Office hours: Thuesdays 11:00-12:00

Research fields

• Visual and attentional processes: experimental studies and mathematical modeling
• Assessment of attention in healthy and clinical populations
• Cognitive deficits after brain damage

Research: brief description

Thomas Habekost is professor in cognitive neuropsychology at the Department of Psychology, University of Copenhagen. His research focuses on visual and attentional processes using a range of experimental and technical methods (e.g., MRI, EEG, eye tracking). Many of his studies are theoretically based in the mathematical TVA model (Bundesen, Psychological Review 1990). A major focus of Thomas Habekost’s research is to develop and apply the TVA model as a research tool for assessment of attentional deficits in neurological, neuropsychiatric and developmental disorders (see Habekost, Frontiers in Psychology 2015, for an overview of this field). His research on TVA based assessment also includes studies of the psychometric properties of the test, the influence of aging on test performance, and EEG correlates of the test parameters.

Link to Google Scholar profile: http://scholar.google.dk/citations?user=hZyIAlwAAAAJ&hl=da.

Link to Researchgate profile: http://www.researchgate.net/profile/Thomas_Habekost

 Current research projects

• Interactions between arousal and selective attention
• Cognitive profiling of ADHD including effects of medication

  Major grants

2013-2017: Share of grant (5.756.000 Dkr.)  from KU's crossdisciplinary 2016-program (PI: Ulrik Gether, vice-PI: Thomas Habekost): "Attention to Dopamine": 18.759.000 Dkr.  

2013-2017: Share of grant from KU's crossdisciplinary 2016-program (PI: Susanne Ditlevsen): "Dynamical Systems": 28.176.000 Dkr.

2012-2016: Grant from the Danish Council for Independent Research's Sapere Aude program (PI: Thomas Habekost): "The attentive mind: towards a unified theory of visual selectivity and arousal": 8.637.068 Dkr.

2008-2013: Share of grant from KU's Centre of Excellence program (PI: Claus Bundesen): "Integrated visual attention research": 20.000.000 Dkr. 

Teaching

Teaching and supervision at BA, KA, and Ph.D. levels in:

•  Bachelor’s theses (course coordinator)
•  Master’s theses
•  Cognitive Psychology
•  Neuropsychology
•  Research methods in cognitive neuroscience
•  Clinical psychology with cognitive or neural aspects

Selected publications

Lunau, R., & Habekost, T. (2017). Effects of irrelevant color grouping on attentional selection in partial report. Attention, Perception, & Psychophysics, 79(5), 1323-1335

Petersen, A., Petersen, A.-M., Bundesen, C., Vangkilde, S., & Habekost, T. (2017). The effect of phasic auditory alerting on visual perception. Cognition, 165, 73-81.

Caspersen, I., Vangkilde, S., Plessen, K., Petersen, A., & Habekost, T. (2017). Perceptual and response-dependent profiles of attention in children with ADHD. Neuropsychology, 31(4), 349-360.

Habekost, T. (2015). Clinical TVA-based studies: a general review. Frontiers in Psychology. Mar 18;6:290. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2015.00290

Bundesen, C., Vangkilde, S., & Habekost, T. (2015). Components of visual bias: a multiplicative hypothesis. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, 1339, 116-124.

Habekost, T., Petersen, A., Behrmann, M., & Starrfelt, R. (2014). From word superiority to word inferiority: visual processing of letters and words in pure alexia. Cognitive Neuropsychology, 31(5-6), 413-436.

Habekost, T., Vangkilde, S., & Petersen, A. (2014). Assessment of attention: ANT and TVA provide complementary measures. Behavior Research Methods, 46(1), 81-94. 

Habekost, T., Vogel, A., Rostrup, E., Bundesen, C., Kyllingsbæk, S., Garde, E., Ryberg, C., & Waldemar, G. (2013). Visual processing speed in old age. Scandinavian Journal of Psychology, 54(2), 89-94.

Caspersen, I. D., & Habekost, T. (2013). Selective and sustained attention in children with spina bifida myelomeningocele. Child Neuropsychology, 19(1), 55-77.

Habekost, T. (2010). ADHD: en neurobiologisk forstyrrelse? Psyke og Logos, 31:2, 647-667.

