Yury Shtyrov, Prof., DPhil

Senior Scientist (PLT), Speech & Language Group; Head of MEG Laboratory


Yury Shtyrov

Contact details

E-mail address: yury dot shtyrov at mrc-cbu dot cam dot ac dot uk
Telephone: +44 (0)1223 355294 (extension 832)
Direct line: +44 (0)1223 273703
Fax: +44 (0)1223 359062
Address: MRC Cognition and Brain Sciences Unit,
15 Chaucer Road,
Cambridge,
CB2 7EF
Website: Personal Website (external)

Research areas

Selected Publications

1. Past tense in the brain's time: neurophysiological evidence for dual-route processing of past-tense verbs. Bakker I., MacGregor LJ, Pulvermüller F., Shtyrov Y. Neuroimage 2013. [in press]

2. They played with the trade: MEG investigation of the processing of past tense verbs and their phonological twins. Holland R., Brindley L., Shtyrov Y., Pulvermuller F., Patterson K. Neuropsychologia, 50(14):3713-20, 2012.

3. Attention to language: Novel MEG paradigm for registering involuntary language processing in the brain. Shtyrov Y., Smith M., Horner A., Henson R., Bullmore E., Nathan P., Pulvermüller F. Neuropsychologia, 50(11):2605-16 2012.

4. Ultra-rapid access to words in the brain: Neuromagnetic evidence. MacGregor L., Pulvermüller F., van Casteren M., Shtyrov Y. Nature Communications, 3:711, DOI: 10.1038/ncomms1715, 2012.

5. Fast reconfiguration of high frequency brain networks in response to surprising changes in auditory input. Nicol R., Chapman S., Vertes P., Nathan P., Smith M., Shtyrov Y., Bullmore E. Journal of Neurophysiology, 107:5, 1421-30, 2012.

6. When Do You Grasp The Idea? MEG Evidence For Instantaneous Idiom Understanding. Boulenger V., Shtyrov Y., Pulvermüller F. Neuroimage 59, 3502–3513, 2012.

7. Neural bases of rapid word learning. Shtyrov Y. The Neuroscientist, 18:4, 312-9, 2012.

8. Can language-action links explain language laterality? An ERP study of perceptual and articulatory learning of novel pseudowords. Pulvermüller F., Kiff J., Shtyrov Y. Cortex, 48:7, 871-81, 2012.

9. [Functional mapping of speech areas in the human brain: perspective application of magnetoencephalographic techniques.] Butorina A., Shestakova A., Nikolaeva A., Stroganova T., Shtyrov Y. [Journal of Modern Foreign Psychology] 1, 103-113, 2012.

10. [Magnetoencephalography as state of-the-art method for functional mapping of the human brain.] Shestakova A., Butorina A., Ossadtchi A., Shtyrov Y. [Experimental Psychology] 2, 119-134, 2012.

11. Fast mapping of novel word forms traced neurophysiologically. Shtyrov Y. Frontiers in Psychology 2:340. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2011.00340, 2011.

12. Strength of word-specific neural memory traces assessed electrophysiologically. Alexandrov A., Boricheva D., Pulvermüller F., Shtyrov Y.PLOS One. 6(8): e22999. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0022999, 2011.

13. Event-related potentials reflecting the frequency of unattended spoken words: A neuronal index of connection strength in lexical memory circuits?Shtyrov Y, Kimppa L., Pulvermüller F., Kujala T. Neuroimage, 55:658-668, 2011.

14. Rapid cortical plasticity underlying novel word learning. Shtyrov Y, Nikulin V., Pulvermüller F. Journal of Neuroscience, 30(50):16864-7, 2010.

15. Automaticity and attentional control in spoken language processing: neurophysiological evidence. Shtyrov Y. Mental Lexicon, 5(2):255-276, 2010.

16. Heating up or cooling up the brain? MEG evidence that phrasal verbs are lexical units. Cappelle, B., Shtyrov Y., Pulvermüller F. Brain and Language, 115(3):189-201, 2010.

17. Changes in the perceived duration of a narrowband sound induced by a preceding stimulus. Carlyon, B., Deeks, J., Grahn, J., Shtyrov Y., Hauk, O., Gockel, H., Pulvermüller F. Journal of Experimental Psychology, 35(6):1898-912, 2010.

18. Interaction between language and attention systems: early automatic lexical processing? Shtyrov Y., Pulvermüller F., Kujala, T. Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience, 22(7):1465-78, 2010.

19. Arabic morphology in the neural language system. Boudelaa S., Pulvermüller F., Hauk O., Shtyrov Y., Marslen-Wilson W. Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience, 22(5):998-1010, 2010

20. Understanding in an instant: neurophysiological evidence for mechanistic language circuits in the brain. Pulvermüller, F., Shtyrov, Y., Hauk, O. Brain & Language, 110(2):81-94, 2009.

