Theodore Zanto, PhD

Title(s)Associate Professor, Neurology
SchoolSchool of Medicine
Address675 Nelson Rising Lane, #502
San Francisco CA 94158
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    Other Positions
    Title(s)UCSF Weill Institute for Neurosciences


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    University of California, San FranciscoPostdoctoral Studies2012Neurology & Physiology
    Florida Atlantic UniversityPh.D.2006Complex Systems & Brain Sciences
    University of Wisconsin WhitewaterB.S.2001Physics
    University of Wisconsin WhitewaterB.S.2001Psychology

    Collapse Overview 
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    Dr. Zanto's research revolves around 1) the characterization of neural networks and mechanisms underlying cognitive control, 2) understanding how these systems change with age and 3) exploring cognitive training and non-invasive brain stimulation approaches to remediate cognitive control declines.
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    Closed loop digital interventions through a remote clinical trials platform
    NIH/NIA P30AG086635Aug 15, 2024 - May 31, 2029
    Role: Co-Principal Investigator
    Accelerating cognitive gains from meditation with non-invasive brain stimulation: A pilot study in MCI
    NIH/NIA R61AG080528Feb 15, 2023 - Jan 31, 2025
    Role: Co-Principal Investigator
    Neural markers of impending task performance
    NIH R03AG065966May 1, 2021 - Apr 30, 2023
    Role: Principal Investigator
    Enhancing cognitive control in amnestic mild cognitive impairment via non-invasive brain stimulation
    NIH R21AG062395Sep 15, 2018 - May 31, 2021
    Role: Principal Investigator
    Feasibility gamma stimulation to reduce beta-amyloid load across species
    NIH R21AG060335Sep 1, 2018 - May 31, 2021
    Role: Principal Investigator
    Age Related Changes in the Top-Down Modulation of Working Memory
    NIH F32AG030249Aug 1, 2009 - Jul 31, 2012
    Role: Principal Investigator

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    Collapse Clinical Trials

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    Collapse selected publications
    Publications listed below are automatically derived from MEDLINE/PubMed and other sources, which might result in incorrect or missing publications. Researchers can login to make corrections and additions, or contact us for help. to make corrections and additions.
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    Altmetrics Details PMC Citations indicate the number of times the publication was cited by articles in PubMed Central, and the Altmetric score represents citations in news articles and social media. (Note that publications are often cited in additional ways that are not shown here.) Fields are based on how the National Library of Medicine (NLM) classifies the publication's journal and might not represent the specific topic of the publication. Translation tags are based on the publication type and the MeSH terms NLM assigns to the publication. Some publications (especially newer ones and publications not in PubMed) might not yet be assigned Field or Translation tags.) Click a Field or Translation tag to filter the publications.
    1. Neural Correlates of the Musicianship Advantage to the Cocktail Party Effect. J Cogn Neurosci. 2025 Jun 01; 37(6):1072-1082. Ostrand AE, Johnson V, Gazzaley A, Zanto TP. PMID: 39869331.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions:    Fields:    Translation:Humans
    2. Reduced VR motion sickness by applying random-phase transcranial alternating current stimulation to the left parietal cortex. Brain Stimul. 2024 May-Jun; 17(3):550-552. Li G, Zanto T. PMID: 38670223.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions:    Fields:    Translation:Humans
    3. Digital rhythm training improves reading fluency in children. Dev Sci. 2024 May; 27(3):e13473. Zanto TP, Giannakopoulou A, Gallen CL, Ostrand AE, Younger JW, Anguera-Singla R, Anguera JA, Gazzaley A. PMID: 38193394.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 2     Fields:    Translation:Humans
