Dr Lynne Ann Barker BSc (Hons) First Class, PhD, PGCert
Associate Professor of Cognitive Neurosciencer
- Sheffield Institute of Social Sciences
- Centre for Behavioural Science and Applied Psychology
- Social and Economic Ï㽶ÊÓƵ Institute
Summary
I am an Associate Professor in Cognitive Neuroscience and a world leading expert in brain function and structure and neuropathology. I am a scientist, author, inventor, and innovator. I recently led a team who were successful finalists in the Longitude Prize on Dementia for the invention of the Automated Dementia Assistant (A.D.A). My other invention is a digital assessment tool for evaluating effects of brain injury on cognition. CogLAB is currently under development through the Icure funding stream. I was awarded a Wingate Scholarship for individuals of potential excellence and outstanding research for my PhD work at the University of Sheffield and nominated for the William James Award for the scientific study of consciousness, and the International Brain Injury Association’s Early Career Award. My work focuses on effects of traumatic brain injury and dementia on specific aspects of cognition and behaviour, developmental effects of injury, neuroplasticity, biomarkers of neurological conditions, the microbiome and neurological disorders and development of technology to assess, monitor and support cognition. I have more than 40 peer reviewed publications.
About
I began working at Ï㽶ÊÓƵ in 2006 and immediately set about creating neuroscience teaching and research provision. I created the Brain, Behaviour and Cognition Ï㽶ÊÓƵ group that has since expanded into the Cognition and Neuroscience Ï㽶ÊÓƵ Group. I was promoted to Reader in Neuroscience in 2015. I am a member of the departmental Ï㽶ÊÓƵ Lead Team, and also lead the Neurocognitive theme within the Centre for Behavioural Science and Applied Psychology. I am a Special Edition editor of Frontiers in Behavioural Neuroscience and OBM Neurobiology. My methodological expertise centres on retinal imaging, eye-tracking, cognitive and neuropsychological assessment, immersive technological developments for health care evaluation, and pioneering new approaches investigating the gut microbiome in neuropathology and health. I am the Postgraduate Ï㽶ÊÓƵ Tutor for our large departmental PhD community.
Teaching
Sheffield Institute of Social Sciences
College of Social Sciences and Arts
- Development of the Automated Dementia Assistant - funded by Dementia Longitude Prize, Alzheimer's.org and Innovate UK (UKRI) - winner. first phase.
- Development of the CogLAB prototype as part of the Icure programme (UKRI)
- Investigating the microbiome in Parkinson's Disease and probiotic use.
- The microbiome and probiotic use in Multiple Sclerosis
- Long Covid Cognition and the microbiome and inflammatory markers
Department of Psychology, Sociology and Politics, and the newly formed Institute of Social Science.
Previous course leader of the MSc in Clinical Cognitive Neuroscience.
Biological Foundations of Behaviour, Clinical Psychology, Perception and Cognition, Neuron to Neuropathology, Neuropsychology, Processes in Psychology, Individual Differences and I have supervised more than 50 final year dissertation projects during my time here and 8 PhD students.
Ï㽶ÊÓƵ
My research now focuses on four key areas
- retinal imaging, brain trauma concussion
- executive functions across development and after brain trauma
- development of digital tasks for assessment or therapeutic aid (A.D.A) and CogLAB
- microbiome gut-brain axis and neurological conditions.
- HIVE IT
- Symprove
- Ombeond
- UKRI
- ICUREx
- Longitude Prize on Dementia
- Cognitive Frailty International Network (CFIN)
- Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience
- PDUK
- Parkinsons East Midland Ï㽶ÊÓƵ Interest Group
- Concussion Alliance
Publications
Journal articles
Greene, L., Reidy, J., Morton, N., Atherton, A., & Barker, L. (2023). . Behavioral Sciences, 13 (10).
Denniss, R.J., & Barker, L. (2023). . Behavioral Sciences, 13 (5).
Greene, L., Barker, L., Reidy, J., Morton, N., & Atherton, A. (2022). . Journal of Clinical and Experimental Neuropsychology.
Ghyselinck, J., Verstrepen, L., Moens, F., Van Den Abbeele, P., Bruggeman, A., Said, J., ... Gaisford, S. (2021). . International Journal of Pharmaceutics: X, 3, 100087.
Barker, L., & Oledzka, A. (2021). . OBM Neurobiology, 5 (2).
Boddy, S.L., Giovannelli, I., Sassani, M., Cooper-Knock, J., Snyder, M.P., Segal, E., ... McDermott, C.J. (2021). . BMC Medicine, 19 (13).