21. Auditory size-deviant detection in adults and newborn infants. Vestergaard MD, Háden GP, Shtyrov Y, Patterson RD, Pulvermüller F, Denham SL, Sziller I, Winkler I. Biological Psychology, 82(2):169-75, 2009.

22. Effects of Attention on what is known and what is not: MEG Evidence for Functionally Discrete Memory Circuits. Garagnani M, Shtyrov Y, Pulvermüller F. Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, 3:10, 2009.

23. Spatiotemporal Signatures Of Large-Scale Synfire Chains for Speech Processing as Revealed by MEG. Pulvermüller F. & Shtyrov Y. Cerebral Cortex, 19(1):79-88, 2009.

24. The time course of action comprehension in the brain as revealed by cortical neurophysiology. Hauk, O., Shtyrov Y., Pulvermüller, F. Journal of Physiology – Paris, 102(1-3):50-8, 2008.

25. Syntax as a reflex: Neurophysiological evidence for early automaticity of grammatical processing. Pulvermüller F., Shtyrov Y., Hasting, A., Carlyon, R.P Brain & Language, 104(3):244-53, 2008.

26. Memory traces for spoken words in the brain as revealed by the haemodynamic correlate of the mismatch negativity (MMN). Shtyrov, Y., Osswald, K., Pulvermüller, F., Cerebral Cortex 18(1):29-37, 2008.

27. Language in the mismatch negativity design: motivations, benefits and prospects. Shtyrov, Y., Pulvermüller, F. Journal of Psychophysiology, 21(3-4):176-187, 2007.

28. Early MEG activation dynamics in the left temporal and inferior-frontal cortex reflect semantic context integration. Shtyrov, Y. , Pulvermüller, F., Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience, 19(10) 1633-1642, 2007.

29. Language Outside The Focus Of Attention: The Mismatch Negativity As An Objective Tool For Studying Higher Language Functions. Pulvermüller, F. & Shtyrov, Y., Progress in Neurobiology, 79(1), 49-71, 2006.

30. Motor cortex maps articulatory features of speech sounds. Pulvermüller, F., Huss, M., Kherif, F., Moscoso del Prado Martin, F., Hauk, O. & Shtyrov, Y. Proceeding of National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), 103(20), 7865-7870, 2006.

31. Training in Morse code enhances involuntary attentional switching to acoustic frequency: Evidence from ERPs. Uther M., Kujala A., Huotilainen M., Shtyrov Y., Näätänen R., Brain Research, 1073-1074, 417-424, 2006.

32. Tracking speech comprehension in space and time. Pulvermüller F., Shtyrov Y., Ilmoniemi R.J., Marslen-Wilson, W., Neuroimage, 31(3), 1297-1305, 2006.

33. The sound of actions as reflected by mismatch negativity: rapid activation of cortical sensory-motor networks by sounds associated with finger and tongue movements. Hauk, O., Shtyrov Y., Pulvermüller, F. European Journal of Neuroscience, 23(3), 8811-8821, 2006.

34. Determinants of dominance: Is language laterality explained by physical or linguistic features of speech? Shtyrov Y., Pihko E. & Pulvermüller F. NeuroImage, 27(1), 37-47, 2005.

35. Brain Signatures Of Meaning Access In Action Word Recognition. Pulvermüller F., Shtyrov Y., & Ilmoniemi R.J. Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience, 17, 884-892, 2005.

36. The effect of different noise types on the speech and non-speech elicited mismatch negativity. Kozou, H., Kujala, T., Shtyrov, Y., Toppila, E., Starck, J., Alku, P., Näätänen, R. Hearing Research, 199, 31-39, 2005.

37. Long-term exposure to noise impairs cortical sound processing and attention control. T. Kujala, Y. Shtyrov, I. Winkler, M. Saher, M. Tervaniemi, M. Sallinen, W. Teder-Salejärvi, K. Alho, K. Reinikainen, R. Näätänen. Psychophysiology, 41, 875-881, 2004.

38. Distributed neuronal networks encoding category-specific semantic information as shown by the mismatch negativity to action words. Shtyrov Y., Hauk, O. Pulvermüller F., European Journal of Neuroscience, 19:4, 1083-1092, 2004.

39. Word-specific cortical activity as revealed by the mismatch negativity (MMN). Pulvermüller F., Shtyrov Y., Kujala T., Näätänen R. Psychophysiology, 41, 106-112, 2004.

40. Spatiotemporal Dynamics Of Neural Language Processing: An MEG study using Minimum-Norm Current Estimates. Pulvermüller F., Shtyrov Y. & Ilmoniemi R.J. NeuroImage, 20:2, 1020-5, 2003.

