Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE140100588
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$395,220.00
Summary
Gene-environment interactions in the regulation of neuroplasticity and cognitive function . This project will study the effects of different housing conditions on neuroplasticity-related cognitive function by combining an innovative operant conditioning behavioural test (computerised touch-screen technology) and new molecular approaches. Potential gene-environment interactions will be revealed using genetically targeted mice which have never been assessed in that context (mutants with altered gl ....Gene-environment interactions in the regulation of neuroplasticity and cognitive function . This project will study the effects of different housing conditions on neuroplasticity-related cognitive function by combining an innovative operant conditioning behavioural test (computerised touch-screen technology) and new molecular approaches. Potential gene-environment interactions will be revealed using genetically targeted mice which have never been assessed in that context (mutants with altered glucocorticoid and serotonin signalling). This project will study whether specific stages of the neuroplasticity process are differentially modulated through gene-environment interactions, ultimately resulting in changes to behaviour and cognitive functions. This will lead to a better understanding of the potential approaches that could be used to improve cognitive function.Read moreRead less
Studying the effects of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation with near Infrared spectroscopy. Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) is increasingly being used as a tool in studying human and animal brain function and in the treatment of brain disorders but there are fundamental gaps in our understanding of its basic mechanisms of action and hence our capacity to optimise protocols. This research will use near infrared spectroscopy to study the range of potential ways of alt ....Studying the effects of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation with near Infrared spectroscopy. Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) is increasingly being used as a tool in studying human and animal brain function and in the treatment of brain disorders but there are fundamental gaps in our understanding of its basic mechanisms of action and hence our capacity to optimise protocols. This research will use near infrared spectroscopy to study the range of potential ways of altering brain activity with rTMS. It will substantially enhance the applicability of the technique ultimately improving our knowledge of human and animal brain function and outcomes for patients with depression and other disorders. It will help reinforce Australia as a leading country in the development of brain stimulation techniques.Read moreRead less
Cardiovascular and Respiratory Activity During Sleep Onset. Going to sleep requires that behavioural and physiological activities be modified. This is achieved by the integrated activity of sleep mechanisms and the circadian system. In this project we will investigate the nature of the regulatory control exerted by sleep mechanisms over respiration and cardiovascular activity at sleep onset, how sleep control interacts with circadian influence, and the nature of cardio-respiratory activity when ....Cardiovascular and Respiratory Activity During Sleep Onset. Going to sleep requires that behavioural and physiological activities be modified. This is achieved by the integrated activity of sleep mechanisms and the circadian system. In this project we will investigate the nature of the regulatory control exerted by sleep mechanisms over respiration and cardiovascular activity at sleep onset, how sleep control interacts with circadian influence, and the nature of cardio-respiratory activity when sleep control is removed at an arousal from sleep. It is anticipated that a better understanding of the regulatory control exerted by sleep over other systems will improve our understanding of sleep disorders.Read moreRead less
Respiratory and Cardiovascular Activation at Arousal from Sleep. An arousal from sleep, no matter how brief, is assciated with increased activity in the respiratory and cardiac systems. Under normal circumstances the response is considered adaptive. However, in disorders of sleep in which individuals arouse frequently and their sleep is fragmented, such as in Obstructive Sleep Apnea, the phenomenon has been linked to hypertension. While the clinical consequences of sleep fragmentation are now ap ....Respiratory and Cardiovascular Activation at Arousal from Sleep. An arousal from sleep, no matter how brief, is assciated with increased activity in the respiratory and cardiac systems. Under normal circumstances the response is considered adaptive. However, in disorders of sleep in which individuals arouse frequently and their sleep is fragmented, such as in Obstructive Sleep Apnea, the phenomenon has been linked to hypertension. While the clinical consequences of sleep fragmentation are now apparent, the mechanism that causes the increase in physiological activity at each arousal, is not known. The aim of this project will provide insight into the mechanism that produces the activation response and provide a basis for minimising the cardiac consequences of sleep disorders.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE120100110
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$375,000.00
Summary
Extinction of drug-seeking in adolescent rats. To investigate the ontogeny of drug abuse and its treatment, acquisition and treatment of drug-seeking behaviour will be examined in adolescent rats. I expect that adolescent rats will fail to inhibit drug-seeking behaviour, and show immaturity in cortical brain areas. Increasing cortical activity may rescue their ability to inhibit drug-seeking.
Neural and cognitive studies of reward sensitivity and its influence on addiction-related behaviour. The proposed research aims to contribute to current scientific thinking on the influence of reward sensitivity on cognitive performance. Cognitive neuroscience research on this relationship is of major scientific interest because heightened reward sensitivity is a significant predictor of risk for a number of Australia's major social and economic problems. The findings of this project will contri ....Neural and cognitive studies of reward sensitivity and its influence on addiction-related behaviour. The proposed research aims to contribute to current scientific thinking on the influence of reward sensitivity on cognitive performance. Cognitive neuroscience research on this relationship is of major scientific interest because heightened reward sensitivity is a significant predictor of risk for a number of Australia's major social and economic problems. The findings of this project will contribute to the debate about how to manage such problems.Read moreRead less
Examining the neural mechanisms underlying cognitive control and its application to clinical syndromes featuring dyscontrol. This project will examine the cognitive control and its underlying neural mechanisms. Understanding this relationship is of major scientific interest because cognitive control dysfunction is related to a number of Australia's major social and economic problems, including drug dependence.
Pathways to social cohesion and social change: opinion-based groups and the dynamic formation of identities. This project will update the understanding of political conflict by exploring groups based around shared opinions. It will show that groups are likely to be more successful in their political campaigns when they tie their causes to national and other positive identifies.
Paving the way for effective public health interventions for bulimic eating disorders: Understanding stigma and mental health literacy. This research contributes to promoting and maintaining good health. The burden of bulimic eating disorders in the community is high, frequently ignored and increasing. Our research will pave the way for improved understanding of eating disorders and a reduction of stigma in relation to these problems. In so doing, it will lead to reduced shame and suffering for ....Paving the way for effective public health interventions for bulimic eating disorders: Understanding stigma and mental health literacy. This research contributes to promoting and maintaining good health. The burden of bulimic eating disorders in the community is high, frequently ignored and increasing. Our research will pave the way for improved understanding of eating disorders and a reduction of stigma in relation to these problems. In so doing, it will lead to reduced shame and suffering for people with eating disorders and enhance appropriate treatment seeking and the quality of advice received from family, friends and health professionals. A public health intervention based on our findings will contribute to a more tolerant and understanding community.Read moreRead less
When Targets Seek to Disconfirm Expectations: Possible Future Interactions and Target Awareness as Moderators of the Self-Fulfilling Prophecy. The self-fulfilling prophecy has been demonstrated in a series of experimental studies in which "perceivers" are led to hold erroneous expectations about "targets" with whom they interact and subsequently come to believe that targets have confirmed their expectations (perceptual confirmation). Objective raters have demonstrated that targets often do confi ....When Targets Seek to Disconfirm Expectations: Possible Future Interactions and Target Awareness as Moderators of the Self-Fulfilling Prophecy. The self-fulfilling prophecy has been demonstrated in a series of experimental studies in which "perceivers" are led to hold erroneous expectations about "targets" with whom they interact and subsequently come to believe that targets have confirmed their expectations (perceptual confirmation). Objective raters have demonstrated that targets often do confirm expectations with their actions (behavioural confirmation). However, targets do not always succumb to perceivers' expectations. The research proposed here seeks to examine the active role that targets may take in creating confirmation or disconfirmation by adding a temporal context to interactions, making targets aware of expectations, and manipulating properties of expectations.Read moreRead less