Denniss, R., Barker, L., & Day, C. (2019). . Frontiers in Behavioural Neuroscience, 13, 115.
Ann Barker, L. (2019). New innovations in traumatic brain injury research. Ï㽶ÊÓƵ Outreach, (106), 90-93.
Childs, C., Barker, L.A., Gage, A.M.D., & Loosemore, M. (2018). Investigating possible retinal biomarkers ofhead trauma in Olympic boxers using opticalcoherence tomography. Eye and Brain, 10, 101-110.
Barker, L., & Morton, N. (2018). . Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience, 12, 85.
Doherty, T., Barker, L.A., Denniss, R., Jalil, A., & Beer, M.D. (2015). . Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience, 9.
McGuire, B.E., Morrison, T.G., Barker, L.A., Morton, N., McBrinn, J., Caldwell, S., ... Walsh, J. (2015). . Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience, 8 (352), 1-7.
Taylor, S., Barker, L., Reidy, L., & Mchale, S. (2015). . Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience, 9.
Drabble, J., Bowles, D., & Barker, L.A. (2014). . Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience, 8 (274).
Barker, L., Morton, N., Romanowski, C.A.J., & Gosden, K. (2013). . BMJ case reports, 2013.
Taylor, S., Barker, L., Reidy, L., & Mchale, S. (2012). . Developmental Psychology, 49 (7), 1253-1265.
Barker, L. (2012). Brain Sciences, 2 (4), 769-789.
Barker, L., & McFarquhar, M. (2012). Development of an ecologically valid task of executive function: The Cooking Task. Brain Injury, 23.
Barker, L. (2012). Defining the parameters of incidental learning on a Serial Reaction Time task (SRRT): Do conscious rules apply? Brain Sciences, (2), 769-789.
Barker, L., Morton, N., Morrison, T., & McGuire, B. (2011). . Brain Injury, 25 (10), 997-1004.
Barker, L., Andrade, J., Morton, N., Romanowski, C., & Bowles, D. (2010). . Neuropsychologia, 48 (9), 2550-2563.
Morton, N., & Barker, L. (2010). . Journal of the International Neuropsychological Society, 16 (06), 1089-1098.
Barker, L., Andrade, J., Morton, N., Romanowski, C.A.J., & Bowles, D. (2010). Effects of age at time of injury on executive and implicit functions and behavioral insight: The latent deficit hypothesis. Brain Injury, 38, 24.
Barker, L., & Andrade, J. (2007). . Journal of Experimental Psychology, Learning, Memory and Cognition, 32 (3), 636-641.
Barker, L., Andrade, J., Romanowski, C.A.J., Morton, N., & Wasti, A. (2005). Implicit cognition is impaired after frontal head injury. Brain Impairment, 6 (2), 119.
Barker, L., Andrade, J., Romanowski, C.A.J., Morton, N., & Wasti, A. (2005). . Neuropsychologia, 44 (8), 1413-1424.
Barker, L.A., Andrade, J., & Romanowski, C.A.J. (2004). . Neurocase, 10 (3), 233-248.
Conference papers
Barker, L., Childs, C., Gage, A., & Loosemore, M. (2020). Finding the Mind in the Eye: Retinal Imaging as a Biomarker for Concussion. JOURNAL OF HEAD TRAUMA REHABILITATION, 35 (2), E164.
Denniss, R., Barker, L., Day, C., & Richardson, P. (2020). . The Journal of Head Trauma Rehabilitation, 35 (2), E163-E164.
Greene, L., Barker, L., Reidy, J., Morton, N., & Atherton, A. (2018). . Journal of Neurology and Neuroscience, 9, 71.
Greene, L., Barker, L., Reidy, J., & Morton, N. (2018). . Journal of Neurology and Neuroscience, 9, 60-61.
Barker, L., Doherty, T., Denniss, R., Jalil, A., & Beer, M. (2016). The cooking task making a meal with cognitive deficits. In World Congress on Neurorehabilitation, Philadelphia, USA.
Barker, L., Morton, N., Romanowski, C., & Gosden, K. (2012). Remediation of alexia and agraphia using a multi-modal approach: Issues for the Visual Word Form Area. A case study. BRAIN INJURY, 26 (4-5), 331-332.
McFarquhar, M., & Barker, L. (2012). Development of an ecologically valid task of executive function: The Cooking Task. BRAIN INJURY, 26 (4-5), 540-541.
Barker, L., Morton, N., & Gosden, K. (2012). Remediation of alexia and agraphia using a multi-modal approach: Issues for the Visual Word Form Area. A case study.
