Magda L. Dumitru has developed the ‘distance index’ as a biomarker of the male and female brain prototype in psychopathology. She investigates the relationship between consciousness and brain structure as well as potential of the index to reveal the (epi)genetic basis of creativity in both health and mental illness.

"Every day, our senses record an impressive amount of information, which generates biases for more effective processing. For example, we decode language better with the right ear. This is known as ‘right ear advantage’ (REA) and our team has found ways to increase REA and improve perception of fast visual stimuli. We’ve also shown that by changing the word ‘AND’ with ‘OR’, people manage to encode several memory episodes instead of one. More frequent chunking and re-combining information is a hallmark of creativity. Our team is exploring brain structure differences in creative individuals. We’ve found that the left and the right hemispheres are more coherent in women than in men, in both health and mental illness. A novel research direction is the emergence of creativity in patients with Parkinson’s, who suddenly get the ‘spark’ to produce fine art."

My research in ONE minute:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0jGvWmffSL0

IGSIN 913 Integrated Neuroscience, module "The Neuroscience of Memory"

MAPSYK 319B Cognitive Neuroscience, emneansvarlig

MAPSYK 360 Master's Thesis in Psychology, supervisor

MAPSYK 319A/PROPSY 303 Biological Psychology, module "Emotions" I and II

PROPSY 304 Cognitive Neuroscience, modules "Perception", "Memory", "Attention and Cognitive Control"

PSYK 122 Practical Research Methods

Academic article

• Giske, Jarl; Dumitru, Magda L.; Enberg, Katja et al. (2025). Premises for digital twins reporting on Atlantic salmon wellbeing. (external link)
• Dumitru, Magda L.; Opdal, Anders Martin Frugård (2024). Beyond the mosaic model of brain evolution: Rearing environment defines local and global plasticity. (external link)
• Dumitru, Magda L.; Johnsen, Erik; Kroken, Rune Andreas et al. (2024). Widespread asymmetries of amygdala nuclei predict auditory verbal hallucinations in schizophrenia. (external link)
• Budaev, Sergei; Dumitru, Magda L.; Enberg, Katja et al. (2024). Premises for a digital twin of the Atlantic salmon in its world: Agency, robustness, subjectivity and prediction. (external link)
• Dumitru, Magda L. (2023). Brain asymmetry is globally different in males and females: exploring cortical volume, area, thickness, and mean curvature. (external link)
• Dumitru, Magda L.; Korbmacher, Max; Bartsch, Hauke (2022). Male and Female Brain Coherence Models of Cognitive Performance andPsychopathology. (external link)
• Kazimierczak, Katarzyna Anna; Craven, Alexander R.; Ersland, Lars et al. (2021). Combined fMRI region- and network-analysis reveal new insights of top-down modulation of bottom-up processes in auditory laterality. (external link)
• Dumitru, Magda L.; Joergensen, G. H. (2021). Thought extramission: The eyes project conceptual maps at close distance.. (external link)
• Dumitru, Magda L.; Joergensen, G. H. (2018). Logical connectives modulate attention to simulations evoked by the constituents they link together. (external link)
• Dumitru, Magda L.; Joergensen, G. H. (2016). Gestalt reasoning with conjunctions and disjunctions. (external link)
• Dumitru, Magda L. (2016). Gestalt-like representations hijack chunk-and-pass processing. (external link)
• Dumitru, Magda L.; Joergensen, G. H. (2015). Similarity judgments of same-category object representations: Effects of physical size, manipulability, and word frequency. (external link)
• Dumitru, Magda L. (2015). Coherence across consciousness levels: Symmetric visual displays spare working memory resources. (external link)
• Dumitru, Magda L.; Taylor, A. J. (2014). Or cues knowledge of alternatives: Evidence from priming.. (external link)
• Dumitru, Magda L.; Joergensen, G. H. (2014). Effects of word-evoked object size on covert numerosity estimations. (external link)
• Dumitru, Magda L. (2014). Moving stimuli guide retrieval and (in) validation of coordination simulations.. (external link)
• Dumitru, Magda L.; Joergensen, G. H.; Cruickshank, A. G. et al. (2013). Language-guided visual processing affects reasoning: The role of referential and spatial anchoring.. (external link)

Poster

• Dumitru, Magda L.; Johnsen, Erik; Sandøy, Lydia Brunvoll et al. (2022). Amygdala Symmetry Predicts Distresful Auditory Verbal Hallucinations in Schizophrenia Patients. (external link)
• Dumitru, Magda L.; Korbmacher, Max; Bartsch, Hauke (2022). Brain Coherence Predicts Cognitive Performance and Neuropathology: Computing the Distance Index. (external link)
• Olsnes, J. O. S.; Haug, J. A.; Dumitru, Magda L. (2021). Meditation and Gender Affect the Attentional Blink: An ERP and Bayesian Learning Analysis. (external link)
• Haug, J. A.; Olsnes, J.O.S.; Dumitru, Magda L. (2021). Neurophysiology of Attention Lateralization Following Brief Meditation Training. (external link)
• Dumitru, Magda L.; Majerus, Steve (2018). Cortico-cerebellar pathways for understanding language coordination. (external link)
• Dumitru, Magda L. (2017). Laterality patterns for Gestalts of language. . (external link)
• Dumitru, Magda L.; Jørgensen, Gitte; Harvey, S. et al. (2016). Shared ambiguity resolution strategies promote mutual fitness of language and perceptual systems. (external link)
• Dumitru, Magda L.; Jørgensen, Gitte (2016). Speed of color recognition depends on Gestalt representations of cause, consequence, condition, and concession. (external link)
• Dumitru, Magda L.; Jørgensen, Gitte (2016). Gestalt Reasoning Promotes Extension Errors. (external link)
• Dumitru, Magda L.; Jørgensen, Gitte; Altmann, Gerry (2011). Verb-induced simulations affect sampling patterns in choice contexts. (external link)

