Jessica Schachtner

After graduating with my B.A. in Psychology with a minor in neuroscience from the University of San Francisco, I worked as a clinical research coordinator at the University of California, San Francisco in a cognitive neuroscience lab. My work focused on novel interventions for improving cognitive function in various populations, including older adults, adolescents, and clinical populations. At the U of A, I continue to utilize my expertise in intervention work through developing precision medicine protocols for individuals with depression and anxiety-related disorders.

Research Interests:

• Identifying individual differences in symptom presentation, neurobiological processes, and environmental factors to predict outcomes and develop targeted treatment protocols.  
• Clinical psychology
• Cognitive science
• Intervention
• Depression and anxiety
• Individual differences
• Neurobiomarkers

Publications:

• Schachtner, J.*, Gallen, C.*, Anguera, J., & Gazzaley, A (2021). Influence of game features on attention in adults. Accepted.
• Anguera, J., Schachtner, J., Simon, A.J., Volponi, J., Javed, S., Gallen, C., & Gazzaley, A. (2021). Long-term maintenance of multitasking abilities following video game training in older adults. Neurobiology of Aging.103: 22-30. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2021.02.023.
• Simon, A. J., Schachtner, J., & Gallen, C. L. (2019) Disentangling expectation from selective attention during perceptual decision-making. J Neurophysiology. March;121: 1977–1980

Presentations: 

• Schachtner, J. N., Gallen, C., Anguera, R., Anguera, J. A., & Gazzaley, A. (March 2021) * Podium Presentation* The Influence of ADHD Symptoms and Gamification on Attention-based Performance. Cognitive Neuroscience Society Conference. Virtual.
• Schachtner, J. N., Anguera, J. A., Javed, S. V., & Gazzaley, A. (2018) The persistence of Cognitive Enhancement Benefits 6 Years Later. Bay Area Memory Meeting. Davis, CA.

Master's Project:

• The Effect of Non-invasive Transcranial Focused Ultrasound on Depression and the Default Mode Network

Courses Taught:

• PSY 381 - Abnormal Psychology (2024)

TA for:

• PSY 340: Introduction to Cognitive Development (2025)
• PSY 342: Dementias & Chronic Conditions in Older Adults (2025)
• PSY 489 - History and Systems of Psychology (2025)

*Year listed indicates when this individual last taught the specified course.

Awards and Recognitions:

• Psychology Graduate Poster Session winner (2024)

Updated: 06/18/25