    4. Effects of transcranial alternating current stimulation on cognitive function in people with multiple sclerosis: A randomized controlled trial. Mult Scler Relat Disord. 2023 Dec; 80:105090. Hsu WY, Zanto T, Park JE, Gazzaley A, Bove RM. PMID: 37925960.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 3     Fields:    Translation:Humans
    5. Intensity-dependent gamma electrical stimulation regulates microglial activation, reduces beta-amyloid load, and facilitates memory in a mouse model of Alzheimer's disease. Cell Biosci. 2023 Jul 28; 13(1):138. Liu Q, Contreras A, Afaq MS, Yang W, Hsu DK, Russell M, Lyeth B, Zanto TP, Zhao M. PMID: 37507776; PMCID: PMC10386209.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 6  
    6. Stimulus specific cortical activity associated with ignoring distraction during working memory encoding and maintenance. Sci Rep. 2023 06 02; 13(1):8952. Ashton C, Gouws AD, Glennon M, Das A, Chen YK, Chrisp C, Felek I, Zanto TP, McNab F. PMID: 37268747; PMCID: PMC10238503.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions:    Fields:    Translation:Humans
    7. Enhancing cognitive control in amnestic mild cognitive impairment via at-home non-invasive neuromodulation in a randomized trial. Sci Rep. 2023 05 08; 13(1):7435. Jones KT, Ostrand AE, Gazzaley A, Zanto TP. PMID: 37156876; PMCID: PMC10167304.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 4     Fields:    Translation:Humans
    8. Gamma neuromodulation improves episodic memory and its associated network in amnestic mild cognitive impairment: a pilot study. Neurobiol Aging. 2023 09; 129:72-88. Jones KT, Gallen CL, Ostrand AE, Rojas JC, Wais P, Rini J, Chan B, Lago AL, Boxer A, Zhao M, Gazzaley A, Zanto TP. PMID: 37276822; PMCID: PMC10583532.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 4     Fields:    Translation:Humans
    9. Musical Training Facilitates Exogenous Temporal Attention via Delta Phase Entrainment within a Sensorimotor Network. J Neurosci. 2023 05 03; 43(18):3365-3378. Nandi B, Ostrand A, Johnson V, Ford TJ, Gazzaley A, Zanto TP. PMID: 36977585; PMCID: PMC10162458.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 7     Fields:    Translation:Humans
    10. How musical rhythm training improves short-term memory for faces. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2022 10 11; 119(41):e2201655119. Zanto TP, Johnson V, Ostrand A, Gazzaley A. PMID: 36191231; PMCID: PMC9564217.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 2     Fields:    
    11. Structural and functional network mechanisms of rescuing cognitive control in aging. Neuroimage. 2022 11 15; 262:119547. Jones KT, Johnson EL, Gazzaley A, Zanto TP. PMID: 35940423; PMCID: PMC9464721.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 11     Fields:    Translation:Humans
    12. Research outside the laboratory: Longitudinal at-home neurostimulation. Behav Brain Res. 2022 06 25; 428:113894. Jones KT, Smith CC, Gazzaley A, Zanto TP. PMID: 35430325; PMCID: PMC9483846.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 2     Fields:    Translation:Humans
    13. Individual differences in neuroanatomy and neurophysiology predict effects of transcranial alternating current stimulation. Brain Stimul. 2021 Sep-Oct; 14(5):1317-1329. Zanto TP, Jones KT, Ostrand AE, Hsu WY, Campusano R, Gazzaley A. PMID: 34481095; PMCID: PMC9492518.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 21     Fields:    Translation:Humans
    14. Effects of Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation on Cognition, Mood, Pain, and Fatigue in Multiple Sclerosis: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Front Neurol. 2021; 12:626113. Hsu WY, Cheng CH, Zanto TP, Gazzaley A, Bove RM. PMID: 33763014; PMCID: PMC7982804.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 15  
    15. Multimodal sensory integration: Diminishing returns in rhythmic synchronization. J Exp Psychol Hum Percept Perform. 2020 Oct; 46(10):1077-1087. Johnson V, Hsu WY, Ostrand AE, Gazzaley A, Zanto TP. PMID: 32730071.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 4     Fields:    Translation:Humans