Academic lecture

• Dumitru, Magda L.; Majerus, Steve; Hugdahl, Kenneth (2020). The cerebellum works across task-positive and task-negative networks. (external link)
• Dumitru, Magda L. (2018). Covertly-induced emotional states modulate task performance. (external link)
• Dumitru, Magda L. (2017). Groundless altruism: Why it makes sense to risk one’s life for other people’s money. (external link)
• Dumitru, Magda L. (2017). Action-based language Gestalts in working memory. (external link)
• Dumitru, Magda L. (2017). An affective account of distance estimation biases. . (external link)
• Dumitru, Magda L. (2016). In the eye of the beholder: Affect as well as object properties impact measurement estimations. (external link)
• Dumitru, Magda L.; Jørgensen, Gitte (2016). Gestalt Reasoning: Perceptual compatibility effects evoked by coordination descriptions. (external link)
• Dumitru, Magda L.; Jørgensen, Gitte (2015). Similarity judgments of same-category object representations: Effects of physical size, manipulability, and word frequency. (external link)
• Dumitru, Magda L. (2010). Eye- movement patterns for logical connectives. (external link)

Editorial

• Pasqualotto, A; Dumitru, Magda L.; Myachykov, A. (2016). Multisensory Integration: Brain, Body, and World. (external link)

Lecture

• Dumitru, Magda L. (2016). Affect as well as object properties impact measurement estimations. (external link)

See a complete overview of publications in Cristin.

1. Dumitru, M. L. (2023). Brain Asymmetry is Globally Different in Males and Females: Exploring Cortical Volume, Area, Thickness, and Mean Curvature. Cerebral Cortex 33. https://doi.org/10.1093/cercor/bhad396
2. Dumitru, M. L., Korbmacher, M., & Bartsch, H. Male and Female Brain Coherence Models of Cognitive Performance and Psychopathology. (2022). bioRxiv doi.org/10.1101/2022.09.28.509939e 
3. Kazimierczak, K., Craven, A. R., Ersland, L., Specht, K., Dumitru, M. L., Sandoy, L. B., & Hugdahl, K. (2022). Combined fMRI Region- and Network-Analysis Reveal New Insights of Top-Down Modulation of Bottom-Up Processes in Auditory Laterality. Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience
4. Dumitru, M. L., & Joergensen, G. H. Thought extramission: The eyes project conceptual maps at close distance. (2021). bioRxiv doi.org/10.1101/2021.08.18.456814 
5. Dumitru, M. L., & Pasqualotto, A. (2018). Helmets improve estimations of depth and visual angle to safe targets. Attention, Perception, & Psychophysics, 80(8), 1879-1884. DOI: 10.3758/s13414-018-1605-9
6. Dumitru, M. L., & Joergensen, G. H. (2018). Logical connectives modulate attention to simulations evoked by the constituents they link together. Frontiers in Psychology, 08/2018; 6. DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2018.01358
7. Dumitru, M. L.(2016). Gestalt-like representations hijack chunk-and-pass processing. Behavioral and Brain Sciences. DOI: 10.1017/S0140525X15000758
8. Dumitru, M. L., & Joergensen, G.H. (2016). Gestalt reasoning with conjunctions and disjunctions. PLoS ONE 11(3): e0151774. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0151774
9. Pasqualotto, A., Dumitru, M. L., & Myachykov, A. (2016). Editorial: Multisensory Integration: Brain, Body, and World. Frontiers in Psychology, 6:2046. DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2015.02046
10. Dumitru, M. L.(2015). Coherence across consciousness levels: Symmetric visual displays spare working memory resources. Consciousness and Cognition, 38, 139-149. DOI: 10.1016//j.concog.2015.10.007
11. Dumitru, M. L., & Joergensen, G. H. (2015). Similarity judgments of same-category object representations: Effects of physical size, manipulability, and word frequency. Visual Cognition, 23 (7), 855-859. DOI: 10.1080/13506285.2015.1093242 
12. Dumitru, M. L., & Joergensen, G. H. (2015). Effects of word-evoked object size on covert numerosity estimations. Frontiers in Psychology, 08/2015; 6. DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2015.00876
13. Dumitru, M. L.(2014). Moving stimuli guide retrieval and (in) validation of coordination simulations. Cognitive Processing. 15 (3), 397-403. DOI: 10.1007/s10339-014- 0604-6
14. Dumitru, M. L., & Taylor, A. J. (2014). Or cues knowledge of alternatives: Evidence from priming. Scandinavian Journal of Psychology. 55 (2), 97-101. DOI: 10.1111/sjop.12100
15. Dumitru, M. L., Joergensen, G. H., Cruickshank, A. G., & Altmann, G. T. M. (2013). Language-guided visual processing affects reasoning: The role of referential and spatial anchoring. Consciousness and Cognition, 22 (2), 562-571. DOI: 10.1016/j.concog.2013.03.008

60825 Hvordan hjernenettverk interagerer - betydning for forstaelse av horselshallusinasjoner 

60748 Hjernelateralisering av oppmerksomhetskontroll etter kort meditasjonstrening

60932 Hjernemekanismer for oppmerksomhetskontroll til auditive og visuelle stimuli

NSD 395393 Impact of Prediction Error on Social Appraisal