Yi Guo

Education

Honors & Awards

Research Interests

My academic interest is the neural mechanism underlying human cognition. Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) is the main technique used in my research.

During my graduate study at Rice, in particularly, I am interested in the role of the left fusiform gyrus in visual word recognition. The left fusiform gyrus is widely suggested involved in visual word related tasks, like reading. However, which specific component (orthography, phonological access, semantic access) in reading this brain region is involved in is still a controversial issue. I am interested in using Chinese characters to study the role of the left fusiform gyrus in reading.

Also I did some work on mathematic cognition during my master study at Beijing Normal University, such as how human process numbers, complete arithmetic, the neural basis underlying these processing, and their development, using fMRI and ERP.

Publications

Burgund, E. D., Guo, Y., & Aurbach, E. L. (Submitted). Priming for letters and pseudoletters in mid-fusiform cortex: Examining letter selectivity and case invariance.

Chen, C., Xue, G., Dong, Q., Jin, Z., Li, T., Xue, F., Zhao, L., & Guo, Y. (2007). Sex determines the neurofunctional predictors of visual word learning. Neuropsychologia, 45, 741-747.

Zhou, X., Chen, C., Dong, Q., Zhang, H., Zhou, R., Zhao, H., Chen, C., Qiao, S., Jiang, T., & Guo Y. (2006). Event-related potentials of single-digit addition, subtraction, and multiplication. Neuropsychologia. 44, 2500-2507.

Zhou, X., Chen, C., Dong, Q., Zhang, H., Chen, C., Qiao, S., Zhao, H., Jiang, T., & Guo, Y. (2006). Numerical distance effect in the N240 component in a number-matching task. Neuroreport, 17, 991-994.

Zhou, X., Chen, C., Zhang, H., Xue, G., Dong, Q., Jin, Z., Zhang, L., Peng, C., Zhao, H., Guo, Y., Jiang, T., & Chen, C. (2006). Neural substrates for forward and backward recitation of numbers and the alphabet: a close examination of the role of intraparietal sulcus and perisylvian areas. Brain Research, 1099,109-120.

Presentations

Guo, Y., & Burgund, E. D. (2008). The role of the left fusiform gyrus in reading: an examination of Chinese character reading. Poster will be presented at the 15th Annual Meeting of Cognitive Neuroscience Society, San Francisco, CA.

Guo, Y. (April, 2007; January, 2008). The role of the left fusiform gyrus in reading: and examination of Chinese character recognition. Presentation at Cognitive Seminar, Department of Psychology, Rice University, Houston, TX.

Burgund, E. D., Guo, Y., & Aurbach, E. L. (2007). Priming for letters and non-letters in fusiform cortex. Poster presented at the 37th Annual Meeting of Society of Neuroscience, San Diego, CA.

Zhang, H., Guo, Y., Huang, S., & Mei, L. (2005). Role of working memory in children’s mental arithmetic. Presentation at the 9th Chinese National Congress of Developmental Psychology, Dalian, China.

Guo, Y., Dong, Q., Zhang, H., Zhou, X., & Zhao, H. (2004). Role of magnitude representation in single-digit multiplication.. Poster presented at the 28th International Congress of Psychology, Beijing, China.

Research Experience

The role of the left fusiform gyrus in reading: An examination of Chinese character recognition.

Advisor: Darcy Burgund, Rice University                                                                          (Nov, 2006 to present)

The left fusiform gyrus is widely suggested involved in reading. This project is to inform which specific component in reading, in particular, orthography, phonological access, or semantic access this brain area is involved in. The findings of this project will help understand the neural mechanism underlying word recognition which may have its specific characteristics than general object recognition.

Roles: Designed study, collected and analyzed fMRI data, wrote paper. Currently, writing the proposal.

The development of visual processing mechanisms.

            Advisor: Darcy Burgund, Rice University                                                                         (Sep, 2006 to Dec, 2007)

            This project is to inform development of neural mechanisms underlying reading. Particularly, is the left fusiform gyrus specifically involved in letter recognition exhibits different activity patterns for individual with different reading ability.

            Roles: Collected fMRI and behavioral data, administrated and scored standard intelligence and reading tests, analyzed fMRI and behavioral data.

The representation of fraction and its development- An study of comparison of fractions.

