Donald Bolger

Dr. Bolger's research focuses on the neurocognitive underpinnings of typical and atypical development of language and reading as well as the role of general cognitive ability and executive functioning in the basic aspects of learning. He has nearly 20 years of hands-on experience in using functional neuroimaging methods with typically developing children as well as those with learning disabilities including dyslexia. His lab has also investigated the mechanisms of inferring the emotion of others from language and whether these mechanisms are impaired in Autism Spectrum Disorder. More recently, his research has focused on the impact of poverty and family environment on language and cognitive development in early childhood.

Dr. Bolger uses a variety of research methodologies including structural and functional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), electroencephalography (EEG), and other physiological measures. His research has been funded by the Office of Naval Research, the Congressional Directed Medical Research Program via the Department of Defense, the National Science Foundation, and the National Institutes for Health. This work has been published in journals including Human Brain Mapping, Neuropsychologia, Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience, etc.  Dr. Bolger is an affiliate faculty member of the Language Science Center (languagescience.umd.edu) and the Maryland Neuroimaging Center (mnc.umd.edu).