J. Adam Noah, PhD
Associate Research Scientist in PsychiatryCards
About
Titles
Associate Research Scientist in Psychiatry
Biography
Dr. Noah is a research faculty member of the Brain Function Laboratory experienced in computational systems and methods of brain imaging and application of traditional video games to clinical and basic neuroscience research. His background in patient care and rehabilitation via the use of virtual reality interventions contributes a significant segment to the lab and its future directions. Adam is experienced in recording and data analysis techniques associated with functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS). His focus in the lab extends his previous interests and expertise using functional brain recording techniques combined with video games as tools to understand mechanisms of motor control, decision-making and cognitive function.
Last Updated on April 07, 2025.
Appointments
Psychiatry
Associate Research ScientistPrimary
Other Departments & Organizations
- Psychiatry
- The Brain Function Laboratory
Education & Training
- PhD
- Marshall University School of Medicine, Biomedical Sciences (2003)
- MS
- Marshall University, Biological Sciences (1998)
- BA
- West Virginia University, Biology (1996)
Research
Publications
2026
Listening to a Consonant Chord Progression during Live Face-to-Face Gaze Enhances Neural Activity in Social Systems
Watts D, Allsop A, Compton S, Zhang X, Noah J, Hirsch J. Listening to a Consonant Chord Progression during Live Face-to-Face Gaze Enhances Neural Activity in Social Systems. Journal Of Neuroscience 2026, 46: e1116252026. PMID: 41786608, PMCID: PMC13086250, DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.1116-25.2026.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchThis study investigates how listening to structured musical chord progressions during live face-to-face interactions enhances brain activity in social neural systems and strengthens feelings of social connectedness.Investigating face processing in online interactions via UK–US hyperscanning using fNIRS
Hakim U, Noah J, Zhang X, Gunasekara N, Hamilton A, Pinti P, Tachtsidis I, Hirsch J. Investigating face processing in online interactions via UK–US hyperscanning using fNIRS. Imaging Neuroscience 2026, 4: imag.a.1101. PMID: 41608057, PMCID: PMC12836396, DOI: 10.1162/imag.a.1101.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchThis study investigates how live versus static face presentations during videoconferencing affect brain activity, showing increased visual and somatosensory engagement for live faces but no enhanced inter-brain connectivity.
2025
Exploratory Study on Screening Dementia Based on Frontal Polar Cognitive Activation Using Portable Wireless Functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy
Tachibana A, Irie S, Ono Y, Noah J, Tatsumoto M, Taguchi D, Tokuda N, Ueda S. Exploratory Study on Screening Dementia Based on Frontal Polar Cognitive Activation Using Portable Wireless Functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy. Cureus 2025, 17: e85902. PMID: 40656385, PMCID: PMC12255962, DOI: 10.7759/cureus.85902.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchSpatiotemporal processing of real faces is modified by visual sensing
Kelley M, Tiede M, Zhang X, Noah J, Hirsch J. Spatiotemporal processing of real faces is modified by visual sensing. NeuroImage 2025, 312: 121219. PMID: 40252877, PMCID: PMC12140127, DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2025.121219.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsHuman faceSensing parametersEye-tracking signalsLive human facesRobot facesLive facesTemporal featuresVisual senseStandardized low-resolution brain electromagnetic tomographyFNIRS signalsPatterns of neural activityInteractive gazeFace-to-face processesLow-resolution brain electromagnetic tomographySpatiotemporal processesNeural correlatesBrain electromagnetic tomographyGazeEEG analysisFixation durationFaceInferior parietal sulcusRight supramarginal gyrusSpatial bindingOscillatory activityEditorial: Advances in mobile optical brain activity monitoring
Soekadar S, Scholkmann F, Yücel M, Pinti P, Noah J, von Lühmann A. Editorial: Advances in mobile optical brain activity monitoring. Frontiers In Neuroergonomics 2025, 6: 1568619. PMID: 40124742, PMCID: PMC11925908, DOI: 10.3389/fnrgo.2025.1568619.Commentaries, Editorials and LettersDeep multimodal representations and classification of first-episode psychosis via live face processing
