Teresa Wenhart, MSc

Scientific collaborator

Master of Science

 

PhD Student/ cand. rer-nat. (Zentrum für Systemische Neurowissenschaften, ZSN)


 

 

Research interests

  • neuropsychology of perception
  • absolute pitch, synaesthesia
  • autism spectrum disorders
  • brain network based diagnostics (classification)
  • graph theory, mathematical modeling
  • complex systems, systems neuroscience

Current projects

I am currently working on a project to further investigate the (neuro-)cognitive and neurophysiological underpinnings of absolute pitch ability, i.e. the rare ability to name a musical tone without a reference (in contrast to relative pitch ability). Beside debates regarding the influence of genetic vs. environmental factors on the acquisition of absolute pitch (AP), the higher incidence of AP and other unusual sensory-cognitive experience in special populations, e.g. autism spectrum disorders, congenital blindness and Williams Syndrome draws attention to the possible interrelation between perceptual ability, neuroplasticity (esp. brain connectivity and networks) and cognitive style. Within a framework, combining research on professional musicians with absolute pitch as well as people with autism spectrum disorders, we hope to gain insight into this phenomenon to better detect, define and explain “genuin” (“real”) absolute pitch ability. In the long term this could possibly help to develop and improve diagnostical and therapeutical tools for autism-like disorders in musicians and non-musicians.

Biography

  • currently PhD student (cand. rer-nat.) at the Center for Systems Neuroscience (ZSN)
  • 03/2018-05/2018 visiting doctoral student at Autism Research Center, Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, United Kingdom (Prof. S. Baron-Cohen)
  • 07/2016 Master of Science in Clinical Psychology and Cognitive Neurosciences, Ludwig-Maximilians University Munich, Germany
  • 2016 external master thesis at the University of Zurich, Institute for Neuropsychology, Prof. Dr. rer-nat. L. Jäncke (Switzerland); Auditory Research Group Zurich (ARGZ)
  • 2014-2016 student assistant at the Neuro Reha Team (day hospital for neurorehabilitation), Munich, Germany
  • 2013-2015 participating in the courses of lectures in the life sciences of the German National Academic Foundation; working group: neurodegenerative diseases under the supervision of Prof. Dr. Dr. hc. W. Oertel, Prof. Dodel, Prof. Kirchner 
  • 2011-2016 study of psychology and musicology (from 2014)
  • 2011 pre-study and German university entrance qualification (main subjects mathematics and music)

Awards

Musical experience

  • first music lessons at age 6 on various instruments, especially: piano (A-level exams) and violoncello (prior: violin); accordion (autodidact)
  • active in chamber music and choirs, including rehearsal assistance (D-Choir conductor education by lower saxony choir association (http://www.ndschorverband.de/))

Publications

Publications list

 

Contact

    Last modified: 2019-11-14

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