Revealing the beneficial effects of acoustic stimulation on the human brain. This project aims to provide greater understanding of the neural mechanisms by which initiation of motor responses can be improved by unexpected auditory stimulation. Initiating motor actions appears natural and effortless, but is underpinned by complex neural mechanisms that are not well understood. Using novel brain stimulation techniques, the project aims to assess the potential for properly timed strong sensory stim ....Revealing the beneficial effects of acoustic stimulation on the human brain. This project aims to provide greater understanding of the neural mechanisms by which initiation of motor responses can be improved by unexpected auditory stimulation. Initiating motor actions appears natural and effortless, but is underpinned by complex neural mechanisms that are not well understood. Using novel brain stimulation techniques, the project aims to assess the potential for properly timed strong sensory stimulation during movement preparation to induce neural plasticity and motor learning. This knowledge would have important implications across a number of fields, including neuroscience, sports science, and applied ergonomics.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE120100653
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$375,000.00
Summary
The predictive brain and control of anticipatory actions. The ability to predict events in a dynamic environment is an important skill for survival as it can guide our actions when time pressures are severe. How predictions come about to guide our actions is not clear and project results will have great theoretical significance to understand how we generate them.
One of the main trends in the evolution of the primate brain was the huge expansion of the cortical areas devoted to visual processing. However, the exact role of individual areas remains highly controversial, making detailed physiological and anatomical studies in suitable primate models a key step to elucidating their function in the human brain. In this project, we will address the organization of a poorly known group of visual areas, which is located deep in a part of the brain called the in ....One of the main trends in the evolution of the primate brain was the huge expansion of the cortical areas devoted to visual processing. However, the exact role of individual areas remains highly controversial, making detailed physiological and anatomical studies in suitable primate models a key step to elucidating their function in the human brain. In this project, we will address the organization of a poorly known group of visual areas, which is located deep in a part of the brain called the interhemispheric fissure (the medial complex of visual areas). Preliminary evidence suggests that these areas may provide anatomical shortcuts linking vision, behavioural reactions, and emotion. Suppose, for example, that you are sitting outside reading. Although deep in concentration, you are still able to detect the sudden movement of an approaching object in your peripheral field of vision. In many cases you can react (e.g., by ducking , or raising your arms to protect the face) long before you register what the object actually is. An adrenaline rush often accompanies these quick motor reactions, implying a parallel activation of the autonomic nervous system. While the mechanism by which the brain promotes these quick reactions remains poorly understood, we believe that the medial complex of visual areas holds the key. The aim of this study is to map the anatomical framework underlying our ability to react to sudden stimuli in our peripheral visual field. Such work is fundamental for understanding the functional organization of the brain. It also has the potential to lay the groundwork for developments in areas of applied research, including medicine (e.g. the design of better rehabilitation strategies for people with brain damage) and the cognitive sciences (e.g. a better understanding of the factors that limit human responses to visual stimuli).Read moreRead less
How brain oscillations influence our behaviour. This project aims to reveal how sudden, intense stimuli impair or facilitate concurrent actions. Startling sounds can disrupt the execution of movements and distract attention from vital events in the environment, with potential disastrous consequences when handling complex equipment such as airplanes, cars and trucks, or surgical instruments. This project will combine classic experimental and novel neuro-modulatory techniques with the measurement ....How brain oscillations influence our behaviour. This project aims to reveal how sudden, intense stimuli impair or facilitate concurrent actions. Startling sounds can disrupt the execution of movements and distract attention from vital events in the environment, with potential disastrous consequences when handling complex equipment such as airplanes, cars and trucks, or surgical instruments. This project will combine classic experimental and novel neuro-modulatory techniques with the measurement of oscillatory brain activity. Expect outcomes will inform theories of cognitive function and the design of interventions to reduce the negative effects of sudden, distracting events.Read moreRead less
