Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE200100692
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$417,842.00
Summary
Stopping in the Real World: Cognitive Architectures for Selective Stopping. Response inhibition is the ability to stop actions that are in progress but become no longer appropriate, such as halting an order to launch a missile strike when a civilian vehicle is detected. The project focuses on people’s ability to either stop all planned actions or selectively stop some actions while allowing others to occur. The goal is to develop methodology to reliably measure the time it takes to stop actions, ....Stopping in the Real World: Cognitive Architectures for Selective Stopping. Response inhibition is the ability to stop actions that are in progress but become no longer appropriate, such as halting an order to launch a missile strike when a civilian vehicle is detected. The project focuses on people’s ability to either stop all planned actions or selectively stop some actions while allowing others to occur. The goal is to develop methodology to reliably measure the time it takes to stop actions, investigate the psychological mechanisms involved in stopping, and develop tools for defence-related personnel and job selection. The project provides significant benefits by enabling the study of how response inhibition ensures that appropriate actions occur and how failures of inhibition result in inappropriate actions. Read moreRead less
A longitudinal study of neuropsychological and neuromotor effects of low level manganese exposure. This study will investigate the neuropsychological and neuromotor effects of low level exposure to mangenese particulate. Previous studies have indicated symptomology of high level exposure, but there is contention in the literature regarding the effects of low levels of exposure. Our aim is to refine measures of cumulative exposure and develop a more comprehensive and senstitive testing protocol t ....A longitudinal study of neuropsychological and neuromotor effects of low level manganese exposure. This study will investigate the neuropsychological and neuromotor effects of low level exposure to mangenese particulate. Previous studies have indicated symptomology of high level exposure, but there is contention in the literature regarding the effects of low levels of exposure. Our aim is to refine measures of cumulative exposure and develop a more comprehensive and senstitive testing protocol than has been reported thus far. These measures and protocols will be incorporated into a longitudinal design, which has not been conducted in research studies to date. In addition, a database of exposure variables will be developed to facilitate long-term, accurate research into the effects of the low levels of exposure.Read moreRead less
Choice models for learning and memory. Life is filled with familiar choices that often require quick decisions about objects in the environment and the contents of memory. This project examines how we learn to make rapid and accurate choices and how we quickly asses the level of confidence we have in recognition decisions based on our memories.
Intracortical inhibition evaluated by paired-pulse TMS during choice and simple reaction time tasks. The research will investigate the neurophysiological processes responsible for the selection and initiation of movement in response to an external stimulus. Slowness in the initiation and execution of movement is a common feature of 'neurological aging', neurodegenerative disease, and brain injury. Understanding the brain mechanisms involved in response selection and movement initiation will pro ....Intracortical inhibition evaluated by paired-pulse TMS during choice and simple reaction time tasks. The research will investigate the neurophysiological processes responsible for the selection and initiation of movement in response to an external stimulus. Slowness in the initiation and execution of movement is a common feature of 'neurological aging', neurodegenerative disease, and brain injury. Understanding the brain mechanisms involved in response selection and movement initiation will provide information for the development of specific intervention techniques to improve motor function in these groups.Read moreRead less
The role of the Supplementary Motor Area in time processing. The neural bases of timing mechanisms (0.1-100s range) are the subject of much debate. We hypothesise that the Supplementary Motor Area (SMA), a major cortical structure involving important dopaminergic pathways, subtends duration encoding, in the way depicted by the 'accumulator model'. Using transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) over the SMA, we will test healthy subjects in motor and perceptual timing tasks, compared to Parkinson' ....The role of the Supplementary Motor Area in time processing. The neural bases of timing mechanisms (0.1-100s range) are the subject of much debate. We hypothesise that the Supplementary Motor Area (SMA), a major cortical structure involving important dopaminergic pathways, subtends duration encoding, in the way depicted by the 'accumulator model'. Using transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) over the SMA, we will test healthy subjects in motor and perceptual timing tasks, compared to Parkinson's disease patients whose timing performance is impaired due to dopaminergic dysfunction. We expect TMS inhibitory effects to induce predictable performance trends, providing support for the accumulator model and the key role of the SMA in timing.Read moreRead less
Neural correlates of performance trade-offs and interference in dual-task performance. Our daily lives are characterised by our ability to produce and sustain a wide range of different movement patterns and to deliberately change patterns as the situation demands. In this project we seek to understand the relationship between brain processes, attentional demands, and the control and learning of coordinated behaviour. A further aim will be to examine how this relationship may be altered as a re ....Neural correlates of performance trade-offs and interference in dual-task performance. Our daily lives are characterised by our ability to produce and sustain a wide range of different movement patterns and to deliberately change patterns as the situation demands. In this project we seek to understand the relationship between brain processes, attentional demands, and the control and learning of coordinated behaviour. A further aim will be to examine how this relationship may be altered as a result of aging, degenerative disease, or brain damage. This research will provide a foundation upon which rehabilitation strategies can be developed for the movement impaired.Read moreRead less
The neural effects of torture. Torture affects millions of people and causes much long-term psychological harm. This project aims to identify the effects that torture has on the brain by studying torture survivors in the context of a range of brain imaging technologies that will lead to development of a model of the neural effects of torture to guide better treatments.