Barker, L., Andrade, J., Morton, N., & Bowles, D. (2010). The latent deficit hypothesis: age at injury, executive and implicit functions and behavioral insight. In Eighth World Congress on Brain Injury, Washington D. C. USA. International Brain Injury Association
Morton, N., & Barker, L. (2010). Top Down or Bottom-up? Executive and implicit function contributions to awareness after head injury. In Eighth World Congress on Brain Injury, Washington D.C. USA. International Brain Injury Association
Morton, N., & Barker, L. (2010). Top Down or Bottom-up? Executive and implicit function contributions to awareness after head injury. In Eighth World Congress on Brain Injury, Washington D.C. USA. International Brain Injury Association
Barker, L., & McFarquhar, M. Development of an ecologically valid task of executive function: The Cooking Task. In World Congress on Brain Injury, Edinburgh, Scotland, UK.
Book chapters
Barker, L. (2024). How to Build a Cerebellum. In How to Build a Human Brain. (pp. 77-109). Springer International Publishing:
Barker, L. (2024). How to Build a Midbrain. In How to Build a Human Brain. (pp. 111-163). Springer International Publishing:
Barker, L. (2024). How to Build Parietal Lobes. In How to Build a Human Brain. (pp. 257-295). Springer International Publishing:
Barker, L. (2024). How to Build a Neuron. In How to Build a Human Brain. (pp. 1-39). Springer International Publishing:
Barker, L. (2024). How to Build Occipital Lobes. In How to Build a Human Brain. (pp. 165-208). Springer International Publishing:
Barker, L. (2024). How to Build Frontal Lobes. In How to Build a Human Brain. (pp. 297-351). Springer International Publishing:
Barker, L. (2024). How to Build a Brainstem. In How to Build a Human Brain. (pp. 41-75). Springer International Publishing:
Barker, L. (2024). How to Build Temporal Lobes. In How to Build a Human Brain. (pp. 209-255). Springer International Publishing:
Books
Barker, L. (2024). How to Build a Human Brain. Springer International Publishing.
Barker, L., & Morton, N. (Eds.). (2018). . Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience.
Theses / Dissertations
Denniss, R.J. (2021). . (Doctoral thesis). Supervised by Barker, L., Day, C., & Richardson, P.
Greene, L. (2019). . (Doctoral thesis). Supervised by Baker, L.
Drabble, J.D. (2016). . (Doctoral thesis). Supervised by Bowles, D., Barker, L., & Arden, M.
Reynolds, J.P. (2015). . (Doctoral thesis). Supervised by Mchale, S., Barker, L., & Reidy, L.
Taylor, S. (2014). . (Doctoral thesis). Supervised by Barker, L.
Internet Publications
Barker, L. (2022). Psychobiotics and Gut: Potential in Neurological Disorders.
Barker, L. (2022). The role of the microbiome and the gut-brain axis in health and disease.
Media
Barker, L. (2022). Stroke: young people can have them too – here's how to know if you're at risk and what to look out for. [Online]. The Conversation:
Barker, L. (2022). Long-term antibiotic use by middle-aged women may affect cognitive function. [online article]. https://theconversation.com/long-term-antibiotic-use-by-middle-aged-women-may-affect-cognitive-function-new-study-179805
Rocheleau, J. (2022). How the gut microbiome could be linked to brain diseases like Alzheimer’s. [Online article].
Silverman, R. (2022). The key to a healthy brain may lie in your gut. [Newspaper article]. The Telegraph:
Barker, L. (2021). Interview. [online]. https://www.symprove.com/blogs/symprove-for-professionals/interview-with-dr-lynne-anne-barker
Rocheleau, J. (2021). How the Ecosystems in Our Guts Could Be Linked to Brain Disorders The gut-brain connection may influence diseases like Alzheimer's and Parkinson's. [Online article]. Gizmodo:
Hive, I.T. (2020). Hive IT case study with Dr Lynne Barker. [online]. https://hiveit.co.uk/our-work/sheffield-hallam-university/
Sheffield, H. (2020). Microbiome symposium blog. [online]. https://blogs.shu.ac.uk/add/2020/01/20/news-microbiome-research-within-sheffield-shu-and-tuos-collaboration/
Barker, L., & Jordan, C. (2020). Your gut microbiome may be linked to dementia, Parkinson’s disease and MS. [Online article].
