Faculty

Gerald Voelbel

Assistant Professor of Occupational Therapy

Gerald Voelbel

Phone: 212-998-5827
Email:

Gerald Voelbel is an assistant professor in the Department of Occupational Therapy. His main research interests focus on the neuropsychological deficits in neurological and psychiatric populations. One area of current research that was funded by the National Institutes of Health is the investigation of the neuropathology and executive dysfunction associated with mild traumatic brain injury with functional Near Infrared Spectroscopy (fNIRS). FNIRS is an innovative method to measure changes in blood flow to the cortex. Dr. Voelbel is also interested in translational neuroscience. He is a co-investigator of an NIH Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Phase II Grant, which is to bring the fNIRS technology from being a strictly research tool to a clinical functional neuroimaging tool. Another research interest includes the development of cognitive remediation techniques to improve participation in everyday tasks. Such cognitive areas include deficits in executive function, working memory, and speed of information processing.


Invited Lectures & Conference Presentation

International Neuropsychology Society
February, 2008


Functional Near Infrared Spectroscopy (fNIRS) Reveals Cortical Recruitment of Prefrontal Lobe in TBI During Working Memory, Presented at the 36th International Neuropsychology Society Annual Conference, Kona, Hawaii. February 6th-10th

   

American Psychological Association           
August, 2007


Symposium Chair, Translational Cognitive Rehabilitation: From functional neuroimaging to functional performance.

Functional Neuroimaging: Can functional near infrared spectroscopy impact cognitive remediation?  


St. Christopher’s Pediatric Hospital
March, 2007

Shining light on Near Infrared Spectroscopy                  


Kessler Institute for Rehabilitation September, 2006

Mild Traumatic Brain Injury: A Functional Near Infrared Spectroscopy Study  


Liberty Science Center's Summer Teacher Institute Lecture Series
July, 2006

Window into the brain: Structural and Functional Neuroimaging Techniques

Degrees Held

  • Ph.D. Rutgers University
    Psychology
  • M.S. Rutgers University
    Psychology
  • B.A. Rutgers University
    Psychology

Publications

  • Genova, H.M., Sumowski, J.F., Chiaravalloti, N., Voelbel, G.T., & DeLuca, J. (2008). Cognitive Dysfunction in Multiple Sclerosis: Major Issues and The Use of fMRI to Examine Cognitive Functioning. Frontiers in Bioscience
  • Chiu, S., Widiaia, F., Bates, M.E., Voelbel, G.T., Pandina, G., Marble, J., Blank, J., Day, J., Brule, N., & Hendren, R.L. (2008). Anterior Cingulate Volume in Pediatric Bipolar Disorder. Biological Psychiatry. Journal of Affective Disorders, 105(1-3):93-9.
  • Voelbel, G.T., Bates, M.E., Buckman, J.F., Pandina, G., & Hendren, R.L. (2006). Caudate Nucleus Volume and Cognitive Performance: Are they related in Childhood Psychopathology? Biological Psychiatry. 60: 942-950.
  • Bates, M. E., Voelbel, G. T., Buckman, J. F., Labouvie, E. W., & Barry, D. (2005). Short-Term Neuropsychological Recovery in Clients with Substance Use Disorders. Alcoholism: Clinical & Experimental Research. 29(3):367-377.
  • Bates, M. E., Barry, D., Labouvie, E.W., Fals-Stewart, W., Voelbel, G.T, & Buckman, J.F. (2004) Risk Factors and Neuropsychological Recovery in Clients with Alcohol Use Disordered who were Exposed to Different Treatments, Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 72(6), 1073-1080.
  • Bates, M.E., Labouvie, E.W., Voelbel, G.T. (2002). Individual differences in latent neuropsychological abilities at addictions treatment entry. Psychology of Addictive Behaviors, 16(1), 35-46.
  • Bates, M.E., Voelbel, G.T., Labouvie, E.W., McCrady, B.S., Blanchard, K.A., and Pinsky, I. (2001). Asymmetric patterns of relations between performance on six tests of executive function in persons seeking addictions treatment. Brain and Cognition, 47, 230-233.
  • Pallone, N.J., Hennessy, J.J., and Voelbel, G.T. (1998) Identifying Pedophiles “eligible” for community notification under Megan’s law: A multivariate model for actuarially-anchored decisions. Journal of Offender Rehabilitation, 28(1/2), 41-60.
  • Pallone, N.J., and Voelbel, G.T. (1998) Limbic system dysfunction and inventoried psychopathology among incarcerated pedophiles. Current Psychology: Developmental, Learning, Personality, Social, 17, 57-74.

Courses

E40:2010 Neuroscience

Grants

Co-Investigator: Closed-Loop fDOT Imaging System for TBI. Small Business Technology Transfer Grant Applications (Phase II, STTR). National Institutes of Health (NIH), National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS).
Funded: September 30, 2007 – March 31, 2009.

Principal Investigator: Functional Near Infrared Spectroscopy of Mild TBI, Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award Individual Fellowship (F32), National Institutes of Health (NIH), National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke.
Funded: August 1, 2006 – July 31, 2008.