    16. Intracranial alternating current stimulation facilitates neurogenesis in a mouse model of Alzheimer's disease. Alzheimers Res Ther. 2020 07 23; 12(1):89. Liu Q, Jiao Y, Yang W, Gao B, Hsu DK, Nolta J, Russell M, Lyeth B, Zanto TP, Zhao M. PMID: 32703308; PMCID: PMC7376967.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 10     Fields:    Translation:HumansAnimals
    17. Temporal attention is not affected by working memory load. Cortex. 2020 09; 130:351-361. Zanto TP, Liu H, Pan P, Gazzaley A. PMID: 32738582; PMCID: PMC8522507.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 3     Fields:    Translation:Humans
    18. Neural Correlates Underlying the Precision of Visual Working Memory. Neuroscience. 2020 01 15; 425:301-311. Zhao Y, Kuai S, Zanto TP, Ku Y. PMID: 31812661.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 6     Fields:    Translation:Humans
    19. A Tablet-Based Assessment of Rhythmic Ability. Front Psychol. 2019; 10:2471. Zanto TP, Padgaonkar NT, Nourishad A, Gazzaley A. PMID: 31736843; PMCID: PMC6838143.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 7  
    20. Gyrification abnormalities in presymptomatic c9orf72 expansion carriers. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry. 2019 09; 90(9):1005-1010. Caverzasi E, Battistella G, Chu SA, Rosen H, Zanto TP, Karydas A, Shwe W, Coppola G, Geschwind DH, Rademakers R, Miller BL, Gorno-Tempini ML, Lee SE. PMID: 31079065; PMCID: PMC6820159.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 17     Fields:    Translation:Humans
    21. Aging of the frontal lobe. Handb Clin Neurol. 2019; 163:369-389. Zanto TP, Gazzaley A. PMID: 31590742.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 42     Fields:    Translation:Humans
    22. Parametric effects of transcranial alternating current stimulation on multitasking performance. Brain Stimul. 2019 Jan - Feb; 12(1):73-83. Hsu WY, Zanto TP, Gazzaley A. PMID: 30391202.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 16     Fields:    Translation:Humans
    23. Enhancement of multitasking performance and neural oscillations by transcranial alternating current stimulation. PLoS One. 2017; 12(5):e0178579. Hsu WY, Zanto TP, van Schouwenburg MR, Gazzaley A. PMID: 28562642; PMCID: PMC5451121.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 22     Fields:    Translation:Humans
    24. Spatial Attention and the Effects of Frontoparietal Alpha Band Stimulation. Front Hum Neurosci. 2016; 10:658. van Schouwenburg MR, Zanto TP, Gazzaley A. PMID: 28174529; PMCID: PMC5259681.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 15  
    25. In: Egner, T (Ed.). Handbook of Cognitive Control. Cognitive control and the aging brain. 2017; 476-490. Zanto, T.P. & Gazzaley, A.
    26. In: Cabeza, R., Nyberg, L., Park, D.C. (Eds.). Cognitive Neuroscience of Aging: Linking cognitive and cerebral aging. Selective attention and inhibitory control in the aging brain. 2017; 207-234. Zanto, T.P. & Gazzaley, A.
    27. Network degeneration and dysfunction in presymptomatic C9ORF72 expansion carriers. Neuroimage Clin. 2017; 14:286-297. Lee SE, Sias AC, Mandelli ML, Brown JA, Brown AB, Khazenzon AM, Vidovszky AA, Zanto TP, Karydas AM, Pribadi M, Dokuru D, Coppola G, Geschwind DH, Rademakers R, Gorno-Tempini ML, Rosen HJ, Miller BL, Seeley WW. PMID: 28337409; PMCID: PMC5349617.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 79     Fields:    Translation:HumansCells
    28. Dance Experience and Associations with Cortical Gray Matter Thickness in the Aging Population. Dement Geriatr Cogn Dis Extra. 2016 Sep-Dec; 6(3):508-517. Porat S, Goukasian N, Hwang KS, Zanto T, Do T, Pierce J, Joshi S, Woo E, Apostolova LG. PMID: 27920794; PMCID: PMC5123027.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 14  
    29. Predictive cues and age-related declines in working memory performance. Neurobiol Aging. 2017 01; 49:31-39. Padgaonkar NA, Zanto TP, Bollinger J, Gazzaley A. PMID: 27736673; PMCID: PMC5154804.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 10     Fields:    Translation:Humans
