Basque Center on Cognition, Brain & Language
Mikel Lizarazu
Research
Associate Group Leader. Ramón y Cajal Fellow 2024-2028.
Keywords: brain lateralization, language acquisition and bilingualism, using MEG and EEG.
Research group: Brain Rhythms and Cognition
m.lizarazu@bcbl.eu
+34 943 309 300 Ext.: 208
2025
Fernández-Merino, L., Lizarazu, M., Molinaro, N., & Kalashnikova, M. (2025). Temporal Structure of Music Improves the Cortical Encoding of Speech. Human Brain Mapping, 46(5). Doi:10.1002/hbm.70199
Rivolta, C.L., Lizarazu, M., Costello, B., & Carreiras, M. (2025). Cortical tracking of sign language: The role of language knowledge in tracking of different articulators. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 122(51). Doi:10.1073/pnas.2512665122
2024
Ershaid, H., Lizarazu, M., McLaughlin, D., Cooke, M., Simantiraki, O., Koutsogiannaki, M., & Lallier, M. (2024). Contributions of listening effort and intelligibility to cortical tracking of speech in adverse listening conditions. Cortex, 172, 54-71. Doi:10.1016/j.cortex.2023.11.018
Gastaldon, S., Busan, P., Molinaro, N., & Lizarazu, M. (2024). Cortical Tracking of Speech Is Reduced in Adults Who Stutter When Listening for Speaking. Journal of Speech Language and Hearing Research, 67(11), 4339-4357. Doi:10.1044/2024_JSLHR-24-00227
Issa, M.F., Khan, I., Ruzzoli, M., Molinaro, N., & Lizarazu, M. (2024). On the speech envelope in the cortical tracking of speech. Neuroimage, 297. Doi:10.1016/j.neuroimage.2024.120675
Pérez-Navarro, J., Klimovich-Gray, A., Lizarazu, M., Piazza, G., Molinaro, N., & Lallier, M. (2024). Early language experience modulates the tradeoff between acoustic-temporal and lexico-semantic cortical tracking of speech. Iscience, 27(7). Doi:10.1016/j.isci.2024.110247
Schwarz, J., Lizarazu, M., Lallier, M., & Klimovich-Gray, A. (2024). Phonological deficits in dyslexia impede lexical processing of spoken words: Linking behavioural and MEG data. Cortex, 171, 204-222. Doi:10.1016/j.cortex.2023.10.003
2023
Lizarazu, M., Carreiras, M., & Molinaro, N. (2023). Theta-gamma phase-amplitude coupling in auditory cortex is modulated by language proficiency. Human Brain Mapping, 44(7), 2862-2872. Doi:10.1002/hbm.26250
2021
Caffarra, S., Lizarazu, M., Molinaro, N., & Carreiras, M. (2021). Reading-related brain changes in audiovisual processing: Cross-sectional and longitudinal MEG evidence. Journal of Neuroscience, 41(27), 5867-5875. Doi:10.1523/JNEUROSCI.3021-20.2021
Lizarazu, M., Carreiras, M., Bourguignon, M., Zarraga, A., & Molinaro, N. (2021). Language Proficiency Entails Tuning Cortical Activity to Second Language Speech. Cerebral Cortex, 31(8), 3820-3831. Doi:10.1093/cercor/bhab051
Lizarazu, M., Lallier, M., Bourguignon, M., Carreiras, M., & Molinaro, N. (2021). Impaired neural response to speech edges in dyslexia. Cortex, 135, 207-218. Doi:10.1016/j.cortex.2020.09.033
Lizarazu, M., Scotto di Covella, L., van Wassenhove, V., Rivière, D., Mizzi, R., Lehongre, K., Hertz-Pannier, L., & Ramus, F. (2021). Neural entrainment to speech and nonspeech in dyslexia: Conceptual replication and extension of previous investigations. Cortex, 137, 160-178. Doi:10.1016/j.cortex.2020.12.024
Molinaro, N., Lizarazu, M., Baldin, V., Pérez-Navarro, J., Lallier, M., & Ríos-López, P. (2021). Speech-brain phase coupling is enhanced in low contextual semantic predictability conditions. Neuropsychologia, 156. Doi:10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2021.107830
Nara, S., Lizarazu, M., Richter, C.G., Dima, D.C., Cichy, R.M., Bourguignon, M., & Molinaro, N. (2021). Temporal uncertainty enhances suppression of neural responses to predictable visual stimuli. Neuroimage, 239. Doi:10.1016/j.neuroimage.2021.118314
