Effects Of Electromagnetic Radiation On Visual Processing
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$299,564.00
Summary
We are increasingly surrounded by devices such as mobile phones and wireless networks. The effect of this electromagnetic radiation on human physiology is still largely unknown. Recent research has shown increases in "alpha-wave" electrical activity in the human brain after exposure to mobile phone radiation, but no effect has yet been shown on human mental processes. We plan to explore the effects of the electromagnetic environment on human visual processing, using sensitive techniques that wil ....We are increasingly surrounded by devices such as mobile phones and wireless networks. The effect of this electromagnetic radiation on human physiology is still largely unknown. Recent research has shown increases in "alpha-wave" electrical activity in the human brain after exposure to mobile phone radiation, but no effect has yet been shown on human mental processes. We plan to explore the effects of the electromagnetic environment on human visual processing, using sensitive techniques that will help reveal the underlying brain processes.Read moreRead less
Characterising The Changes In Regulation Of Visual Contrast Sensitivity In Glaucoma.
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$337,600.00
Summary
Glaucoma is the second leading cause of blindness in developed nations. A recent study estimated the number of Australian's that will need regular visual examination in 2030 either because they have glaucoma or glaucomatous risk factors to be at least 800,000. As the ultimate aim of glaucoma treatment is to maintain vision, visual functional assessment is of paramount importance to glaucoma management . The current standard measure for the assessment of visual loss due to glaucoma is visual fiel ....Glaucoma is the second leading cause of blindness in developed nations. A recent study estimated the number of Australian's that will need regular visual examination in 2030 either because they have glaucoma or glaucomatous risk factors to be at least 800,000. As the ultimate aim of glaucoma treatment is to maintain vision, visual functional assessment is of paramount importance to glaucoma management . The current standard measure for the assessment of visual loss due to glaucoma is visual field testing. Regrettably, substantial damage to retinal ganglion cells (the primary neurons affected by glaucoma) is often present prior to the discovery of visual field loss using standard measures. Indeed studies have demonstrated that even 30-50% retinal ganglion cell loss may only manifest as a mild visual field deficit using current standard testing. This project will use novel techniques for exploring sight impairment in glaucoma, enabling a better understanding of the underlying neural damage. Our pilot work demonstrates that these methods can detect loss of sight in areas diagnosed as normal using standard visual field testing. The study will provide new technologies for the assessment of early vision loss due to glaucoma that may enable the detection of malfunction of retinal ganglion cells prior to their death. Such measures of neural malfunction are essential to establishing the efficacy of new pharmacological therapies (known as neuroprotective agents) for glaucoma aimed at keeping retinal ganglion cells alive and functioning. This project also has the potential to identify visual measures that have better capability for monitoring the progression of vision loss due to glaucoma. Early detection of glaucoma and its progression is essential so that treatment can be initiated or altered, slowing the progression of vision loss and its toll on both the individual and the community.Read moreRead less
Metrics Of Optical Quality Predictive Of Visual Performance In Eye Disease
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$121,655.00
Summary
Highly precise measurement of the optical quality of the human eye (how well an image is formed by light passing through the eye) is now possible. While eye's optics can be measured, it is less clear how to report optical quality in a way that is related to how well the eye sees; optics and vision are complex. This project will attempt to find ways to describe the optical quality of the human eye that predicts how well the eye sees - both for the normal eye and eyes with disease.
Neural Mechanisms That Limit The Visual Sensitivity Of Primates
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$379,400.00
Summary
This project concerns the way nerve cells in the brain enable the detection and perception of objects in the visual world. It is thought that nerve cells early in the visual pathway signal the presence or absence of light in a small part of the visual field, but the nature of the neuronal code carried by these pathways remains poorly understood. The aim of our project is to address this basic question, in experimental studies of the intact primate visual system. We will conduct two sets of exper ....This project concerns the way nerve cells in the brain enable the detection and perception of objects in the visual world. It is thought that nerve cells early in the visual pathway signal the presence or absence of light in a small part of the visual field, but the nature of the neuronal code carried by these pathways remains poorly understood. The aim of our project is to address this basic question, in experimental studies of the intact primate visual system. We will conduct two sets of experiments. Firstly, we will test the hypothesis that nerve cells in the early visual system are sensitive to only a small part of the visual field. We will determine whether the signals of pre-cortical nerve cells are dependant on spatial context. Secondly we wll study the signals of several nerve cells simultaneously using multiple electrodes. We will determine if the signals of many nerve cells are required to detect small visual stimuli like those used in perimetry. These experiments address basic questions, but have application to human vision and visual dysfunction. Good acuity is essential for everyday tasks such as reading, and defects in visual sensitivity are used for early detection of neurological dysfunction in diseases such as glaucoma and macular degeneration. Understanding the properties of neurons which underlie visual perception can thus help us to understand normal visual performance, and how this changes in partial sight. This can help develop better methods for detection and treatments for such disorders.Read moreRead less
The Functional Organisation And Signals Of Motion Sensitive Neurons In The Middle-temporal Area Of Visual Cortex
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$405,337.00
Summary
Some nerve cells in the cerebral cortex are very sensitive to visual motion. These neurons direct eye movements and provide motion perception, but the "neuronal code" they carry is poorly understood. We will address this basic question in experimental studies of the primate visual system. This project will help us understand visual performance; poor motion vision is an early indicator of many neurological disorders and this knowledge can help develop methods for their detection and diagnosis.
What Do Australians Think About Privacy And Participation In Epidemiological Research?
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$443,015.00
Summary
There is very little research available, in Australia or internationally, about what the general public considers privacy to be; or how important privacy protection is in the context of high and low risk epidemiological studies. We also know little about what affects willingness to participate in epidemiological research. Our research will provide an evidence base, and develop resources for the legislature, the NHMRC, ethics committees and researchers.