The Role Of Corticothalamic Feedback On The Response Dynamics Of Thalamic Neurons
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$351,852.00
Summary
A fundamental question in neuroscience is how the brain selectively processes sensory information to generate a reliable representation of the world. Positioned in the centre of the brain, the thalamus plays a key role in sensory processing. This project investigates how the interaction between thalamus and cortex shapes the selection and gating of sensory information. This is a fundamental question in basic neuroscience with the potential to increase our knowledge about attentional deficits.
Neuronal Substrate Of Choice In The Rat Whisker System
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$405,851.00
Summary
Humans and other animals can optimise their goal-directed behaviour by linking stimuli or actions to consequent positive and negative rewards. How does an animal generate such associations, and make decisions in the natural environment where the associations are often uncertain, at times contradictory, and continuously changing? This project uses rat whisker system as an animal model to identify the neuronal basis of perceptual decision making and the role of context.
SENSORIMOTOR AND AUTONOMIC DYSREGULATION IN HEREDITARY SENSORY AND AUTONOMIC NEUROPATHIES
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$50,406.00
Summary
Specific genetic mutations can lead to widespread changes in the body. Here we are looking at the congenital Hereditary and Sensory Autonomic Neuropathies, the most common of which primarily affects Eastern European Jews. Affected individuals have difficulty walking and controlling their blood pressure, and also have an indifference to pain. This series of experiments aims to increase our understanding of the underlying neurophysiological disturbances.
The Role Of The Orbitofrontal Cortex In Disorders Of Response Inhibition
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$515,488.00
Summary
We will investigate the role of the orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) in decision-making, particularly the effect of hyperactivity in the medial vs. ventrolateral orbitofrontal cortex on decision-making. Hyperactivity in these structures has been linked to obsessive compulsive disorder and, in line with the distinct functions of the different regions of OFC, we develop and test a novel hypothesis as to the psychological and neural bases of the obsessions and compulsions distinctive to that disorder.
The effect of multisensory and sensory-motor training on auditory accommodation. Learning to use a hearing aid or cochlear implant requires the brain to make adaptive changes to the new type of sensory information provided to the ears. This project examines what drives this accommodation and how we may accelerate the process and maximise its benefits by training so that listeners are able to make better use of these devices.
Unravelling The Behavioural And Brain Mechanisms Of Compulsive Disorders, And New Ways To Treat Them
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$635,076.00
Summary
Disorders of compulsion, such as obsessive-compulsive disorder and substance use disorder, are chronic, debilitating, and present a significant cost to the individual and to society. Together, these disorders affect more than 10% of the population. Moreover, 40-60% of these individuals are resistant to current treatment. The current project is aimed at improving the preclinical research underlying our understanding the behavioural and brain mechanisms of such disorders and how to treat them.
Peripheral and central mechanisms of sensory coding and integration. The research described in this proposal seeks to provide generic answers to fundamental questions about sensory processes, the nature of perceptual experience, and how these are subserved by the nervous system. The study of inter-sensory interactions in perception has the potential to be incorporated into the development of virtual reality-type computer-based technologies. The neurophysiology research will provide basic informa ....Peripheral and central mechanisms of sensory coding and integration. The research described in this proposal seeks to provide generic answers to fundamental questions about sensory processes, the nature of perceptual experience, and how these are subserved by the nervous system. The study of inter-sensory interactions in perception has the potential to be incorporated into the development of virtual reality-type computer-based technologies. The neurophysiology research will provide basic information that has the potential to deepen our understanding, and even enhance possible treatment, of neurological conditions that involve sensory systems.Read moreRead less
Predicting Behaviour from Brain Representations. This project aims to advance our understanding of how perceptual information is represented in the human brain and to link the structure of perceptual brain representations to human behaviour. The project plans to use complementary methods for recording brain activity (human neuroimaging and primate single-cell neurophysiology) and cutting-edge analytic techniques to generate a predictive model of behaviour based on the structure of perceptual bra ....Predicting Behaviour from Brain Representations. This project aims to advance our understanding of how perceptual information is represented in the human brain and to link the structure of perceptual brain representations to human behaviour. The project plans to use complementary methods for recording brain activity (human neuroimaging and primate single-cell neurophysiology) and cutting-edge analytic techniques to generate a predictive model of behaviour based on the structure of perceptual brain representations. It is anticipated that the results will significantly advance the field of cognitive neuroscience by providing a novel empirical framework for understanding how brain representations are predictive of behaviour.Read moreRead less
Sensory Coding Mechanisms in Rat Somatosensory System; A Combined Behavioural and Electrophysiological Approach. This inter-disciplinary project spans behavioural sciences, neurophysiology and computational neuroscience. It investigates fundamental questions such as how different aspects of stimuli are presented in sensory areas of the brain and how the animal interprets the neuronal activity in such areas to generate the relevant behaviour. A major problem with making prosthetic sensory devices ....Sensory Coding Mechanisms in Rat Somatosensory System; A Combined Behavioural and Electrophysiological Approach. This inter-disciplinary project spans behavioural sciences, neurophysiology and computational neuroscience. It investigates fundamental questions such as how different aspects of stimuli are presented in sensory areas of the brain and how the animal interprets the neuronal activity in such areas to generate the relevant behaviour. A major problem with making prosthetic sensory devices is the way by which these devices can communicate with the brain. Research into the coding of different features of simple stimuli will provide basic knowledge which can be implemented in prosthetic sensory devices. Read moreRead less
Identifying the basis for perceptual stability and perceptual omission during saccadic eye movements. The ability to explore the world via eye movements is an important feature of visual capabilities. This project will establish how the brain maintains the perception of a stable and stationary world despite the several eye movements made each second. This knowledge will fill a conspicuous gap in the understanding of the human visual system.