Vangkilde, S., & Habekost, T. (2010). Finding Wally: Prism adaptation improves visual search in chronic neglect. Neuropsychologia, 48, 1994-2004.

Starrfelt, R., Habekost, T., & Leff, A. (2009). Too little, too late: reduced visual span and speed characterize pure alexia. Cerebral Cortex, 19, 2880-2890.

Habekost, T., & Starrfelt, R. (2009). Visual attention capacity: a review of TVA-based patient studies. Scandinavian Journal of Psychology, 50, 23-32.

Bundesen, C., & Habekost, T. (2008). Principles of Visual Attention: linking mind and brain. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Habekost, T., & Rostrup, E. (2007). Visual attention capacity after right hemisphere lesions. Neuropsychologia, 45, 1474-1488.

Habekost, T., & Starrfelt, R. (2006). Alexia and quadrant-amblyopia. Reading disability after a minor visual field deficit. Neuropsychologia, 44, 2465-2476.

Habekost, T., & Rostrup, E. (2006). Persisting asymmetries of vision after right side lesions. Neuropsychologia, 44, 876-895.

Bundesen, C., & Habekost, T. (2005). Attention. In K. Lamberts & R. Goldstone: Handbook of Cognition (pp. 105-129). London: Sage Publications.

Bundesen, C., Habekost, T., & Kyllingsbaek, S (2005). A neural theory of visual attention: Bridging cognition and neurophysiology. Psychological Review, 112, 291-328.

Habekost, T. (2005). Deficits in visual attention after right side brain damage. TVA based patient studies. PhD dissertation. University of Copenhagen, Denmark.

Habekost, T., & Bundesen, C. (2003). Patient assessment based on a theory of visual attention (TVA): Subtle deficits after a right frontal-subcortical lesion. Neuropsychologia, 41, 1171-1188.

Born:

9th of February 1973 (Holstebro, Denmark)

Education:

Cand.Psych. (University of Copenhagen, 2000). Ph.D. (University of Copenhagen, 2005)

Current position:

2021-        : Head of Research Cluster (Cognition & Neuropsychology), Dept. of Psychology, KU

2017-        : Full Professor in Cognitive Neuropsychology, Dept. of Psychology, KU

Previous positions:

2015-2021 : Deputy Head of Department, Dept. of Psychology, KU

2013-2017 : Professor MSO of Cognitive Neuropsychology, Dept. of Psychology, KU

2011-2013 : Associate Professor of Cognitive Psychology, Dept. of Psychology, KU

2008-2010: Assistant Professor, Dept. of Psychology, KU

2006-2008: Postdoc, KU Priority Area "Brain and Mind".

2005:          Postdoc, Dept. of Psychology, KU

2002-2005: Ph.D. student, Dept. of Psychology, KU.

2003:          Visiting Scholar, Cognition and Brain Sciences Unit, Cambridge, UK.

2001:          Research Assistant, Dept. of Psychology, KU

2001:          Research Assistant, Neurobiological Research Unit, Danish National Hospital.

Administration and evaluation experience

2015-: Deputy Head of Department

2013-2015: Member of the Study Board at Dept. of Psychology, KU

2012-2014: Member of the local Ethical Committee at Dept. of Psychology, KU

2012-: Evaluator of applications for academic positions (PhD scholarships, postdocs, associate professorships)

2011-2016: Member of the Young Academy of the Danish Royal Society for Sciences and Letters

2010-: Research Coordinator for the International TVA network

2008-2012: Member of the Institute Council at Dept. of Psychology, KU

2008-: Member of the Steering Group at Center for Visual Cognition, KU

Ad-hoc reviewer for the European Science Foundation, the Swedish Research Council, Cognitive Psychology, Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience, Journal of Experimental Psychology: Human Perception and Performance, Neuropsychologia, Neuropsychology, Psychonomic Bulleting and Review, and Restorative Neurology and Neuroscience.

Selected publications:

Low, A. M., Vangkilde, S., le Sommer, J., Fagerlund, B., Glenthøj, B., Jepsen, J. R. M., & Habekost, T. (in press). Effects of methylphenidate on subjective sleep parameters in adults with ADHD: a prospective, non-randomized, non-blinded 6-week trial. Nordic Journal of Psychiatry.