41. Grammar processing outside the focus of attention: an MEG study. Shtyrov Y., Pulvermüller F., Näätänen R. & Ilmoniemi R.J. Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience, 15:8, 1195-1206, 2003.

42. Plastic cortical changes induced by learning to communicate with non-speech sounds. Kujala, A., Huotilainen, M., Uther, M., Shtyrov Y., Monto, S., Ilmoniemi, R.J., & Näätänen R. NeuroReport, 14:13, 1683-1687, 2003.

43. Automatic processing of grammar in the human brain as revealed by the mismatch negativity. Pulvermüller, F. & Shtyrov, Y. NeuroImage, 20, 159-172, 2003.

44. The Neurophysiological Basis of the Auditory Continuity Illusion: A Mismatch Negativity Study. Micheyl, C., Carlyon, R.P., Shtyrov, Y., Hauk, O., Dodson, T., Pulvermuller, F. Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience, 15:5, 747-758, 2003.

45. Memory traces for inflectional affixes as shown by the mismatch negativity. Shtyrov, Y. & Pulvermüller F. European Journal of Neuroscience 15:6, 1085-1091, 2002.

46. Neurophysiological evidence of memory traces for words in the human brain. Shtyrov, Y. & Pulvermüller, F. NeuroReport 13:4, 521-525, 2002.

47. Distinct gamma-band evoked responses to speech and non-speech sounds in humans. S. Palva, J.M. Palva, Y. Shtyrov, T. Kujala, R. Ilmoniemi, K. Kaila, R. Näätänen. Journal of Neuroscience 22:RC211, 1-5, 2002.

48. Memory traces for words as revealed by the mismatch negativity. Pulvermüller F., Kujala T., Shtyrov Y., Simola J., Tiitinen H., Alku P., Alho K., Martinkauppi S., Ilmoniemi R., Näätänen R. NeuroImage, 14:3, 607-616, 2001.

49. Discrimination of speech and of complex nonspeech sounds of different temporal structure in the left and right cerebral hemispheres. Y. Shtyrov, T. Kujala, S. Palva, R.J. Ilmoniemi, R. Näätänen. NeuroImage 12:6, 657-663, 2000.

50. Auditory-cortex evoked magnetic fields and lateralization of speech processing. Y. Shtyrov, T. Kujala, H. Lyytinen, R.J. Ilmoniemi, R. Näätänen. NeuroReport 11:13, 2893-2896, 2000.

51. Lateralization of speech processing in the brain as indicated by the mismatch negativity and dichotic listening. Y. Shtyrov, T. Kujala, H. Lyytinen, J. Kujala, R.J. Ilmoniemi, R. Näätänen. Brain and Cognition, 43:1-3, 392-398, 2000.

52. Noise affects speech-signal processing differently in the cerebral hemispheres. Y. Shtyrov, T. Kujala, R.J. Ilmoniemi, R. Näätänen. NeuroReport 10:10, 2189-2192, 1999.

53. Background acoustic noise and the hemispheric lateralization of speech processing in the human brain: magnetic mismatch negativity study. Y. Shtyrov, T. Kujala, J. Ahveninen, M. Tervaniemi, P. Alku, R.J. Ilmoniemi, R. Näätänen. Neuroscience Letters, 251, 141-144, 1998.

Current and recent students

Lisa Brindley (PhD, CBSU)

Caroline Whiting (PhD, CBSU)

Iske Bakker (MA, UvA)

Natalia Egorova (PhD, CBSU)

Zubaida Shebani (PhD, CBSU)

Rachel Moseley (PhD, CBSU)

Galina Goryainova (MA, SPU)

Lilli Kimppa (MA/PhD, HU)

James Kiff (MA, CBSU)

Current grants

Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) & MRC, UK, 2012. Co-PI on a 5-year partnership programme grant: Building capacity in UK clinical MEG research. Co-applicants: Profs K. Singh (U Cardiff), K. Nobre (U Oxford), Dr G. Barnes (UCL) et al. ~£1.3 mln. 2013-2017

European Commission Tempus IV programme, 2009. Co-PI on a 3.5-year project grant: Postgraduate training network in biotechnology of neurosciences. ~€1 mln. Co-applicants: K. Kaila, (Helsinki U)., I. Pavlov (UCL), A. Shestakova (St. Petersburg U.), V. Klucharev (FC Donders) et al. 2010-2013

FACI (Federal Agency for Science and Innovation, RF), 2010. PI on a 2-year project grant: Introduction of novel methodologies into science, healthcare and education: using magnetoencephalography for mapping brain function. RUB 2 mln. 2010-2012.

Medical Research Council, UK, 2009. PI on 5-year research programme U.1055.04.014.00001.01: Early automaticity of neural language processing: lexical, morphosyntactic and methodological perspectives. ~£1.4 mln. 2009-2014

More information

More information can be found on Yury's personal website (NB: this is not hosted by the MRC CBU)