Neuronal Activity And Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI)
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$367,561.00
Summary
How does brain activity relate to perception and behaviour? How does functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) of the brain, which measures changes in blood oxygen, relate to the activity of single cells? I will address these questions, comparing electrical measurements of single cells and functional images, and advance our understanding of the brain in health and disease.
Developmental Plasticity In The Nonhuman Primate Visual Cortex
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$464,417.00
Summary
A phenomenon that has puzzled many for a number of years is why damage to the visual brain during infancy has far less of an impact on visual capacity than the same lesion suffered later in life. This project hopes to uncover this mystery and see how brain 'wiring' is altered to compensate.
Molecular And Cellular Changes Following A Cortical Injury: What Role Do They Play In Regeneration?
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$499,625.00
Summary
Damage to the visual areas of the brain is common after, for example stroke, neurotrauma or hypoxia. The injury often manifests in the form of a scar caused by a specific type of brain cell (astrocyte). This scar acts as a barrier to the cells which transmit information (neurones), preventing re-establishment of connectivity, thus functional recovery. We will see if we can reduce this scar and enhance re-connectivity after injury by blocking some of the molecules that brain cells express.
Neural Circuits For Active Vision In The Primate Cerebral Cortex
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$632,938.00
Summary
This project will try to understand how we use visual information to identify objects by their shape and motion, in natural situations in which the eyes are moving all the time. This will be accomplished by recording the electrical activity of brain cells while a trained animal is performing different types of tasks, such as tracking a moving object or exploring a scene with its eyes.
Neuronal Linking Of Attention, Perception And Action
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$586,469.00
Summary
We are able to perceive and interact with the environment around us primarily because a filter of attention selects just the objects or features of relevance in the world and helps to make appropriate motor responses. This project will study how attentional networks of the brain operate to link our perception and action. An understanding of this process is fundamental to revealing the underlying pathology in many neurological conditions where attention is impaired.
Neural Circuits For Residual Vision After Damage To Striate Cortex
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$662,220.00
Summary
Brain cells have the ability to rearrange their connections to create alternate pathways, which compensate for loss of function following brain damage. To understand why some people become blind after damage to the visual cortex, and some don't, we will determine how neural connections change following lesions in different stages of life. The project will provide important information that may allow future development of treatments for blindness due to stroke or traumatic brain injury.
Humans, like all animals, receive similar, although not identical, visual input via the eyes. This information is combined in the brain to form a single view of the outside world. In this proposal we aim to understand how single neurons in the brain process the combined information received from both eyes. This work will increase our understanding of the underlying cellular mechanisms responsible for sight, and determine what changes occur when visual input is impaired through blindness.
Microglia As Primary Drivers Of Stress-induced Changes In Neuronal Connectivity
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$475,781.00
Summary
Persistent exposure to stressful events can produce serious and lasting disturbances in cognitive function. Our research group has recently identified that microglia may play a very significant role in these disturbances. The studies to be undertaken in this proposal will provide fundamental knowledge on how microglia contribute to neuronal plasticity, and how microglia via their effects on neurons regulate complex cognitive behaviour.
Optimising Exercise Prescription For Brain Health In Older Adults At Risk Of Dementia
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$594,123.00
Summary
To reduce dementia burdens in the community, cost effective and targeted early regenerative strategies are critical. Engaging in frequent aerobic exercise is one strategy that can delay the onset and slow the progression of dementia. However, prescription is limited by an incomplete understanding of how exercise positively influences brain health. Here I will investigate the influence of current exercise levels, intensity and exercise environment on brain health in adults at risk of dementia.
Visuomotor Integration In The Medial Parietal Cortical Areas
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$665,163.00
Summary
This project will find out how the electrical activity of brain cells is used to direct the arms to a specific position in the space around a person's body. By understanding the code used by brain cells to perform this control of the arms, we will be able to "read" the brain activity directly, and use it to allow control of artificial arms by people who have been paralysed or had amputations.