Low, A.-M., Vangkilde, S., le Sommer, J., Fagerlund, B., Glenthøj, B., Jepsen, J. R. M., Bundesen, C., Petersen, A., & Habekost, T. (2019). Visual attention in adults with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder before and after stimulant treatment. Psychological Medicine. 49(15), 2617-2625.

Petersen, A., Petersen, A.-M., Bundesen, C., Vangkilde, S., & Habekost, T. (2017). The effect of phasic auditory alerting on visual perception. Cognition, 165, 73-81.

Lunau, R., & Habekost, T. (2017). Effects of irrelevant color grouping on attentional selection in partial report. Attention, Perception, & Psychophysics, 79(5), 1323-1335.

Caspersen, I., Vangkilde, S., Plessen, K., Petersen, A., & Habekost, T. (2017). Perceptual and response-dependent profiles of attention in children with ADHD. Neuropsychology, 31(4), 349-360.

Habekost, T. (2015). Clinical TVA-based studies: a general review. Frontiers in Psychology.

Bundesen, C., Vangkilde, S., & Habekost, T. (2015). Components of visual bias: a multiplicative hypothesis. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences.

Habekost, T., Petersen, A., Behrmann, M., & Starrfelt, R. (2014). From word superiority to word inferiority: visual processing of letters and words in pure alexia. Cognitive Neuropsychology, 31(5-6), 413-436.

Bundesen, C., & Habekost, T. (2014). Theory of Visual Attention (TVA). In S. Kastner and K. Nobre (Eds), Oxford Handbook of Attention. Oxford University Press, Oxford.

Habekost, T., Vangkilde, S., & Petersen, A. (2014). Assessment of attention: ANT and TVA provide complementary measures. Behavior Research Methods, 46(1), 81-94. 

Caspersen, I. D., & Habekost, T. (2013). Selective and sustained attention in children with spina bifida myelomeningocele. Child Neuropsychology, 19(1), 55-77.

Bundesen, C., Habekost, T., & Kyllingsbæk, S. (2011). A neural theory of visual attention and short-term memory (NTVA). Neuropsychologia, 49, 1446-1457.

Habekost, T. (2010). ADHD: en neurobiologisk forstyrrelse? Psyke og Logos, 31:2, 647-667.

Vangkilde, S., & Habekost, T. (2010). Finding Wally: Prism adaptation improves visual search in chronic neglect. Neuropsychologia, 48, 1994-2004.

Starrfelt, R., Habekost, T., & Gerlach, C. (2010). Visual processing in pure alexia: a case study. Cortex, 46, 242-255.

Starrfelt, R., Habekost, T., & Leff, A. (2009). Too little, too late: reduced visual span and speed characterize pure alexia. Cerebral Cortex, 19, 2880-2890.

Bundesen, C., & Habekost, T. (2008). Principles of Visual Attention: linking mind and brain. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Habekost, T., & Rostrup, E. (2007). Visual attention capacity after right hemisphere lesions. Neuropsychologia, 45, 1474-1488.

Habekost, T., & Starrfelt, R. (2006). Alexia and quadrant-amblyopia. Reading disability after a minor visual field deficit. Neuropsychologia, 44, 2465-2476.

Habekost, T., & Rostrup, E. (2006). Persisting asymmetries of vision after right side lesions. Neuropsychologia, 44, 876-895.

Bundesen, C., & Habekost, T. (2005). Attention. In K. Lamberts & R. Goldstone: Handbook of Cognition (pp. 105-129). London: Sage Publications.

Bundesen, C., Habekost, T., & Kyllingsbaek, S (2005). A neural theory of visual attention: Bridging cognition and neurophysiology. Psychological Review, 112, 291-328.

Habekost, T. (2005). Deficits in visual attention after right side brain damage. TVA based patient studies. Doctoral dissertation. University of Copenhagen, Denmark.

Habekost, T., & Bundesen, C. (2003). Patient assessment based on a theory of visual attention (TVA): Subtle deficits after a right frontal-subcortical lesion. Neuropsychologia, 41, 1171-1188.