Temporal interactions of dorsal/ventral visual streams. This project aims to understand the temporal interactions between the dorsal and ventral visual streams that control skilled actions. The neural pathways for visual perception of objects may be distinct from those associated with movements towards the object, but the speed of activation and interactions of these two cortical visual streams have not been investigated. This project will use the temporal sensitivity of neuroscience brain imagi ....Temporal interactions of dorsal/ventral visual streams. This project aims to understand the temporal interactions between the dorsal and ventral visual streams that control skilled actions. The neural pathways for visual perception of objects may be distinct from those associated with movements towards the object, but the speed of activation and interactions of these two cortical visual streams have not been investigated. This project will use the temporal sensitivity of neuroscience brain imaging techniques (MEG, EEG, fMRI) to measure the real-time sequence of interactions between the two visual streams during goal-directed grasping. It intends to extend the most influential model of visual processing by discovering ‘when’ these pathways activate and interact. Such knowledge will affect delivery of social and commercial outcomes, by providing new directions for the rehabilitation of sensorimotor performance in many neurodevelopmental disorders, and by improving design of control systems for robotic effectors, prosthetic limbs, and more seamless human-machine interfaces.Read moreRead less
Phenotypic differences in behaviour, brain function and structure of genetically dissimilar forms of intellectual disability. How is the brain of someone with intellectual disability different from that of a normal person? Are behavioural phenotypes such as intellectual disability more related to similarities in brain structure and function than to the genotypic anomaly? This project will use neuroscience techniques of psychophysics, electrophysiology and fMRI to probe these questions. The ben ....Phenotypic differences in behaviour, brain function and structure of genetically dissimilar forms of intellectual disability. How is the brain of someone with intellectual disability different from that of a normal person? Are behavioural phenotypes such as intellectual disability more related to similarities in brain structure and function than to the genotypic anomaly? This project will use neuroscience techniques of psychophysics, electrophysiology and fMRI to probe these questions. The benefit of this project is that cortical flattening fMRI techniques together with new and efficient stimulus paradigms will result in a functional landmark mapping tool capable of application to many other brain genotype-phenotype questions. Also, the functional brain basis of intellectual disability will be further revealed.Read moreRead less
Chronic pain and functional impairment following traumatic injury: an investigation into the impact of compensation status and experience. This project will enhance understanding of the impact of the psychosocial factors and the compensation process on recovery from traumatic injury. The project will generate new resources (screening and referral guidelines; educational materials) to improve decision making consistency, client experience, and recovery from road trauma.
The brain in real-time: predicting the present, reconstructing the past. This proposal aims to understand how the brain compensates for its own internal delays to function in real-time. Because it takes time for information from the senses to reach the brain, it takes time for us to become aware of an event that occurs in the outside world. This project will use an innovative combination of techniques to study how prediction and reconstruction mechanisms work together in the brain. Expected outc ....The brain in real-time: predicting the present, reconstructing the past. This proposal aims to understand how the brain compensates for its own internal delays to function in real-time. Because it takes time for information from the senses to reach the brain, it takes time for us to become aware of an event that occurs in the outside world. This project will use an innovative combination of techniques to study how prediction and reconstruction mechanisms work together in the brain. Expected outcomes of this project include a fundamental understanding of how we function in the present. This should provide significant benefits, such as an important theoretical advance in our understanding of how conscious awareness is realised in the brain, placing Australia at the cutting edge.Read moreRead less
The brain in real time: a neural model of rhythmic action and perception. This project aims to study a fundamental function of the human brain: its temporal architecture. It will provide an innovative perspective on the neural mechanisms underlying and relating perception, intention, and voluntary action in real time, though a combination of eye-tracking, behaviour, and neural recordings. By providing a common language with which to relate perception, cognition, volition and action, this will ....The brain in real time: a neural model of rhythmic action and perception. This project aims to study a fundamental function of the human brain: its temporal architecture. It will provide an innovative perspective on the neural mechanisms underlying and relating perception, intention, and voluntary action in real time, though a combination of eye-tracking, behaviour, and neural recordings. By providing a common language with which to relate perception, cognition, volition and action, this will provide significant benefits that will transform the way we think about brain function.Read moreRead less
Processing of social communication calls in primate auditory cortex. This research will advance our understanding of the brain mechanisms involved in perception of sound. This will help to understand disorders of speech and hearing following brain damage and may assist in efforts to develop better hearing aids, as well as other speech recognition technologies. In addition, we will develop a primate for studying processing of sound in the brain that will be useful in future research to develop ....Processing of social communication calls in primate auditory cortex. This research will advance our understanding of the brain mechanisms involved in perception of sound. This will help to understand disorders of speech and hearing following brain damage and may assist in efforts to develop better hearing aids, as well as other speech recognition technologies. In addition, we will develop a primate for studying processing of sound in the brain that will be useful in future research to develop improved cochlear implants.Read moreRead less
Multimodal testing for a fast subcortical route for salient visual stimuli. This project aims to uncover links between underlying brain circuitry, uncertainty and consciousness, and perceptions of fear. The project will use a multi-modal combination of brain imaging and neural recording techniques to generate new knowledge about the brain’s processing of biologically relevant information. The expected outcomes will enhance our knowledge of how the brain rapidly and non-consciously prepares the ....Multimodal testing for a fast subcortical route for salient visual stimuli. This project aims to uncover links between underlying brain circuitry, uncertainty and consciousness, and perceptions of fear. The project will use a multi-modal combination of brain imaging and neural recording techniques to generate new knowledge about the brain’s processing of biologically relevant information. The expected outcomes will enhance our knowledge of how the brain rapidly and non-consciously prepares the body for potential escape behaviours and of the brain pathways engaged in fear perception. The outcomes have the potential to inform strategies for overcoming anxiety and its effects on daily life, social interactions and workplace productivity.Read moreRead less
Assessment and treatment software for developmental disabilities based on neuroscientific theories for information processing. Performance on tasks relating to fluency of reading, language and sensory motor integration is impaired to some degree in children with dyslexia, ADHD, autism, and intellectual disability (ID). Thus our aim is to develop and test, to the point of commercial release, software for assessment of visual and auditory performance relating to social, language and literacy diff ....Assessment and treatment software for developmental disabilities based on neuroscientific theories for information processing. Performance on tasks relating to fluency of reading, language and sensory motor integration is impaired to some degree in children with dyslexia, ADHD, autism, and intellectual disability (ID). Thus our aim is to develop and test, to the point of commercial release, software for assessment of visual and auditory performance relating to social, language and literacy difficulties for young children. Furthermore software which aims to train attention and improve speed of visual object recognition will be developed and if effective as a treatment to improve reading and social interactions in ID, will be released by Fildes Foundation as an easily accessible multi-media based home/school therapy.Read moreRead less
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
Natural form, aesthetics and the human brain. This project aims to study how the brain represents the emotion of aesthetic experience. This project will establish the characteristics of flowers and floral design that govern their appeal using large scale web based data collection, and identify the neural representation of floral beauty using integrative data analysis. Outcomes of the project are expected to help flower growers and designers with product planning, supporting industry sustainabili ....Natural form, aesthetics and the human brain. This project aims to study how the brain represents the emotion of aesthetic experience. This project will establish the characteristics of flowers and floral design that govern their appeal using large scale web based data collection, and identify the neural representation of floral beauty using integrative data analysis. Outcomes of the project are expected to help flower growers and designers with product planning, supporting industry sustainability. The project will also establish how the brain generates positive experience in response to our visual environment, promoting well-being by enabling informed visual design decisions.Read moreRead less