Professor Paola Marangolo

Course Speaker

Professor Paola Marangolo is a leading Italian neuropsychologist and an internationally recognized expert in neuroscience. For several decades, her scientific and teaching activities have focused on the neuroscience of language and the study of acquired language disorders, particularly aphasia.

She is currently a Full Professor of Neuropsychology and Cognitive Neuroscience at the Department of Humanities, University of Naples Federico II, where she is actively involved in both teaching and research. Previously, she held associate professorship positions at several leading Italian universities, working in the fields of psychobiology and psychophysiology.

For many years, Professor Marangolo served as Director of the Aphasia Research Laboratory at IRCCS Fondazione Santa Lucia in Rome, where she conducted high-level clinical and experimental research on language disorders. Her work integrates scientific research, clinical expertise, and the development of innovative therapeutic approaches.

She is also a co-author of the ESO Stroke Rehabilitation Guidelines (2025).

Scientific and Research Orientation

Professor Marangolo’s research focuses on the neuroscience of language, with particular emphasis on acquired language disorders following brain injury, especially aphasia. Her work adopts an interdisciplinary approach, integrating behavioral, neuropsychological, and neuroimaging data from both healthy individuals and patients with neurological conditions.

A central component of her research is the study of brain plasticity and its modulation through non-invasive neuromodulation techniques, including transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) and transspinal stimulation. She has played a key role in evaluating the effectiveness of these methods in language recovery and in translating innovative neuromodulation approaches into clinical practice.

Professor Marangolo is also the developer of Action Observation Therapy, an evidence-based intervention aimed at restoring verb and action processing in individuals with aphasia.

Scientific Contributions and Publications

Professor Marangolo is the author of over 100 scientific publications in leading international peer-reviewed journals. Her research is widely cited and has significantly contributed to the development of contemporary clinical guidelines in aphasia rehabilitation.

She has participated in the development of European and international guidelines on aphasia rehabilitation and neuromodulation and is the author and co-author of several scientific books and manuals in the field.

Teaching Experience and Educational Activities

Professor Marangolo has extensive teaching experience at leading European universities, delivering courses in neuropsychology, cognitive neuroscience, psychobiology, and clinical aphasia. Her educational approach emphasizes the integration of theoretical knowledge with clinical application.

Within the Framework of the Course

Within this course organized by the Association, Professor Paola Marangolo will present state-of-the-art scientific approaches to the assessment and rehabilitation of language disorders, grounded in her extensive research and clinical experience. The course aims to provide participants with practically applicable knowledge and to introduce international best practices in the field of language neuroscience.