Brain mechanisms for coordinating with others through sound. Distinguishing between sounds produced by self and others is critical for interpersonal coordination and communication through speech and music. This project employs a novel dual-brain electrophysiological technique with tagged audio signals to elucidate how the human brain achieves this distinction, and when and why it cannot. Expected outcomes include new knowledge on the neurophysiological mechanisms that support self-other processi ....Brain mechanisms for coordinating with others through sound. Distinguishing between sounds produced by self and others is critical for interpersonal coordination and communication through speech and music. This project employs a novel dual-brain electrophysiological technique with tagged audio signals to elucidate how the human brain achieves this distinction, and when and why it cannot. Expected outcomes include new knowledge on the neurophysiological mechanisms that support self-other processing, and the acoustic conditions and behavioural strategies that facilitate their operation. These outcomes should ultimately have applied benefits for improving interpersonal coordination and social interaction, especially in digital environments and clinical populations with atypical self-other processing.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE160101064
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$373,536.00
Summary
How musical rhythms entrain the human brain. This project is designed to investigate the brain mechanisms that allow humans to feel the beat in musical rhythms. Although such activity facilitates pro-social and therapeutic effects, the underlying brain mechanisms remain unknown. The project intends to examine the interface between musical rhythms, behaviour and brain activity to increase knowledge on a fundamental process of brain function: the dynamic coupling between perception and body moveme ....How musical rhythms entrain the human brain. This project is designed to investigate the brain mechanisms that allow humans to feel the beat in musical rhythms. Although such activity facilitates pro-social and therapeutic effects, the underlying brain mechanisms remain unknown. The project intends to examine the interface between musical rhythms, behaviour and brain activity to increase knowledge on a fundamental process of brain function: the dynamic coupling between perception and body movement. The project aims to provide insight into how psychological, environmental and neural mechanisms affect entrainment to rhythmic events and inform practices for education and clinical rehabilitation.Read moreRead less
Psychological and neurophysiological mechanisms underlying human interaction in musical contexts. Human interaction in musical groups is a culturally widespread activity that showcases the remarkable capacity for precision and creativity in interpersonal coordination. Although such activity has beneficial effects, including the facilitation of prosociality and positive therapeutic outcomes, the psychological and neurophysiological mechanisms that underpin an individual’s ability to coordinate wi ....Psychological and neurophysiological mechanisms underlying human interaction in musical contexts. Human interaction in musical groups is a culturally widespread activity that showcases the remarkable capacity for precision and creativity in interpersonal coordination. Although such activity has beneficial effects, including the facilitation of prosociality and positive therapeutic outcomes, the psychological and neurophysiological mechanisms that underpin an individual’s ability to coordinate with others remain poorly understood. This project aims to investigate these mechanisms by examining relationships between behaviour, social factors, and brain structure and function in naturalistic and laboratory settings. This will inform the assessment and treatment of clinical conditions that affect movement timing and social interaction.Read moreRead less
Determining the neural mechanisms of visual stimuli and motor responses. This project aims to determine how we select actions to visual cues rapidly, unconsciously and automatically. Learning associations between visual stimuli and motor responses is part of normal development and continues throughout life. Rapid deployment of these actions is often critical for safety yet we have limited knowledge of how the human brain does this. This project will use neuroimaging tools to characterise the spa ....Determining the neural mechanisms of visual stimuli and motor responses. This project aims to determine how we select actions to visual cues rapidly, unconsciously and automatically. Learning associations between visual stimuli and motor responses is part of normal development and continues throughout life. Rapid deployment of these actions is often critical for safety yet we have limited knowledge of how the human brain does this. This project will use neuroimaging tools to characterise the spatial and temporal neural architecture underlying these processes and determine how the dorsal and ventral streams of visual processing, specialised for motor control and recognition respectively, interact in vision-based actions as these actions become learned.Outcomes will provide new frameworks for driving improvement in any domain in which goal-directed actions depend on the rapid processing of visual information, including human-machine interfaces for defence, economic development, education, health, science and technology.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE120100729
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$375,000.00
Summary
Brain connectivity during movement planning and execution in young and older adults. Ageing is associated with a reduced ability to undertake everyday movement tasks, resulting in loss of independence and frequent injuries due to falls. This research will improve our understanding of the brain mechanisms underlying movement control, with the aim of maintaining older people's quality of life and reducing health costs to the nation.
Decoding the neural representation of objects in the human brain. Humans can effortlessly recognise thousands of objects in a fraction of a second. This essential capacity is an integral part of our daily lives that allows us to recognise our keys, our car, our friends and family. This project will elucidate how humans recognise objects by investigating the neural representation of objects in the brain.