2020
Bourguignon, M., Molinaro, N., Lizarazu, M., Taulu, S., Jousmäki, V., Lallier, M., Carreiras, M., & De Tiège, X. (2020). Neocortical activity tracks the hierarchical linguistic structures of self-produced speech during reading aloud. Neuroimage, 216. Doi:10.1016/j.neuroimage.2020.116788
Lizarazu, M., Gil-Robles, S., Pomposo, I., Nara, S., Amoruso, L., Quiñones, I., & Carreiras, M. (2020). Spatiotemporal dynamics of postoperative functional plasticity in patients with brain tumors in language areas. Brain and Language, 202. Doi:10.1016/j.bandl.2019.104741
2019
Lizarazu, M., Lallier, M., & Molinaro, N. (2019). Phase−amplitude coupling between theta and gamma oscillations adapts to speech rate. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, 1453(1), 140-152. Doi:10.1111/nyas.14099
2018
Molinaro, N., & Lizarazu, M. (2018). Delta(but not theta)-band cortical entrainment involves speech-specific processing. European Journal of Neuroscience, 48(7), 2642-2650. Doi:10.1111/ejn.13811
2017
Caffarra, S., Martin, C.D., Lizarazu, M., Lallier, M., Zarraga, A., Molinaro, N., & Carreiras, M. (2017). Word and object recognition during reading acquisition: MEG evidence. Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience, 24, 21-32. Doi:10.1016/j.dcn.2017.01.002
Ríos-López, P., Molnar, M.T., Lizarazu, M., & Lallier, M. (2017). The role of slow speech amplitude envelope for speech processing and reading development. Frontiers in Psychology, 8. Doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2017.01497
Lallier, M., Molinaro, N., Lizarazu, M., Bourguignon, M., & Carreiras, M. (2017). Amodal Atypical Neural Oscillatory Activity in Dyslexia: A Cross-Linguistic Perspective. Clinical Psychological Science, 5(2), 379-401. Doi:10.1177/2167702616670119
2016
Molinaro, N., Lizarazu, M., Lallier, M., Bourguignon, M., & Carreiras, M. (2016). Out-of-synchrony speech entrainment in developmental dyslexia. Human Brain Mapping, 37(8), 2767-2783. Doi:10.1002/hbm.23206
Molinaro, N., Monsalve, I.F., & Lizarazu, M. (2016). Is there a common oscillatory brain mechanism for producing and predicting language?. Language Cognition and Neuroscience, 31(1), 145-158. Doi:10.1080/23273798.2015.1077978
2015
Carreiras, M., Monahan, P.J., Lizarazu, M., Duñabeitia, J.A., & Molinaro, N. (2015). Numbers are not like words: Different pathways for literacy and numeracy. Neuroimage, 118, 79-89. Doi:10.1016/j.neuroimage.2015.06.021
Lizarazu, M., Lallier, M., Molinaro, N., Bourguignon, M., Paz-Alonso, P.M., Lerma-Usabiaga, G., & Carreiras, M. (2015). Developmental evaluation of atypical auditory sampling in dyslexia: Functional and structural evidence. Human Brain Mapping, 36(12), 4986-5002. Doi:10.1002/hbm.22986
Pagnotta, M.F., Zouridakis, G., Li, L., Lizarazu, M., Lallier, M., Molinaro, N., & Carreiras, M. (2015). Low frequency overactivation in dyslexia: Evidence from resting state Magnetoencephalography. Proceedings of the Annual International Conference of the IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society EMBS, 2015-November, 6959-6962. Doi:10.1109/EMBC.2015.7319993
2026
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NeuroAV: Multisensory EEG System for Real-Time Analysis of Audiovisual Speech in Ecological Conditions
Program: Prueba de Concepto 2025, PDC2025-166757-I00
Funding agency: Spanish Ministry
02/2026- 01/2028
Funding: 183.920 €
PIs: Mikel Lizarazu & Nicola Molinaro Team members: Izhar Khan, & Manuela Ruzzoli
2025
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CORTICAL RHYTHMS: Aligning Brain Rhythms: Understanding the mechanisms of cortical tracking of speech to improve language functions with real time closed-loop neurofeedback