Scholarly, O. (2019). Ï㽶ÊÓƵ Outreach Dr Lynne Barker Innovative Neuroscientist. [online]. https://researchoutreach.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/Lynne-Barker.pdf
Barker, L. (2017). The science of laughter – and why it also has a dark side. [Online Article].
Barker, L. (2017). The Science of Laughter--and Why It Also Has a Dark Side Laughter isn’t always positive or healthy. [Online Article]. Scientific American:
Radio, 4. (2016). The Sigh: Sighing and the Brain. [Radio]. BBC:
Journalist, (2015). Teenager left unable to read or write after suffering from whiplash in car crash. [Online Article]. Daily Mirror:
Morton, N., & Barker, L. (2010). The contribution of injury severity, executive and implicit functions to awareness of deficits after traumatic brain injury (TBI). [Online Abstract]. Cambridge University Press:
Morton, N., & Barker, L. (2010). The contribution of injury severity, executive and implicit functions to awareness of deficits after traumatic brain injury (TBI). [Online Abstract]. Cambridge University Press:
Presentations
Barker, L. (2024). The gut microbiome and gut-brain axis in Parkinson’s: What have we learned so far and possible ways to enhance wellbeing. Presented at: 13th Annual PEMRIG Ï㽶ÊÓƵ and Welfare meeting: ‘Living Well with Parkinson’s’, Nottingham Trent University
Barker, L. (2022). The gut brain axis and microbiome - looking outside the brain in neurological conditions (Parkinson's disease). Presented at: Psychobiotics and Gut: Potential in Neurological Disorders, india
Barker, L. (2022). The role of the microbiome and the gut-brain axis in health and disease. Presented at: Primary Care Conference, Birmingham NEC
Denniss, R., & Barker, L. (2020). Eat the rainbow: Micronutrients and cognitive change in the general population and TBI. Presented at: North American Brain Injury Society, New Orleans
Denniss, R., & Barker, L. (2020). Eat the rainbow: Micronutrients and cognitive change in the general population and TBI. Presented at: North American Brain Injury Society, New Orleans
Denniss, R., Barker, L., Francis, J., & Day, C. (2017). Eat your greens: Micronutrient supplementation and cognitive ability in a normative group. Presented at: Festival of Neuroscience
Denniss, R., Barker, L., Francis, J., & Day, C. (2017). Eat your greens: Micronutrient supplementation and cognitive ability in a normative group. Presented at: Festival of Neuroscience
Denniss, R., Barker, L., Francis, J., & Day, C. (2017). Can We Improve Traumatic Brain Injury Outcomes? Micronutrients and the Brain. Presented at: Development and Society Faculty PhD Event, Ï㽶ÊÓƵ
Reynolds, J., Mchale, S., Barker, L., & Reidy, L. (2012). Executive function deficits in abstinent cannabis users: the effect of the age of onset. Presented at: British Association for Psychopharmacology, Harrogate, UK
Reynolds, J., Mchale, S., Barker, L., & Reidy, L. (2012). Executive function deficits in abstinent cannabis users: the effect of the age of onset. Presented at: British Association for Psychopharmacology, Harrogate, UK
Drabble, J., Bowles, D., & Barker, L. (2010). Attentional control as a mediator of self harm in borderline personality disorder. Presented at: Faculty of Development & Society Ï㽶ÊÓƵ conference, Ï㽶ÊÓƵ
Drabble, J., Bowles, D., & Barker, L. (2010). Attentional control as a mediator of self harm in borderline personality disorder. Presented at: Faculty of Development & Society Ï㽶ÊÓƵ conference, Ï㽶ÊÓƵ
Drabble, J., Bowles, D., & Barker, L. (2010). Attentional control as a mediator of self harm in borderline personality disorder (BPD). Presented at: South Yorkshire Mental Health Day, South Yorkshire
Drabble, J., Bowles, D., & Barker, L. (2010). Attentional control as a mediator of self harm in borderline personality disorder (BPD). Presented at: South Yorkshire Mental Health Day, South Yorkshire
Taylor, S., Barker, L., Reidy, L., & Mchale, S. (2010). Developmental trajectory of social and executive functions in late adolescence and early adulthood. Presented at: 25th PsyPAG Conference, Ï㽶ÊÓƵ
Taylor, S., Barker, L., Reidy, L., & Mchale, S. (2010). Developmental trajectory of social and executive functions in late adolescence and early adulthood. Presented at: 25th PsyPAG Conference, Ï㽶ÊÓƵ
Taylor, S., Barker, L., Reidy, L., & Mchale, S. (2009). Developmental trajectory of social cognition and executive function in late adolescence and early adulthood. Presented at: 24th Psychology Postgraduate Affairs Group Conference, Cardiff University