Facilitatory and inhibitory mechanisms during interlimb coordination in young and older adults. The project seeks to understand how people coordinate their limbs and the factors which limit and enhance this capacity. This is of critical importance because coordination is a dominant deficit in aging and in patients suffering brain insult and neurodegenerative diseases. Disruption of this capacity compromises individual work productivity, mobility and independence. Proficient motor functioning is ....Facilitatory and inhibitory mechanisms during interlimb coordination in young and older adults. The project seeks to understand how people coordinate their limbs and the factors which limit and enhance this capacity. This is of critical importance because coordination is a dominant deficit in aging and in patients suffering brain insult and neurodegenerative diseases. Disruption of this capacity compromises individual work productivity, mobility and independence. Proficient motor functioning is an important lifestyle factor as humans age and deficits in coordinated muscle activity will increase the risk of falls which are the leading cause of injury in elderly adults. Identification of changes in brain processes involved in interlimb coordination will allow for the development of strategies to improve motor functions in the aged.Read moreRead less
Interlimb coordination dynamics in stroke. Everyday we use our limbs in a coordinated manner. However, for a person who has suffered a stroke resulting in weakness on one side of the body even the simplest interlimb coordination tasks are difficult to perform. This project will examine interlimb coordination in persons who have suffered a stroke and explore whether the coupling between limbs can be exploited to promote fuctional recovery of an impaired limb. In particular, the research seeks to ....Interlimb coordination dynamics in stroke. Everyday we use our limbs in a coordinated manner. However, for a person who has suffered a stroke resulting in weakness on one side of the body even the simplest interlimb coordination tasks are difficult to perform. This project will examine interlimb coordination in persons who have suffered a stroke and explore whether the coupling between limbs can be exploited to promote fuctional recovery of an impaired limb. In particular, the research seeks to identify the critical components underlying the effectiveness of an intervention involving the pratice of actions bilaterally and simultaneously.Read moreRead less
An investigation of limb dynamics as a constraint on human motor learning. Everyday we use our limbs to interact with a variety of objects. These objects have various mechanical characteristics (dynamics), which require the human motor system to provide appropriate control. This project seeks to understand how the brain, in both normal and disease states, learns new limb dynamics as we interact with a novel mechanical environmental. Repetitive brain stimulation will be used to selectively block ....An investigation of limb dynamics as a constraint on human motor learning. Everyday we use our limbs to interact with a variety of objects. These objects have various mechanical characteristics (dynamics), which require the human motor system to provide appropriate control. This project seeks to understand how the brain, in both normal and disease states, learns new limb dynamics as we interact with a novel mechanical environmental. Repetitive brain stimulation will be used to selectively block the contribution of various cortical regions during the learning of a new motor skill and later, the recall of that skill. This will allow us to determine definitively which areas are critical to motor skill acquisition.Read moreRead less