Towards a continuum model of orienting and defensive responses. Orienting (OR) and Defensive Responses (DR) underlie important survival functions of attending to unexpected stimuli and avoiding harm.We will establish the first integrative profile of human OR/DR function, using simultaneous recording of brain activity and 'body' responsivity. Given sex and age variation in OR/DRs, both males and females spanning six decades will be studied. OR/DR abnormalities are associated with major disorders ....Towards a continuum model of orienting and defensive responses. Orienting (OR) and Defensive Responses (DR) underlie important survival functions of attending to unexpected stimuli and avoiding harm.We will establish the first integrative profile of human OR/DR function, using simultaneous recording of brain activity and 'body' responsivity. Given sex and age variation in OR/DRs, both males and females spanning six decades will be studied. OR/DR abnormalities are associated with major disorders of attention and stress, which also vary with sex and age. We will examine relationships between OR/DR function and proneness to these disorders in healthy individuals. The results will provide a framework for developing prevention and intervention strategies.Read moreRead less
Exploring the brain mechanisms underlying hyperactivity in Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder. Attention-deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (AD/HD) is the most common psychiatric disorder affecting children, resulting in substantial costs (both human and financial) to the child, their family and Australian society. The outcomes of this project will provide a better foundation for understanding dysfunctional brain mechanisms in AD/HD, which is expected to lead to better diagnosis, treatment, an ....Exploring the brain mechanisms underlying hyperactivity in Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder. Attention-deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (AD/HD) is the most common psychiatric disorder affecting children, resulting in substantial costs (both human and financial) to the child, their family and Australian society. The outcomes of this project will provide a better foundation for understanding dysfunctional brain mechanisms in AD/HD, which is expected to lead to better diagnosis, treatment, and community support. Ultimately this will contribute to a healthy start to life for these children. This project will also demonstrate how an integrated Australian approach can lead the research agenda in both basic neuroscience, at the interface of psychology and physiology, and its applications in health.Read moreRead less