Taylor, S., Barker, L., Reidy, L., & Mchale, S. (2009). Developmental trajectory of social cognition and executive function in late adolescence and early adulthood. Presented at: 24th Psychology Postgraduate Affairs Group Conference, Cardiff University
Barker, L., & Prescott, R. (2007). Challenges to the deliberation without attention effect. Presented at: Third Workshop on Cognitive and Social Perspectives on (Un) Consciousness: Intuitive Information Processing, Gdansk, Poland
Barker, L., Andrade, J., & Romanowski, C.A.J. (2006). Implicit cognition and frontal injury. Presented at: Second Workshop on Cognitive and Social Perspectives on (Un) Consciousness: Intuitive Information Processing, Kazmierz Dolny, Poland
Barker, L., Kyriacou, A., & Andrade, J. (2006). The role of short-term memory to implicit sequence learning. Presented at: European Working Memory Symposium III, Genoa, Italy
Posters
Carter, A., Kudiersky, N., Barker, L., Dalton, C., & Kesterton, S. (2025). Carter, A., Kudiersky, N., Barker, L., Dalton, C., Gill, S., Sharrack, B., Nair, S., & Kesterton, S. (2025). Feasibility, acceptability and safety of a 12-week probiotic intervention for people with Multiple Sclerosis: A mixed-methods single-arm trial. Poster presented at the MS Trust Conference, United Kingdom. Presented at: MS Trust Annual Conference, Hinckley
Drabble, J., Bowles, D., & Barker, L. (2011). Self-harm in a non-clinical cohort with borderline personality features: The role of executive attentional control. Presented at: Faculty of Development & Society Ï㽶ÊÓƵ conference, Ï㽶ÊÓƵ
Drabble, J., Bowles, D., & Barker, L. (2011). Self-harm in a non-clinical cohort with borderline personality features: The role of executive attentional control. Presented at: Faculty of Development & Society Ï㽶ÊÓƵ conference, Ï㽶ÊÓƵ
Taylor, S., Barker, L., Reidy, L., & Mchale, S. (2011). The developmental trajectory of social and executive functions in late adolescence and early adulthood: Cross sectional data. Presented at: 15th European Conference on Developmental Psychology, Bergen, Norway
Taylor, S., Barker, L., Reidy, L., & Mchale, S. (2011). The developmental trajectory of social and executive functions in late adolescence and early adulthood: Cross sectional data. Presented at: 15th European Conference on Developmental Psychology, Bergen, Norway
Other activities
Editor: Executive Function(s): Conductor, Orchestra or Symphony? Towards a Trans-Disciplinary Unification of Theory and Practice Across Development, in Normal and Atypical Groups
Editor: New Developments in Brain Injury
Editor: Gut Feelings: The Role of the Human Gut Microbiome in Neurological Health and Ill Health
Postgraduate supervision
1. Gabriele Pesimena: (2018-2022). How does a virtual reality environment affect the Reflexive attentional shift phenomenon? Sorranzo, A., Barker L.A., Di Nuevo, A.
2. Rebecca Denniss: (2014-2019 Part-Time). Micronutrient dietary supplementation after traumatic brain injury: can functional outcome be improved via dietary intervention? Barker, L. A., Day, C., Richardson, P.
3. Nicola Lonsdale:(2014-2019). Suggestibility following co-witness discussion: Experimental manipulation of memory consolidation and executive function in eyewitness testimony. Reynolds, D., Coleman, C., Barker, L. A.
4. Leanne Greene:(2014-2019 Part Time). Non-verbal social-cue decoding of static and dynamic social stimuli in head-injured groups and matched controls: Eyetracking and biophysical measures. Barker, L. A., Reidy, J.
5. Dr James Reynolds:(2010-2015). Ï㽶ÊÓƵ. Effects of age at cannabis use onset on IQ, executive function and memory ability. (Completion: pass with minor revisions). McHale, S., Barker, L. A., Reidy, L.
6. Dr Jennifer Drabble:(2009-2016 Part Time). Do executive functions moderate self-harm behaviour in Bordeline Personality Disorder. (Completion: pass with minor revisions). Bowles, D., Barker, L. A., Arden, M.
7. Dr Sophie Taylor:(2008-2012). Investigating the normal developmental trajectory of executive functions and social cognition in late adolescence/early adulthood (Completion: pass with minor revisions). Barker, L. A., Reidy, L., McHale, S.
Media
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8. BBC Radio 4: The Sigh (2016)
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