    30. Proceedings of the 14th International Conference on Music Perception and Cognition. 2016. Zanto, T.P. (Ed.).
    31. Young-onset frontotemporal dementia in a homozygous tau R406W mutation carrier. Ann Clin Transl Neurol. 2015 12; 2(12):1124-8. Ng AS, Sias AC, Pressman PS, Fong JC, Karydas AM, Zanto TP, De May M, Coppola G, Geschwind DH, Miller BL, Lee SE. PMID: 26734663; PMCID: PMC4693591.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 5     Fields:    
    32. Neural sources of performance decline during continuous multitasking. Cortex. 2015 Oct; 71:49-57. Al-Hashimi O, Zanto TP, Gazzaley A. PMID: 26159323; PMCID: PMC5777600.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 9     Fields:    Translation:Humans
    33. Delayed enhancement of multitasking performance: Effects of anodal transcranial direct current stimulation on the prefrontal cortex. Cortex. 2015 Aug; 69:175-85. Hsu WY, Zanto TP, Anguera JA, Lin YY, Gazzaley A. PMID: 26073148; PMCID: PMC4522400.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 33     Fields:    Translation:Humans
    34. Effects of noninvasive brain stimulation on cognitive function in healthy aging and Alzheimer's disease: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Neurobiol Aging. 2015 Aug; 36(8):2348-59. Hsu WY, Ku Y, Zanto TP, Gazzaley A. PMID: 26022770; PMCID: PMC4496249.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 140     Fields:    Translation:Humans
    35. Expectations of Task Demands Dissociate Working Memory and Long-Term Memory Systems. Cereb Cortex. 2016 Mar; 26(3):1176-86. Zanto TP, Clapp WC, Rubens MT, Karlsson J, Gazzaley A. PMID: 25577575; PMCID: PMC4737608.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 7     Fields:    Translation:Humans
    36. In: Toga, AW (Ed.). Brain Mapping: An Encyclopedic Reference. Top-down suppression. 2015; 3:261-267. Zanto, TP, Rissman, J.
    37. Structural and functional differences in medial prefrontal cortex underlie distractibility and suppression deficits in ageing. Nat Commun. 2014 Jun 30; 5:4223. Chadick JZ, Zanto TP, Gazzaley A. PMID: 24979364; PMCID: PMC4088291.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 31     Fields:    Translation:HumansCTClinical Trials
    38. In: Nobre, AC, Kastner, S (Eds.). Handbook of Attention. Attention and aging. 2014; 927-971. Zanto, TP, Gazzaley, A.
    39. Fronto-parietal network: flexible hub of cognitive control. Trends Cogn Sci. 2013 Dec; 17(12):602-3. Zanto TP, Gazzaley A. PMID: 24129332; PMCID: PMC3873155.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 160     Fields:    Translation:Humans
    40. Rapid functional reorganization in human cortex following neural perturbation. J Neurosci. 2013 Oct 09; 33(41):16268-74. Zanto TP, Chadick JZ, Satris G, Gazzaley A. PMID: 24107958; PMCID: PMC3792463.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 9     Fields:    Translation:Humans
    41. Reconciling the influence of task-set switching and motor inhibition processes on stop signal after-effects. Front Psychol. 2013; 4:649. Anguera JA, Lyman K, Zanto TP, Bollinger J, Gazzaley A. PMID: 24069010; PMCID: PMC3781352.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 8  
    42. Reliability measures of functional magnetic resonance imaging in a longitudinal evaluation of mild cognitive impairment. Neuroimage. 2014 Jan 01; 84:443-52. Zanto TP, Pa J, Gazzaley A. PMID: 24018304; PMCID: PMC3855402.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 13     Fields:    Translation:Humans
    43. Age-related changes in expectation-based modulation of motion detectability. PLoS One. 2013; 8(8):e69766. Zanto TP, Sekuler R, Dube C, Gazzaley A. PMID: 23950903; PMCID: PMC3739821.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 3     Fields:    Translation:Humans
    44. Anticipatory alpha phase influences visual working memory performance. Neuroimage. 2014 Jan 15; 85 Pt 2:794-802. Zanto TP, Chadick JZ, Gazzaley A. PMID: 23891902; PMCID: PMC3859772.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 9     Fields:    Translation:Humans
