The Department welcomes Sara Bertoni

I am a psychologist with a strong interest in developmental neuropsychology. I obtained my PhD in Brain, Mind and Computer Science at the University of Padua under the supervision of Professor Facoetti, and subsequently carried out six years of research activity at the University of Bergamo.
My research trajectory has focused on the study of neuropsychological mechanisms underlying typical and atypical development, with particular attention to neurodevelopmental disorders, using methods drawn from different branches of psychobiology, including non-invasive electrical stimulation, electrophysiology, psychophysiology, and psychopharmacology. In the early years of my research, I investigated the effects of video game–based interventions on attentional, perceptual, reading, and math abilities in children diagnosed with neurodevelopmental disorders. I later served as unit leader in a research project funded by the Italian Ministry of Health and conducted in collaboration with major Italian IRCCS institutions, including “La Nostra Famiglia” of Bosisio Parini (Lecco) and the IRCCS “Santa Lucia” of Rome. The project investigated, both in an animal model and in preschool-aged children, the effectiveness of preventive interventions for neurodevelopmental disorders, also in relation to specific genetic factors, and followed their effects longitudinally.
My main research interest concerns the functioning of neuropsychological abilities across the lifespan and the possibilities for prevention through interventions targeting domain-general abilities with broad, cross-domain benefits. Within this framework, in addition to video game–based interventions, I also study the effects of physical exercise on neuropsychological functioning in populations of different ages, with and without neurodevelopmental disorders.
I adopt a dimensional and transdiagnostic approach to developmental neuropsychology and strongly believe in the value of multidisciplinary work.
Alongside my research activity, I place great importance on science communication as an integral part of the university’s third mission. For several years, I hosted a psychology segment on a national radio station, with the aim of making complex topics accessible to a non-specialist audience. I am currently engaged in neuroscience outreach through the Instagram page Cerebra Tales, which targets an adult audience while also offering content and language specifically designed for children, with the goal of fostering early awareness of brain functioning and cognitive processes.
Outside academic work, I am proudly a mother. Sport has always been a constant presence in my life and has shaped many of my core values, such as teamwork, fairness, and perseverance. In the limited free time that remains, I also cultivate a strong interest in nutrition, a field I follow with curiosity and enthusiasm.