Presentations

  • Voelbel, G.T., Glenn, W., Lengenfelder, J., Barbour, R., Pei, Y., Smith, A., Lent, A., & DeLuca, J.
    Functional near infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) reveals cortical recruitment of the prefrontal lobe in traumatic brain injury during working memory. Presented at the 36th Annual Meeting International Neuropsychological Society, February 6-9, 2008, Waikoloa, Hawaii. Abstract published in the Journal of the International Neuropsychological Society, 14 (S1), 126.
  • Voelbel, G.T., Lengenfelder, J., Wylie, G., Barbour, R., Pei, Y., Smith, A. & DeLuca, J.
    Functional near infrared spectroscopy study of the PASAT in healthy adults. Presented at the 27th Annual meeting of the National Academy of Neuropsychology, Scottsdale, Arizona. November 14-18, 2007. Abstract published in the Archives of Clinical Neuropsychology, 2007, 22(7), 861
  • Voelbel, G.T., Wylie, G., Lengenfelder, J., Barbour, R., Pei, Y., Graber, H., and DeLuca, J.
    Greater Variability of Cerebral Vascular Autoregulation in Traumatic Brain Injury during a Working Memory Task. Paper presented at the Human Brain Mapping Conference, Chicago, IL, 2007.
  • Graber, H.L., Farber, M., Sreedharan, D., Pei, Y., Xu, Y., Voelbel, G.T., Wylie, G.R., Lengenfelder, J., DeLuca J., and Barbour R.L.
    fDOT Imaging of Vascular Autoregulation in Healthy and TBI Subjects. Paper presented at the Human Brain Mapping Conference, Chicago, IL, 2007.
  • Wylie, G., Voelbel, G.T., Barbour, R., Pei, Y., Graber, H., and DeLuca, J.
    Tracking the concentrations of oxygenated hemoglobin, deoxygenated hemoglobin and autoregulatory states in the visual cortex with functional Diffuse Optical Tomography (fDOT). Paper presented at the Human Brain Mapping Conference, Chicago, IL, 2007.
  • Voelbel, G.T., Lengenfelder, J., Wylie, G., Barbour, R., Pei, Y., Nadkani, N., Smith, A., and DeLuca, J.
    Detectable Changes in the Level of Cerebral Activation are Related to Auditory Working Memory Load of the Frontal Lobe: A Functional Near Infrared Spectroscopy Study. Paper presented at the Cognitive Neuroscience Society Conference, New York, NY, 2007.
  • Lengenfelder, J., Voelbel, G.T., Wylie, G., Barbour, R., Pei, Y., Nadkani, N., Smith, A., and DeLuca, J.
    Using Functional Near Infrared Spectroscopy to Study Verbal Fluency in Healthy Adults. Paper presented at the Cognitive Neuroscience Society Conference, New York, NY, 2007.
  • Wylie, G., Voelbel, G.T., Barbour, R., Pei, Y., and DeLuca, J.
    Tracking the concentrations of oxygenated and deoxygenated blood in the visual cortex with near infrared spectroscopy. Paper presented at the Cognitive Neuroscience Society Conference, New York, NY, 2007.
  • Widjaja, F., Chiu, S., Blank, J., Voelbel, G., Pandina, G., Nguyen, D., Bates, M., & Hendren, R.
    Psychosis in Autism. Paper Presented at the International Meeting for Autism Research. Seattle, Washington, 2007.
  • Voelbel, G.T., Wylie, G., Lengenfelder, J., Barbour, R., Pei, Y., Nadkani, N., Smith, A., & DeLuca, J.
    Pattern of Activation within the Frontal Lobe during Auditory Working Memory: A functional Near Infrared Spectroscopy Study. Paper presented at the International Neuropsychology Society annual meeting, Portland, Oregon, 2007.
  • Lengenfelder, J., Voelbel, G.T., Wylie, G., Barbour, R., Pei, Y., Nadkani, N., Smith, A., & DeLuca, J.
    A Functional Near Infrared Spectroscopy Study of Verbal Fluency. Paper presented at the International Neuropsychology Society annual meeting, Portland, Oregon, 2007.
  • Arango, C.J., Balzano, J., Merrit, N., Voelbel, G.T., Cuetos, F., & DeLuca, J.
    The Usefulness of Self Generation to Improve Learning and Memory in Hispanics. Journal of the International Neuropsychological Society, 12,2,4-5. Paper presented at the International Neuropsychology Society annual meeting, Zurich, Switzerland, 2006.
  • Arango, J.C., Merritt, N., Balzano, J., Voelbel, G.T., Lengenfelder, J., Rogers, H.L., & DeLuca, J.
    Influence of Acculturation on Hispanics’ Neuropsychological Test Performance. Journal of the International Neuropsychological Society, 12, 2, 92. Paper presented at the International Neuropsychology Society annual meeting, Zurich, Switzerland, 2006.
  • Gaudino-Goering, E.A., DeLuca, J., Voelbel, G., Goverover, Y., Moore, N B., & Halper, J.
    Using the MSFC to predict Performance of Complex Activities of Daily Living in MS. Journal of the International Neuropsychology Society, 12(S1), 133. Paper presented at the Annual International Neuropsychology Society meeting, Boston, MA 2006.
  • Locascio, G., Silva, K., Voelbel, G.T., Hendren, R., and Bates, M.E.
    Corpus Collosum Area Differences in Children with Autism, Asperger’s Disorder, and Bipolar Disorder. Journal of the International Neuropsychology Society, 12(S1), 73. Paper presented at the Annual International Neuropsychology Society meeting, Boston, MA 2006.
  • Voelbel, G., Gaudino, E., Moore, N., & DeLuca, J.
    The Tower of London Predicts Goal Directed Behaviors of Executive Function Performance Test of Everyday Tasks. Archives of Clinical Neuropsychology, 20, 918-919. Paper presented at the 25th Annual National Academy of Neuropsychology meeting, Tampa, FL, October19-25, 2005.