    45. Comparable mechanisms of working memory interference by auditory and visual motion in youth and aging. Neuropsychologia. 2013 Aug; 51(10):1896-906. Mishra J, Zanto T, Nilakantan A, Gazzaley A. PMID: 23791629; PMCID: PMC3752408.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 7     Fields:    Translation:Humans
    46. Parameterization of transcranial magnetic stimulation. J Neurophysiol. 2012 Mar; 107(5):1257-9. Rubens MT, Zanto TP. PMID: 22072509; PMCID: PMC3311692.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 11     Fields:    Translation:Humans
    47. Age-related changes in orienting attention in time. J Neurosci. 2011 Aug 31; 31(35):12461-70. Zanto TP, Pan P, Liu H, Bollinger J, Nobre AC, Gazzaley A. PMID: 21880908; PMCID: PMC3205974.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 52     Fields:    Translation:Humans
    48. Characterizing the involvement of rostrolateral prefrontal cortex in prospective memory. J Neurosci. 2011 Jun 22; 31(25):9067-9. Rubens MT, Zanto TP. PMID: 21697356; PMCID: PMC3142765.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 4     Fields:    
    49. Causal role of the prefrontal cortex in top-down modulation of visual processing and working memory. Nat Neurosci. 2011 May; 14(5):656-61. Zanto TP, Rubens MT, Thangavel A, Gazzaley A. PMID: 21441920; PMCID: PMC3083493.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 282     Fields:    Translation:Humans
    50. Neural responses to complex auditory rhythms: the role of attending. Front Psychol. 2010; 1:224. Chapin HL, Zanto T, Jantzen KJ, Kelso SJ, Steinberg F, Large EW. PMID: 21833279; PMCID: PMC3153829.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 41  
    51. Expectation-driven changes in cortical functional connectivity influence working memory and long-term memory performance. J Neurosci. 2010 Oct 27; 30(43):14399-410. Bollinger J, Rubens MT, Zanto TP, Gazzaley A. PMID: 20980597; PMCID: PMC3006446.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 44     Fields:    
    52. The influence of perceptual training on working memory in older adults. PLoS One. 2010 Jul 14; 5(7):e11537. Berry AS, Zanto TP, Clapp WC, Hardy JL, Delahunt PB, Mahncke HW, Gazzaley A. PMID: 20644719; PMCID: PMC2904363.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 105     Fields:    Translation:Humans
    53. Top-down modulation of visual feature processing: the role of the inferior frontal junction. Neuroimage. 2010 Nov 01; 53(2):736-45. Zanto TP, Rubens MT, Bollinger J, Gazzaley A. PMID: 20600999; PMCID: PMC2930130.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 71     Fields:    Translation:Humans
    54. Delays in neural processing during working memory encoding in normal aging. Neuropsychologia. 2010 Jan; 48(1):13-25. Zanto TP, Toy B, Gazzaley A. PMID: 19666036; PMCID: PMC2794969.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 49     Fields:    
    55. Predictive knowledge of stimulus relevance does not influence top-down suppression of irrelevant information in older adults. Cortex. 2010 Apr; 46(4):564-74. Zanto TP, Hennigan K, Ostberg M, Clapp WC, Gazzaley A. PMID: 19744649; PMCID: PMC2826515.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 31     Fields:    
    56. Practice-related improvement in working memory is modulated by changes in processing external interference. J Neurophysiol. 2009 Sep; 102(3):1779-89. Berry AS, Zanto TP, Rutman AM, Clapp WC, Gazzaley A. PMID: 19587320; PMCID: PMC2746773.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 27     Fields:    Translation:Humans
    57. Neural suppression of irrelevant information underlies optimal working memory performance. J Neurosci. 2009 Mar 11; 29(10):3059-66. Zanto TP, Gazzaley A. PMID: 19279242; PMCID: PMC2704557.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 105     Fields:    
    58. Neural correlates of rhythmic expectancy. Advances in Cognitive Psychology. 2006; 2:221-231. Zanto, TP, Snyder, JS, Large, EW.
    59. Gamma-band responses to perturbed auditory sequences: Evidence for synchronization of perceptual processes. Music Perception. 2005; 22(3):535-552. Zanto, TP, Large, EW, Fuchs, A, Kelso, JAS.
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