Yury Shtyrov, Prof., DPhil

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

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

• Automaticity of access to linguistic information in the brain.
• Neural timecourse of language processing.
• Memory traces for language elements: from phonemes to syntactic structures.
• Morphosyntactic interactions in the brain.
• Lateralisation of speech processing in the brain.
• Language learning and memory trace formations.
• Neuro-pragmatics
• Neurophysiology of language function in neurological, psychiatric and developmental pathologies.

Selected Publications

1. 1. Automatic processing of unattended lexical information in visual oddball presentation: neurophysiological evidence. Shtyrov, Y., Goryainova, G., Tugin, S., Ossadtchi, A., Shestakova, A. Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, 2013 [in press].
   

2. 2. Multiple routes for compound word processing in the brain: Evidence from EEG. MacGregor, L.J., & Shtyrov, Y. Brain & Language, 2013 [in press].
   

3. 3. Sensorimotor semantics on the spot: Brain activity dissociates between conceptual categories within 150 ms. Moseley R., Pulvermuller F., & Shtyrov Y. Scientific Reports, 2013 [in press].
   

4. 4. Brain Routes for Reading in Adults With and Without Autism: EMEG Evidence. Moseley R., Pulvermuller F., Mohr B., Lombardo M., Baron-Cohen S. & Shtyrov Y. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 2013 [in press].
   

5. 5. Interfaces Between Language And Cognition. Myachykov A., Scheepers C. & Shtyrov Y. Frontiers in Psychology, 4:258 doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2013.00258, 2013.
   

6. 6. Early and parallel processing of pragmatic and semantic information in speech acts: neurophysiological evidence. Egorova N., Shtyrov Y., Pulvermuller F. Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, 7:86, doi: 10.3389/fnhum.2013.00086, 2013.
   

7. 7. 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, 1(71):187-95, 2013.
   

8. 8. 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.
   

9. 9. 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.
   

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

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

12. 12. 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.
    

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

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

15. 15. [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.
    

16. 16. [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.
    

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

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

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

20. 20. Rapid cortical plasticity underlying novel word learning. Shtyrov Y, Nikulin V., Pulvermuller F. Journal of Neuroscience, 30(50):16864-168647, 2010.
    

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

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

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

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

25. 25. 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., Pulvermuller F. Journal of Experimental Psychology, 35(6):1898-912, 2009.
    

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

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

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

29. 29. Tracking spatio-temporal features of memory circuits for words in the human brain: An MEG study. Pulvermuller F. & Shtyrov Y. Cerebral Cortex, 19(1):79-88, 2009. [full-text pdf - open access]
    

30. 30. The time course of action comprehension in the brain as revealed by cortical neurophysiology. Hauk, O., Shtyrov, Y. , Pulvermuller, F. Journal of Physiology - Paris, 102(1-3):50-8, 2008. [full-text pdf - open access]
    

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

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

33. 33. Language in the mismatch negativity design: motivations, benefits and prospects. Shtyrov, Y. , Pulvermuller, F. Journal of Psychophysiology, 21(3-4):176-187, 2007 [printed 2008]. [abstract - html]
    

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

35. 35. Language Outside The Focus Of Attention: The Mismtach Negativity As An Objective Tool For Studying Higher Language Functions. Pulvermuller, F. & Shtyrov, Y. Progress in Neurobiology, 79(1), 49-71, 2006. [abstract - html]
    

36. 36. Motor cortex maps articulatory features of speech sounds. Pulvermuller, F., Huss, M., Kherif, F., Moscoso del Prado Martin, F., Hauk, O. & Shtyrov, Y. PNAS, 103(20), 7865-7870, 2006. [abstract - html]
    

37. 37. Tracking speech comprehension in space and time. Pulvermuller F., Shtyrov Y., Ilmoniemi R.J., Marslen-Wilson, W. NeuroImage, 31(3), 1297-1305, 2006. [abstract - html]
    

38. 38. Training in Morse code enhances involuntary attentional switching to acoustic frequency: evidence from ERPs. Uther M., Kujala A., Huotilainen M., Shtyrov Y., Naatanen R. Brain Research, 1073-1074, 417-424, 2006. [abstract - html]
    

39. 39. 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., Pulvermuller, F. European Journal of Neuroscience, 23(3), 811-21, 2006. [abstract - html]
    

