Examination of the cognitive and biological circuitry underlying social-cognitive training in first episode psychosis. There is a national need to develop more effective interventions that improve the social lives of those with psychotic disorders. This project identifies key markers underlying the benefits of social-cognition training. These outcomes will establish a theoretical and practical framework of critical markers that can be used to improve social outcomes.
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE180100741
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$342,996.00
Summary
Harnessing neural plasticity with brain stimulation. This project aims to investigate the links between the molecular mechanisms underlying brain plasticity and the effects of non-invasive brain stimulation. It will use a novel approach that integrates genetics, electrophysiology and biological modelling. Plasticity underpins all learning, memory and aging. Brain stimulation can drive plasticity in humans, but these effects are extremely difficult to harness and vary widely between people. Expec ....Harnessing neural plasticity with brain stimulation. This project aims to investigate the links between the molecular mechanisms underlying brain plasticity and the effects of non-invasive brain stimulation. It will use a novel approach that integrates genetics, electrophysiology and biological modelling. Plasticity underpins all learning, memory and aging. Brain stimulation can drive plasticity in humans, but these effects are extremely difficult to harness and vary widely between people. Expected outcomes include a critical understanding of the fundamental mechanisms governing plasticity. This will provide significant benefits such as the development of individually optimised brain stimulation protocols, enabling tailored, reliable approaches to address brain function and cognition.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE190100694
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$372,014.00
Summary
Does disconnection in the aging brain cause age-related movement decline? This project aims to use new neurophysiological approaches to understand the causal role of age-related changes in brain network connectivity to the movement control. Brain regions interact through complex and dynamic neural networks to control voluntary movement, but whether age-related changes in network connectivity drive age-related decline in movement control is unknown. This project will provide significant benefits ....Does disconnection in the aging brain cause age-related movement decline? This project aims to use new neurophysiological approaches to understand the causal role of age-related changes in brain network connectivity to the movement control. Brain regions interact through complex and dynamic neural networks to control voluntary movement, but whether age-related changes in network connectivity drive age-related decline in movement control is unknown. This project will provide significant benefits such as the neurophysiological knowledge required to develop targeted interventions to improve movement control in the aging population.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE200100575
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$423,604.00
Summary
Does neuroplasticity protect against late life cognitive impairment? This project aims to investigate neuroplasticity across the adult lifespan, using novel neurophysiological approaches to determine its role in protecting against age-related cognitive decline. This project expects to generate new knowledge in the area of human cognitive ageing, using an innovative and interdisciplinary approach. Expected outcomes of this project include a critical understanding of the basic neural mechanisms of ....Does neuroplasticity protect against late life cognitive impairment? This project aims to investigate neuroplasticity across the adult lifespan, using novel neurophysiological approaches to determine its role in protecting against age-related cognitive decline. This project expects to generate new knowledge in the area of human cognitive ageing, using an innovative and interdisciplinary approach. Expected outcomes of this project include a critical understanding of the basic neural mechanisms of healthy brain ageing. This will provide significant benefits, such as the neurophysiological knowledge required to develop novel biological markers to detect, as well as therapeutic agents to curb, cognitive decline in the aging population.Read moreRead less
Understanding working memory: from cells to brain stimulation. This project aims to understand the neural mechanisms of working memory, a fundamental cognitive function in humans, using a novel framework which combines non-invasive brain stimulation, neuroimaging, pharmacological and experimental manipulations, and biological modelling. Expected outcomes include a critical understanding of the cellular mechanisms underlying both neural activity and working memory ability in healthy individuals a ....Understanding working memory: from cells to brain stimulation. This project aims to understand the neural mechanisms of working memory, a fundamental cognitive function in humans, using a novel framework which combines non-invasive brain stimulation, neuroimaging, pharmacological and experimental manipulations, and biological modelling. Expected outcomes include a critical understanding of the cellular mechanisms underlying both neural activity and working memory ability in healthy individuals and a detailed knowledge of how to non-invasively interact with these mechanisms using brain stimulation. This will provide significant benefits such as the development of individually optimised brain stimulation protocols, enabling tailored approaches to reliably alter brain function and cognition.Read moreRead less
Memory consolidation - Integrating cognitive science and neuroscience approaches to how we remember and how we forget. How can we forget what happened yesterday, but vividly remember our first kiss? Neuroscientists think the brain has a special mechanism to strengthen memories with time, but many psychologists disagree. The project aims to bring the brain and the mind closer together, using the cutting-edge combination of brain imaging and psychological modelling.
Wiring the retina for human vision - a single-cell behavioural approach. This project aims to combine optical and behavioural methods to explore how colour information is channelled from individual cone photoreceptors through the living human retina, to the brain. By non-invasively stimulating either a single cell or specific arrangements of cells, the project aims to contribute fundamental knowledge about how the retina is wired to inform our exquisite sense of colour and spatial vision. This u ....Wiring the retina for human vision - a single-cell behavioural approach. This project aims to combine optical and behavioural methods to explore how colour information is channelled from individual cone photoreceptors through the living human retina, to the brain. By non-invasively stimulating either a single cell or specific arrangements of cells, the project aims to contribute fundamental knowledge about how the retina is wired to inform our exquisite sense of colour and spatial vision. This understanding has consequences across a range of disciplines, including artificial vision systems such as driverless cars, retinal disease, and the processing of information through neuronal connections in general.Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE120100177
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$150,000.00
Summary
A flexible high throughput analytical system for psychopharmacology and drug discovery. A sensitive new liquid chromatography mass spectrometer will enable a team of leading researchers to detect drugs of abuse and therapeutic drugs in the brain and body as well as levels of hormones, peptides and neurotransmitters. This will enhance a large number of projects examining new treatments for addictive disorders and mental illness.
Testing the ghost with the machine: Empirical investigations of cognition using high-field functional magnetic resonance imaging. The primary aim of the project is to test hypotheses about the cognitive architecture of word production and negative priming using high-field functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). Additional aims/outcomes are to apply a novel fMRI acquisition sequence that permits overt verbal responding with rapid presentation of trials and collection of the time course of t ....Testing the ghost with the machine: Empirical investigations of cognition using high-field functional magnetic resonance imaging. The primary aim of the project is to test hypotheses about the cognitive architecture of word production and negative priming using high-field functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). Additional aims/outcomes are to apply a novel fMRI acquisition sequence that permits overt verbal responding with rapid presentation of trials and collection of the time course of the blood oxygen level dependent (BOLD) signal, and to further develop a methodology that delineates the logic of making inferences about cognitive systems from functional neuroimaging data. These represent potentially significant developments in the fields of cognitive neuroscience and functional neuroimaging.Read moreRead less