Common synaptic inputs to human upper airway muscles. Changes in the activity of upper airway muscles at sleep onset contribute to the development of Obstructive Sleep Apnoea. The aim of this project is to investigate how the brain controls upper airway muscles during wakefulness and sleep and to identify the pathological processes that lead to the development of Obstructive Sleep Apnoea.
Age and Gender Related Changes in Motor Control of the Upper Airway Muscle Genioglossus During Sleep. Obstructive Sleep Apnoea (OSA) is the repetitive obstruction of the airway during sleep. Obstructions occur because muscles of the upper airway fail to keep the airway open during inspiration. The disorder is associated with cardiovascular disease and cognitive and behavioural impairment. The prevalence of the disorder increases in older adults, contributing to age-related health and behavioural ....Age and Gender Related Changes in Motor Control of the Upper Airway Muscle Genioglossus During Sleep. Obstructive Sleep Apnoea (OSA) is the repetitive obstruction of the airway during sleep. Obstructions occur because muscles of the upper airway fail to keep the airway open during inspiration. The disorder is associated with cardiovascular disease and cognitive and behavioural impairment. The prevalence of the disorder increases in older adults, contributing to age-related health and behavioural problems. However, age-related changes differ in men and women. We believe the high prevalence of OSA in older adults is due to age and gender related changes in the activity of muscles in the upper airway. We will study the behaviour of the upper airway muscle genioglossus during sleep in young, middle-aged and older men and women.Read moreRead less
Cardiovascular and Respiratory Activity During Sleep Onset. Going to sleep requires that behavioural and physiological activities be modified. This is achieved by the integrated activity of sleep mechanisms and the circadian system. In this project we will investigate the nature of the regulatory control exerted by sleep mechanisms over respiration and cardiovascular activity at sleep onset, how sleep control interacts with circadian influence, and the nature of cardio-respiratory activity when ....Cardiovascular and Respiratory Activity During Sleep Onset. Going to sleep requires that behavioural and physiological activities be modified. This is achieved by the integrated activity of sleep mechanisms and the circadian system. In this project we will investigate the nature of the regulatory control exerted by sleep mechanisms over respiration and cardiovascular activity at sleep onset, how sleep control interacts with circadian influence, and the nature of cardio-respiratory activity when sleep control is removed at an arousal from sleep. It is anticipated that a better understanding of the regulatory control exerted by sleep over other systems will improve our understanding of sleep disorders.Read moreRead less
Respiratory and Cardiovascular Activation at Arousal from Sleep. An arousal from sleep, no matter how brief, is assciated with increased activity in the respiratory and cardiac systems. Under normal circumstances the response is considered adaptive. However, in disorders of sleep in which individuals arouse frequently and their sleep is fragmented, such as in Obstructive Sleep Apnea, the phenomenon has been linked to hypertension. While the clinical consequences of sleep fragmentation are now ap ....Respiratory and Cardiovascular Activation at Arousal from Sleep. An arousal from sleep, no matter how brief, is assciated with increased activity in the respiratory and cardiac systems. Under normal circumstances the response is considered adaptive. However, in disorders of sleep in which individuals arouse frequently and their sleep is fragmented, such as in Obstructive Sleep Apnea, the phenomenon has been linked to hypertension. While the clinical consequences of sleep fragmentation are now apparent, the mechanism that causes the increase in physiological activity at each arousal, is not known. The aim of this project will provide insight into the mechanism that produces the activation response and provide a basis for minimising the cardiac consequences of sleep disorders.Read moreRead less
How does dopamine modulate adult new word learning? Stroke is a chronic disease of increasing prevalence with increasing age. There is a critical need to develop more effective treatments of communication disorders in this population. One way of achieving this is to combine certain drugs with language therapy. Through studying how these drugs influence language, this research will provide vital knowledge for developing effective forms of pharmacotherapy for adults with language disorders after b ....How does dopamine modulate adult new word learning? Stroke is a chronic disease of increasing prevalence with increasing age. There is a critical need to develop more effective treatments of communication disorders in this population. One way of achieving this is to combine certain drugs with language therapy. Through studying how these drugs influence language, this research will provide vital knowledge for developing effective forms of pharmacotherapy for adults with language disorders after brain injury. More effective language rehabilitation can have direct positive consequences on the ability to regain and maintain employment and social relationships after stroke or brain injury and will address the large and growing social and economic cost to the nation.Read moreRead less
A functional imaging study of semantic processing modulated by dopamine. The role of dopamine in language processing is largely unknown, despite emerging evidence that dopaminergic alterations can modulate language in schizophrenia, Parkinson's disease, and healthy individuals. The research aims to reveal the neural and behavioural correlates of dopaminergic modulation of semantic processing using neuroimaging in healthy individuals who have ingested levodopa. It is hypothesised that levodopa wi ....A functional imaging study of semantic processing modulated by dopamine. The role of dopamine in language processing is largely unknown, despite emerging evidence that dopaminergic alterations can modulate language in schizophrenia, Parkinson's disease, and healthy individuals. The research aims to reveal the neural and behavioural correlates of dopaminergic modulation of semantic processing using neuroimaging in healthy individuals who have ingested levodopa. It is hypothesised that levodopa will modulate brain activity under circumstances where there is heightened semantic competition, consistent with a contemporary theory of dopaminergic cognitive control. The expected outcome of the research is an increased understanding of the interactions between dopamine, the language faculty, and associated neural systems.Read moreRead less