           Advisor: Qi Dong, Beijing Normal University                                                                    (Feb, 2005 to July, 2006)

           Fractions consist of numerators and denominators. This study was to investigate whether subjects compare two fractions depending on the whole magnitude of the fractions or the magnitude of numerators or denominators separately, and whether this process changes according to different tasks and different ages.

           Roles: conducted this study as my master thesis, designed study, collected and analyzed data, and wrote paper.

Neural index for language learning: an fMRI training study.

           Advisor: Qi Dong, Beijing Normal University                                                                    (Nov, 2004 to Feb, 2005)

           This project was to investigate the sex difference of the neural changes during a training of a new language that is divided into pure word-form training, phonological training, and semantic training.

           Roles: Collected behavioral data, administrated training.

The role of magnitude representation in single-digit multiplication

            Advisor: Qi Dong, Beijing Normal University                                                                  (Dec, 2003 to May, 2004)

            Although it is widely suggested that single-digit multiplication is completed based on reciting of multiplication table for Chinese subjects, the results showed that comparison of magnitude of multipliers was also involved in this task.

            Roles: Designed study, collected and analyzed data, wrote paper.

Cognitive and neural mechanism of word recognition and the role of language experience: evidences from an artificial language training

            Advisor: Qi Dong, Beijing Normal University                                                                  (Oct, 2003 to Dec, 2003)

            Language learning is an important activity for humans. This project was to investigate the neural changes during a training of a new language that is divided into pure word-form training, phonological training, and semantic training. The most interesting results exhibited that the left fusiform gyrus responded to the learning of all three components of language, but in different patterns.

            Roles: Collected behavioral data, administrated training.

Basic Mathematical Processes and Its Brain Mechanism: An Integrated Cognitive Behavioral, fMRI and ERP Study

            Advisor: Qi Dong, Beijing Normal University                                                                   (Mar, 2003 to Jun, 2003)

            Neural activity of two basic mathematical processes, comparison and multiplication was measured by fMRI and ERP in this study. The results exhibited that comparison and multiplication involved different neural networks.

            Roles: Collected and analyzed ERP data.

The time course of brain activation in numerical comparison with various notations: An ERP study

           Advisor: Qi Dong, Beijing Normal University                                                                   (Dec, 2002 to May, 2003)

           The time course of brain activity in numerical comparison with Chinese digits and Arabic digits was measured by ERP.

            The ERP data showed that Chinese and Arabic digit comparisons have similar neural mechanism in magnitude processing.

            Roles: Collected and analyzed ERP data.

Teaching Experience

Teaching assistant for the course Psychology 340 “Research Methods” at Rice                             (Spring, 2007; 2008)

Roles: Held office hours (1.5h/week), graded tests, group proposal papers, individual papers, group final papers. 

Teaching class “Physical Education of pre-school children” for self-learning students at BNU         (Aug, 2005 to Feb, 2006)

Roles: Instructor for the class. Gave lectures in class, answered questions, made and graded tests.

Teaching assistant for the course “Experimental Psychology” for undergraduate students at BNU    (Feb, 2005 to Jun, 2005)

Roles: Prepared presentations for the lecturer, graded tests.                                             

Tutoring primary school, middle school and high school students English, Chinese, math, etc           (2001 to 2004)

Roles: Reviewed lectures, answered questions.                  

Memberships of Professional Organizations

Student membership of Society of Neuroscience                       2008

Student membership of Cognitive Neuroscience Society            2007-present

References

Dr. Darcy E. Burgund, Assistant Professor of Psychology, Department of Psychology, Rice University, Houston, TX., 77005; Phone: (713) 348 3413; E-mail: dburgund@rice.com

Dr. James Dannemiller, Professor of Psychology, Department of Psychology, Rice University, Houston, TX., 77005; Phone: (713) 348 4486; E-mail: dannemil@rice.edu

Dr. Randi C. Martin, Professor of Psychology, Department of Psychology, Rice University, Houston, TX., 77005; Phone: (713) 348-3417; Email: rmartin@rice.edu

Dr. Qi Dong, Vice president of Beijing Normal University, Director of Chinese State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning, Professor of Psychology, State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China, 100875; Phone: (0186) 86-10-5880; Email: dongqi@bnu.edu.cn