Program: ERC-2023-ADG–101140427
Funding agency: European Commission (European Research Council)
01/2025- 12/2029
Funding: 2.500.000 €
PI: Manuel Carreiras Team members: Marina Kalashnikova, Marie Lallier, Nicola Molinaro, Brendan Costello, Manuela Ruzzoli, & Mikel Lizarazu
2023
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BodyLingual: The temporal relation between speech and simultaneous body gestures and its role in audiovisual speech processing
Program: Plan Nacional 2022, PID2022-136991NB-I00
Funding agency: Spanish Ministry
09/2023- 08/2026
Funding: 144.375 €
PIs: Nicola Molinaro & Mikel Lizarazu
2022
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Loop: Closing the loop between the brain and real-life
Program: Prueba de Concepto 2022, PDC2022-133917-I00
Funding agency: Spanish Ministry
12/2022- 11/2024
Funding: 74.750 €
PI: Nicola Molinaro Team members: Manuela Ruzzoli & Mikel Lizarazu -
DEEP LEARNING: A deep learning approach to understand neural compensatory mechanisms in dyslexia
Program: Proyectos de Investigación Básica y/o Aplicada 2022, PIBA_2022_1_0015
Funding agency: Basque Government
08/2022- 08/2024
Funding: 50.000 €
PI:Mikel Lizarazu
In progress
Development of an EEG neurofeedback protocole to boost hemispheric rebalance in children with dyslexia University of the Basque Country, UPV/EHU (2024 - 2028)
Cortical Tracking of Sign Language: the role of manual and non-manual articulators University of the Basque Country, UPV/EHU (2024 - 2027)
2024
Rivolta CL., Costello B., Lizarazu M. & Carreiras M. (2024). The role of different articulators in cortical tracking of sign language. Presenter XIV Conference of the Spanish Society for Experimental Psychology (SEPEX) University of Almería
2023
Rivolta CL., Costello B., Lizarazu M. & Carreiras M. (2023). Language-brain entrainment: a crossmodal comparison of spoken and signed languages Presenter Formal and Experimental Advances in Sign Language Theory (FEAST 2023) University of Bergen
Rivolta CL., Costello B., Lizarazu M. & Carreiras M. (2023). Do the eyes retune the ears? MEG evidence that sign language knowledge affects how we process spoken language. Presenter Society for the Neurobiology of Language (SNL 2023) 15th Annual Meeting
Rivolta CL., Costello B., Lizarazu M. & Carreiras M. (2023). Neural tracking in the visual domain: the role of different articulators in sign language comprehension. Presenter Society for the Neurobiology of Language (SNL 2023) 15th Annual Meeting
Rivolta CL., Costello B., Lizarazu M. & Carreiras M. (2023). A Crossmodal Comparison Of Language-brain Entrainment In Spoken And Signed Languages. Presenter 23rd Conference of the European Society for Cognitive Psychology (ESCoP) University of Porto
2022
Fernández-Merino, L., Lizarazu, M., Molinaro, N., Kalashnikova, M. (2022). Follow the rhythm: Basque-Spanish bilingual infants' cortical tracking of speech after brief exposure to music. Oral presentation at the International Congress of Infant Studies (ICIS) Ottawa, Canada.
Fernández-Merino, L., Lizarazu, M., Molinaro, N., Kalashnikova, M. (2022). The rhythm takes it all: A developmental approach to Basque-Spanish bilingual speakers' cortical tracking of speech after brief exposure to music. Oral presentation at the Workshop on Infant Language Development (WILD), Donostia-San Sebastián, Spain.
2021
Pastureau, R., Lizarazu M., Molinaro, N. (2021). How the Entrainment to Gesturing, Lip-Reading and Speech Contribute to Comprehension - A MEG Exploratory Study Poster presenter CuttingEEG 2021 Université d'Aix-Marseille (France)
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