be brining food and equipment for the community.
39% on our way to our target.
experiment.com/projects/a-c...
We will be brining food and equipment for the community.
39% on our way to our target.
experiment.com/projects/a-c...
July 14, 2025 at 11:43 AM
A huge thanks for everyone who has supported our fundraiser for the indigenous community on Aur Atoll in the Marshall Islands.
We will be brining food and equipment for the community.
39% on our way to our target.
experiment.com/projects/a-c...
We will be brining food and equipment for the community.
39% on our way to our target.
experiment.com/projects/a-c...
This is the sea out there. We will have a trimaran (rather than a hand-carved canoe) to fit people everyone and all the equipment
July 9, 2025 at 7:20 PM
This is the sea out there. We will have a trimaran (rather than a hand-carved canoe) to fit people everyone and all the equipment
Impressive and risky research testing ancient seafaring in Japan (love the map):
Paleolithic seafaring in East Asia: An experimental test of the dugout canoe hypothesis
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
Paleolithic seafaring in East Asia: An experimental test of the dugout canoe hypothesis
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
June 28, 2025 at 8:06 PM
Impressive and risky research testing ancient seafaring in Japan (love the map):
Paleolithic seafaring in East Asia: An experimental test of the dugout canoe hypothesis
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
Paleolithic seafaring in East Asia: An experimental test of the dugout canoe hypothesis
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
June 12, 2025 at 6:13 AM
Chapter in the Open Encyclopedia of Cognitive Science
with @antoinecoutrot.bsky.social
We explain the history and current directions of Citizen Science in the cognitive sciences:
www.researchgate.net/publication/...
with @antoinecoutrot.bsky.social
We explain the history and current directions of Citizen Science in the cognitive sciences:
www.researchgate.net/publication/...
May 31, 2025 at 12:09 PM
Chapter in the Open Encyclopedia of Cognitive Science
with @antoinecoutrot.bsky.social
We explain the history and current directions of Citizen Science in the cognitive sciences:
www.researchgate.net/publication/...
with @antoinecoutrot.bsky.social
We explain the history and current directions of Citizen Science in the cognitive sciences:
www.researchgate.net/publication/...
Screen shots from BBC Click during the experiment. Now to reveal some of that that mad experiment is telling us:
May 19, 2025 at 1:10 PM
Screen shots from BBC Click during the experiment. Now to reveal some of that that mad experiment is telling us:
This Thursday at 5.20pm we are holding a webinar to reveal the first findings from our project studying how 100 people explore, navigate and evacuate space. Photos below show camera tracking at 2 timepoints in our experiment.
For more info and a registration link:
www.ucl.ac.uk/bartlett/res...
For more info and a registration link:
www.ucl.ac.uk/bartlett/res...
May 19, 2025 at 10:24 AM
This Thursday at 5.20pm we are holding a webinar to reveal the first findings from our project studying how 100 people explore, navigate and evacuate space. Photos below show camera tracking at 2 timepoints in our experiment.
For more info and a registration link:
www.ucl.ac.uk/bartlett/res...
For more info and a registration link:
www.ucl.ac.uk/bartlett/res...
Interesting read part of why Case 1 had a massive resection...
May 17, 2025 at 11:03 PM
Interesting read part of why Case 1 had a massive resection...
Amazing drawings and opening to the discussion in this classic article from 1935 by Penfield and Evans:
THE FRONTAL LOBE IN MAN: A CLINICAL STUDY OF MAXIMUM REMOVALS
academic.oup.com/brain/articl...
THE FRONTAL LOBE IN MAN: A CLINICAL STUDY OF MAXIMUM REMOVALS
academic.oup.com/brain/articl...
May 17, 2025 at 3:30 PM
Amazing drawings and opening to the discussion in this classic article from 1935 by Penfield and Evans:
THE FRONTAL LOBE IN MAN: A CLINICAL STUDY OF MAXIMUM REMOVALS
academic.oup.com/brain/articl...
THE FRONTAL LOBE IN MAN: A CLINICAL STUDY OF MAXIMUM REMOVALS
academic.oup.com/brain/articl...
🚨Pls share!
Join us next Thurs (22nd May 5.20pm UK time) to watch a panel discussion on our NeuroArchitecture Project: 100 Minds in Motion
100+ people explored, navigated & evacuated an art gallery kitted out with a range of sensors
First findings revealed
Register:
www.ucl.ac.uk/bartlett/res...
Join us next Thurs (22nd May 5.20pm UK time) to watch a panel discussion on our NeuroArchitecture Project: 100 Minds in Motion
100+ people explored, navigated & evacuated an art gallery kitted out with a range of sensors
First findings revealed
Register:
www.ucl.ac.uk/bartlett/res...
May 16, 2025 at 2:42 PM
🚨Pls share!
Join us next Thurs (22nd May 5.20pm UK time) to watch a panel discussion on our NeuroArchitecture Project: 100 Minds in Motion
100+ people explored, navigated & evacuated an art gallery kitted out with a range of sensors
First findings revealed
Register:
www.ucl.ac.uk/bartlett/res...
Join us next Thurs (22nd May 5.20pm UK time) to watch a panel discussion on our NeuroArchitecture Project: 100 Minds in Motion
100+ people explored, navigated & evacuated an art gallery kitted out with a range of sensors
First findings revealed
Register:
www.ucl.ac.uk/bartlett/res...
Impressive study from Richard Morris's group:
Hippocampal reactivation of planned
trajectories is required for effective goal
choice in an allocentric memory task
#hippocampus #neuroskyence #navigation #memory #planning
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Hippocampal reactivation of planned
trajectories is required for effective goal
choice in an allocentric memory task
#hippocampus #neuroskyence #navigation #memory #planning
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
May 13, 2025 at 9:59 AM
Impressive study from Richard Morris's group:
Hippocampal reactivation of planned
trajectories is required for effective goal
choice in an allocentric memory task
#hippocampus #neuroskyence #navigation #memory #planning
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Hippocampal reactivation of planned
trajectories is required for effective goal
choice in an allocentric memory task
#hippocampus #neuroskyence #navigation #memory #planning
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...