Singh R, Zhang Y, Bhaskar D, Srihari V, Tek C, Zhang X, Noah J, Krishnaswamy S, Hirsch J. Deep multimodal representations and classification of first-episode psychosis via live face processing. Frontiers In Psychiatry 2025, 16: 1518762. PMID: 40134976, PMCID: PMC11934110, DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2025.1518762.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchFirst-episode psychosisPositive and Negative Syndrome ScaleFunctional Near-Infrared SpectroscopyGlobal Assessment of FunctioningEarly psychosisNeural correlates of social cognitionFirst-episode psychosis individualsNegative Syndrome ScaleBehavior recordsAssessment of functioningSevere psychiatric disordersSyndrome ScaleFace processingPsychosis symptomsNeural underpinningsSocial cognitionNeural correlatesPsychiatric disordersBrain activitySocial difficultiesNeurophysiological dysfunctionPsychosisNeural characteristicsMultimodal representationsAcquisition paradigm
2024
Rock music improvisation shows increased activity in Broca’s area and its right hemisphere homologue related to spontaneous creativity
Tachibana A, Noah J, Ono Y, Irie S, Tatsumoto M, Taguchi D, Tokuda N, Ueda S. Rock music improvisation shows increased activity in Broca’s area and its right hemisphere homologue related to spontaneous creativity. BMC Research Notes 2024, 17: 61. PMID: 38433213, PMCID: PMC10909250, DOI: 10.1186/s13104-024-06727-6.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsSpontaneous creativityNeural correlates of creativityBroca's areaCorrelates of creativityMusical improvisationImprovisational playRight hemisphere homologuesAmount of practiceFunctional Near-Infrared SpectroscopyImprovisationSubjective feelingsCreativityHemisphere homologuesPlayMotor planningBrocaSpeech controlFeelingsNear-infrared spectroscopyMotor controlIncreased activityGuitaristsHemodynamic responseConcurrent activationSkillsSupport vector machine prediction of individual Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (ADOS) scores based on neural responses during live eye-to-eye contact
Zhang X, Noah J, Singh R, McPartland J, Hirsch J. Support vector machine prediction of individual Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (ADOS) scores based on neural responses during live eye-to-eye contact. Scientific Reports 2024, 14: 3232. PMID: 38332184, PMCID: PMC10853508, DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-53942-z.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchThis study investigates how neural activity during live eye-to-eye contact, measured via functional near-infrared spectroscopy, can predict autism symptom severity with 80.5% classification accuracy.
2023
Quantification of inter-brain coupling: A review of current methods used in haemodynamic and electrophysiological hyperscanning studies
Hakim U, De Felice S, Pinti P, Zhang X, Noah J, Ono Y, Burgess P, Hamilton A, Hirsch J, Tachtsidis I. Quantification of inter-brain coupling: A review of current methods used in haemodynamic and electrophysiological hyperscanning studies. NeuroImage 2023, 280: 120354. PMID: 37666393, DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2023.120354.Peer-Reviewed Reviews, Practice Guidelines, Standards, and Consensus StatementsConceptsInter-brain couplingHyperscanning studyFunctional magnetic resonanceBrain imaging modalitiesSocial neuroscienceCognitive mechanismsSocial anxietyBrain couplingCognitive researchSocial interactionHyperscanningMental healthDifferent modalitiesMagnetoencephalographyDevelopmental conditionsElectroencephalographyMore participantsParticipantsAutismNeuroscienceFNIRSAnxietyBrainModalitiesSchizophrenia
2022
Neural correlates of eye contact and social function in autism spectrum disorder
Hirsch J, Zhang X, Noah J, Dravida S, Naples A, Tiede M, Wolf J, McPartland J. Neural correlates of eye contact and social function in autism spectrum disorder. PLOS ONE 2022, 17: e0265798. PMID: 36350848, PMCID: PMC9645655, DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0265798.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchThis study investigates neural activity during live eye contact in autism spectrum disorder, showing atypical brain activation linked to reduced social function and altered visual processing.