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

41. 41. Brain Signatures Of Meaning Access In Action Word Recognition. Pulvermuller, F., Shtyrov, Y., Ilmoniemi R.J. Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience, 17, 884-892, 2005. [abstract - html]
    

42. 42. 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., Naatanen, R. Hearing Research, 199, 31-39, 2005. [abstract - html]
    

43. 43. 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-Salejarvi, K. Alho, K. Reinikainen, R. Naatanen. Psychophysiology, 41, 875-881, 2004. [abstract - html]
    

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

45. 45. Word-specific cortical activity as revealed by the mismatch negativity (MMN). Pulvermuller F., Shtyrov Y., Kujala T., Naatanen R. Psychophysiology, 41, 106-112, 2004. [abstract - html]
    

46. 46. Spatiotemporal Dynamics Of Neural Language Processing: An MEG study using Minimum-Norm Current Estimates. Pulvermuller F., Shtyrov Y., Ilmoniemi R.J. NeuroImage, 20:2, 1020-5, 2003. [abstract - html]
    

47. 47. Grammar processing outside the focus of attention: an MEG study. Shtyrov, Y., Pulvermuller, F., Naatanen, R., Ilmoniemi R.J. Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience, 15:8, 1195-1206, 2003. [abstract - html]
    

48. 48. 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., & Naatanen R. NeuroReport, 14:13, 1683-1687, 2003. [abstract - html]
    

49. 49. Automatic processing of grammar in the human brain as revealed by the mismatch negativity. Pulvermuller, F. & Shtyrov, Y. NeuroImage, 20, 159-172, 2003. [abstract - html]
    

50. 50. Neurophysiological correlates of perceptual 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. [abstract - html]
    

51. 51. Memory traces for inflectional affixes as shown by the mismatch negativity. Shtyrov, Y & Pulvermuller F. European Journal of Neuroscience, 15:6, 1085-1091, 2002. [abstract - html]
    

52. 52. Neurophysiological evidence of memory traces for words in the human brain. Shtyrov, Y & Pulvermuller F. NeuroReport, 13:4, 521-525, 2002. [abstract - html]
    

53. 53. Distinct gamma-band evoked responses to speech and non-speech sounds in humans. Palva, S, Palva, JM, Shtyrov, Y, Kujala, T, Ilmoniemi, R, Kaila, K, Naatanen, R. The Journal of Neuroscience, 22:RC211, 1-5, 2002. [abstract - html]
    

54. 54. Memory Traces For Words As Revealed By The Mismatch Negativity. Pulvermuller F., Kujala T., Shtyrov Y., Simola J., Tiitinen H., Alku P., Alho K., Martinkauppi S., Ilmoniemi R.J., Naatanen R. NeuroImage, 14:3, 607-616, 2001. [abstract - html]
    

55. 55. 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. Naatanen. NeuroImage, 12:6, 657-663, 2000. [abstract - html]
    

56. 56. Auditory-cortex evoked magnetic fields and lateralization of speech processing. Y. Shtyrov, T. Kujala, H. Lyytinen, R.J. Ilmoniemi, R. Naatanen. NeuroReport, 11:13, 2893-2896, 2000. [abstract - html]
    

57. 57. 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. Naatanen. Brain and Cognition, 43:1, 392-398, 2000. [abstract - html]
    

58. 58. Noise affects speech-signal processing differently in the cerebral hemispheres. Y. Shtyrov, T. Kujala, R.J. Ilmoniemi, R. Naatanen. NeuroReport, 10:10, 2189-2192, 1999. [abstract - html]
    

59. 59. 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. Naatanen. Neuroscience Letters, 251, 141-144, 1998. [presentation - html]

 

Current and recent students

Lisa Brindley (PhD, Cambridge U),   Rachel Moseley (PhD, Cambridge U),   Caroline Whiting (PhD, Cambridge U),   Iske Bakker (MA, U Amsterdam),   Natalia Egorova (PhD, Cambridge U),   Jana Krutwig (MA, Radboud U),   Zubaida Shebani (PhD, Cambridge U),   Galina Goryainova (MA, U St. Petersburg),   Lilli Kimppa (MA/PhD, Helsinki U),   Sabine Gosselke (PhD, Lund U),   James Kiff (MA, Cambridge U),

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. ~ Euro 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)

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