Christopher Benjamin, PhD
Associate Professor AdjunctCards
Appointments
Additional Titles
Assistant Professor of Neurosurgery
Assistant Professor of Psychology
Assistant Professor, Radiology and Biomedical Imaging
Contact Info
Appointments
Additional Titles
Assistant Professor of Neurosurgery
Assistant Professor of Psychology
Assistant Professor, Radiology and Biomedical Imaging
Contact Info
Appointments
Additional Titles
Assistant Professor of Neurosurgery
Assistant Professor of Psychology
Assistant Professor, Radiology and Biomedical Imaging
Contact Info
About
Titles
Associate Professor Adjunct
Assistant Professor of Neurosurgery; Assistant Professor of Psychology; Assistant Professor, Radiology and Biomedical Imaging
Biography
Dr. Benjamin is a clinical neuropsychologist and Associate Professor in the Department of Neurology. He completed his PhD training in neuropsychology at the University of Melbourne, Australia; research fellowship training at Boston Children’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School Boston; and his clinical fellowship at the Semel Institute, University of California Los Angeles where he was the epilepsy fellow and Chief Fellow in neuropsychology. As a clinician he is a member of Yale's Comprehensive Epilepsy Center and he also sees adults with a range of neurological disorders. As a researcher his work focuses on how we can improve surgical planning to treat epilepsy and brain tumors.
Appointments
Neurology
Associate Professor AdjunctPrimaryDepartment of Psychology
Associate Professor on TermSecondary
Other Departments & Organizations
Education & Training
- Clinical Fellow, Neuropsychology
- Semel Institute, UCLA (2014)
- MA
- University of Melbourne, Clinical Neuropsychology (2012)
- PhD
- University of Melbourne (2012)
- Research Fellow
- Harvard Medical School (2012)
- Research Fellow
- Boston Children's Hospital (2012)
- Research Fellow
- Harvard Medical School (2011)
- Research Fellow
- Boston Children's Hospital (2011)
- BA
- University of Melbourne, Biological Psychology (2002)
Research
Overview
• Validity of cognitive testing for identifying seizure focus, and surgical outcome.
• Validity of fMRI methods for predicting language change after surgery.
• Comparison of fMRI and intracranial language mapping for predicting language change after surgery.
Medical Research Interests
ORCID
0000-0002-2000-9016- View Lab Website
Benjamin Lab
Research at a Glance
Yale Co-Authors
Publications Timeline
Research Interests
Lawrence Hirsch, MD
Imran Quraishi, MD, PhD
Richard Bronen, MD
Adithya Sivaraju, MD, MHA
Dennis Spencer, MD
Eyiyemisi Damisah, MD
Magnetic Resonance Imaging
Language
Epilepsy
Memory
Publications
2022
Standardization of presurgical language fMRI in Greek population: Mapping of six critical regions
Gkiatis K, Garganis K, Benjamin CF, Karanasiou I, Kondylidis N, Harushukuri J, Matsopoulos GK. Standardization of presurgical language fMRI in Greek population: Mapping of six critical regions. Brain And Behavior 2022, 12: e2609. PMID: 35587046, PMCID: PMC9226851, DOI: 10.1002/brb3.2609.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCitationsAltmetricMeSH Keywords and ConceptsConceptsLanguage mappingFunctional magnetic resonance imagingPresurgical language mappingMother tongueLanguage systemWernicke-LichtheimLanguage regionsLanguage functional magnetic resonance imagingGreekLanguage lateralizationHealthy right-handed volunteersGreek populationRight-handed volunteersMagnetic resonance imagingClinical setupEloquent cortexFMRI acquisitionContralateral cerebellumPresurgical evaluationAppropriate tasksGreek patientsWada testResonance imagingNoninvasive alternativeFMRI protocolResponse to "Letter to the Editor. The weight of functional MRI to predict surgery-induced risk after tumor resection: enough to be safe?"
Połczyńska M, Benjamin C, Bookheimer S. Response to "Letter to the Editor. The weight of functional MRI to predict surgery-induced risk after tumor resection: enough to be safe?". Journal Of Neurosurgery 2022, 137: 314-315. PMID: 39314541, PMCID: PMC11419400.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConcepts
2021
Cognitive Biomarkers in the Clinic: Lessons From Presurgical fMRI
Benjamin CFA. Cognitive Biomarkers in the Clinic: Lessons From Presurgical fMRI. Journal Of Clinical Neurophysiology 2021, 39: 121-128. PMID: 34366397, DOI: 10.1097/wnp.0000000000000834.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCitationsAltmetricMeSH Keywords and ConceptsGerstmann Syndrome Deconstructed by Cortical Stimulation
Vaddiparti A, McGrath H, Benjamin C, Sivaraju A, Spencer DD, Hirsch LJ, Damisah E, Quraishi IH. Gerstmann Syndrome Deconstructed by Cortical Stimulation. Neurology 2021, 97: 420-422. PMID: 34187861, PMCID: PMC9246017, DOI: 10.1212/wnl.0000000000012441.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCitationsAltmetricMeSH Keywords and ConceptsTumor location and reduction in functional MRI estimates of language laterality
Połczyńska MM, Beck L, Kuhn T, Benjamin CF, Ly TK, Japardi K, Cavanagh L, Bookheimer SY. Tumor location and reduction in functional MRI estimates of language laterality. Journal Of Neurosurgery 2021, 135: 1674-1684. PMID: 33799298, PMCID: PMC8909357, DOI: 10.3171/2020.9.jns202036.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsRight hemisphere tumorsAnterior tumorsHemisphere tumorsLaterality indexLanguage lateralityBroca's areaFMRI laterality indicesLeft hemisphere tumorsPosterior ROIsWhole-brain levelPosterior tumorsTumor locationTumor resectionPreoperative fMRIInferior frontal gyrusTumor groupLanguage cortexBrain tumorsPatientsNumerous confoundersTumor hemisphereConfoundersRegion of interestLeft inferior frontal gyrusTumorsElectrical cortical stimulation can impair production of the alphabet without impairing counting
Rojas PH, Sivaraju A, Quraishi IH, Vanderlind M, Rofes A, Połczynska-Bletsos MM, Spencer DD, Hirsch LJ, Benjamin CFA. Electrical cortical stimulation can impair production of the alphabet without impairing counting. Epilepsy & Behavior Reports 2021, 15: 100433. PMID: 33778464, PMCID: PMC7985277, DOI: 10.1016/j.ebr.2021.100433.Peer-Reviewed Case Reports and Technical NotesCitationsAltmetricConceptsElectrical stimulation mappingCortical electrical stimulation mappingDrug-resistant focal epilepsyPatient experienced lossDrug-resistant epilepsyElectrical cortical stimulationLanguage-dominant hemisphereSuperior temporal gyrusPosterior superior temporal gyrusCortical stimulationFocal epilepsyStimulation mappingDominant hemispherePatientsTemporal gyrusSelective impairmentLanguage functionEpilepsyExperienced lossImpairmentBrainRiskLanguage impairmentSurgerySole means
2020
Presurgical Language fMRI in Epilepsy: An Introduction
Benjamin C, Gkiatis K, Matsopoulos G, Garganis K. Presurgical Language fMRI in Epilepsy: An Introduction. Contemporary Clinical Neuroscience 2020, 205-239. DOI: 10.1007/978-3-030-35687-3_10.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCitationsConceptsFunctional magnetic resonance imagingLanguage functional magnetic resonance imagingClinical toolMagnetic resonance imagingBrain-behavior relationshipsEpilepsyResonance imagingCognitive AssessmentClinical contextBrain correlatesClinical reportingLanguage areasLanguage declineNeurosurgeryStatistical analysisCortex
2019
Comorbidity of reading disabilities and ADHD: Structural and functional brain characteristics
Langer N, Benjamin C, Becker BLC, Gaab N. Comorbidity of reading disabilities and ADHD: Structural and functional brain characteristics. Human Brain Mapping 2019, 40: 2677-2698. PMID: 30784139, PMCID: PMC6508987, DOI: 10.1002/hbm.24552.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCitationsAltmetricMeSH Keywords and ConceptsConceptsAttention-deficit/hyperactivity disorderFunctional magnetic resonance imagingGroup differencesMultiple deficit modelFunctional brain characteristicsWhole-brain analysisOverall group differencesComprehensive behavioral testingCommon developmental disorderPhonological processingFMRI taskExecutive functionNeural correlatesHyperactivity disorderNeural mechanismsSame paradigmClinical groupsDevelopmental disordersDeficit modelBrain characteristicsBrain structuresInterest analysisBrain alterationsBehavioral testingChildren
2018
Presurgical language fMRI: Technical practices in epilepsy surgical planning
Benjamin CFA, Dhingra I, Li AX, Blumenfeld H, Alkawadri R, Bickel S, Helmstaedter C, Meletti S, Bronen RA, Warfield SK, Peters JM, Reutens D, Połczyńska MM, Hirsch LJ, Spencer DD. Presurgical language fMRI: Technical practices in epilepsy surgical planning. Human Brain Mapping 2018, 39: 4032-4042. PMID: 29962111, PMCID: PMC6175127, DOI: 10.1002/hbm.24229.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCitationsAltmetricMeSH Keywords and ConceptsConceptsLanguage functional MRIFunctional MRISurgical planningEpilepsy surgical planningEpilepsy surgical programsGeneral linear modelingBlood flowClinical practicePatient careSurgical programsRoutine useMarked heterogeneityClinical applicationVerbal fluencyData highlightFMRI dataMost programsPatientsWidespread useEpilepsyIndividualsMRICareBrief History of Electrical Cortical Stimulation: A Journey in time from Volta to Penfield (P5.299)
Isitan C, Benjamin C, Quraishi I, Spencer D, Alkawadri R. Brief History of Electrical Cortical Stimulation: A Journey in time from Volta to Penfield (P5.299). Neurology 2018, 90 DOI: 10.1212/wnl.90.15_supplement.p5.299.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCitations
Academic Achievements & Community Involvement
honor Clinical Research Training Scholarship
National AwardAmerican Academy of NeurologyDetails07/01/2018United Stateshonor Sweblius Foundation Award
Yale School of Medicine AwardSwebilius FoundationDetails06/01/2017United Stateshonor KL2 Junior Scholar's Award
Yale School of Medicine AwardYale Center for Clinical Investigation / NIHDetails07/01/2016United Stateshonor Clinical Research Award
National AwardNational Academy of NeuropsychologyDetails09/01/2013United States