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Behavioural Neuroscience Honours Supervision 2006
BNS information session slides (14th October, 2005)
Students can contact the department/centre of interest to seek potential supervisors. An information session about potential supervisors is held in October of each year, and BNS Honours applicants are advised to attend.
BNS students applying for Psych Honours can view potential supervisors in August 2006 for 2007 applications.
BNS Honours students can also seek supervisors in the above list, keeping in mind project topics should have a BNS focus.
Additional Supervisor Information
School of Psychology, Psychiatry & Psychological Medicine research supervisors.
- Behavioural Neuroscience And Neuropsychology
- Psychological Medicine
Prof. Elsdon Storey
The Van Cleef Roet Centre for Nervous Diseases is located at the Alfred Hospital campus, and has a close relationship with the hospital Neurology Department. The major research interest of the Centre is neurodegenerative disease
Laboratory-based research (NH&MRC and Alfred Research Foundation funded) is conducted into mechanisms of neuronal damage in the CAG triplet repeat diseases (e.g. Huntington's, Spinocerebellar ataxias), and into the cell biology of the Amyloid Precursor Protein of Alzheimer's disease. A research project is available in the APP cell biology area, involving the techniques of primary neuronal culture, time-lapse videomicroscopy, and computerised image analysis. A number of possible research projects addressing proteolytic processing of polyglutamine proteins are also available.
Research is also being conducted into the characteristics of various methods for quantifying cerebellar ataxia, including ramp tracking devices. This involves assessing the effects of different or variable speeds (ramp tracking), and developing a device to measure the rebound phenomenon, as well as collecting normative data from controls and studying the effects of differing cerebellar lesions.
Other movement disorders-related research projects include tremor frequency recording and analysis to distinguish essential tremor from dystonic tremor, validation of the “Fogg” test (a provocative test for dystonia), and development of and normative value determination for two sophisticated neurophysiological tests of use in the analysis of movement disorders: the C-reflex and reciprocal inhibition.
Quantification of neuromuscular function is important for rational treatment of inflammatory neuropathies and myopathies. In conjunction with the Alfred physiotherapy department, we offer a project to determine test-retest and inter-rater reliability of a measure of truncal strength (tilt-table, sit-ups) and quadriceps/hamstring isokinetic force generation (“Kincom”).
A neuropsychological research project, conducted under the auspices of Dr. Shaymaa Elkadi, is available into the cognitive effects in adults of therapies changing sex steroid levels (e.g. anti-androgens/oestrogens in prostatic cancer).
Dr Jennifer Callaway
Contact Details:
Brain Injury and Repair Team
Howard Florey Institute
University of Melbourne,
Parkville, 3010
ph 8344 0417
j.callaway@hfi.unimelb.edu.au
- Investigation of gene changes in the sensorimotor cortex following skilled reaching behaviour in ischemic lesioned and non-lesioned rats.
Co-supervisor: Dr. Nicole Jones, n.jones@hfi.unimelb.edu.au, ph 8344 7486
For some time now it has been recognised that brain regions in the opposite hemisphere to an injury, such as that occurring after stroke, are able to some extent, take over the function of the injured regions. In rats unilateral damage to the forelimb representation area of the sensorimotor cortex (SMC) results in a compensatory reliance on the unimpaired (ipsilateral to the lesion) forelimb as well as reorganisation of neuronal structure and connectivity in the contralateral cortex (Jones et al., 2003). It has also been found that training on the reaching task with the impaired limb can promote plasticity and regeneration the cortex of the opposite hemisphere. We have developed a method to produce an ischemic type lesion to this SMC in rats. The purpose of this study is to investigate a number of specific gene changes in both the lesioned and unlesioned SMC using rtPCR as well as to characterise histological changes. Identification of genes involved in this process may lead to development of novel therapies to potentially improve functional plasticity after brain injury. Neuroprotective compounds may also be used to determine if gene and histological changes associated with plasticity and regeneration can be enhanced.
Bury, S.D. and Jones, T.A. (2002) Unilateral sensorimotor cortex lesions in adult rats facilitate motor skill learning with the 'unaffected' forelimb and training induced dendritic structural plasticity in the motor cortex. Journal of Neuroscience 22: 8597-8606
Luke, L.M. et al (2004) Unilateral Ischemic sensorimotor cortical damage induces contralesional synaptogenesis and enhances skilled reaching with the ipsilateral forelimb in adult male rats, Synapse, 54:187-199.
- Promoting plasticity following entorhinal cortex lesion and spatial learning in rats.
The entorhinal cortex provides a major input to the granule cells of the hippocampal dentate gyrus via the perforant path. The integrity of this pathway is vital for normal cognitive function. Degeneration of this pathway is common in the pathology of early Alzheimer's disease, but damage to this pathway can also occur following stroke or head trauma. In animal studies, disruption of this pathway has been associated with inability to perform spatial learning tasks. Interestingly, disruption also leads to plastic changes associated with tissue repair (Hardman et al., 1997). This project will involve establishing a new model of entorhinal cortex lesion in conscious rats, examination of evidence for recovery of function in a spatial learning task as well as concomitant changes in markers of plasticity.
Hardman, R., Evans, D. J., Fellows, L., Hayes, B., Rupniak, H. T., Barnes, J. C. & Higgins, G. A. (1997). Evidence for recovery of spatial learning following entorhinal cortex lesions in mice. Brain Research. 758, 187-200.
Associate Professor Steve Robinson
Integrative Neuroscience Laboratory: Fourth year Projects (2006)
- Effect of age on iron metabolism in astrocytes: implications for age-related neurodegenerative diseases.
There is more iron in old brains, but no-one knows why. It is important to find out because increased iron levels are a major risk factor for oxidative stress, particularly in neurodegenerative diseases. This project will see if cells cultured from adult brains deal with iron in a different way to cells cultured from neonatal brains.
Co-supervisor: Dr Glenda Bishop
- Effect of age on susceptibility of astrocytes to oxidative stress: implications for age-related neurodegenerative diseases.
Many neurodegenerative diseases that affect the elderly are characterised by oxidative damage to brain cells. It is possible that as brain cells get older their anti-oxidant defences become weakened. Surprising as it may seem, no-one has properly investigated this possibility. This project will see if oxidative stress is more toxic to cells cultured from adult brains compared with cells cultured from neonatal brains.
Co-supervisor: Dr Glenda Bishop
- Effect of hemin on brain cells: implications for stroke.
After a haemorrhagic stroke, red blood cells release haemoglobin which quickly degrades into hemin fragments that contain iron. It is widely thought that hemin is toxic to brain cells and causes much of the brain damage that follows a stroke. However, remarkably little is known about the way that brain cells respond to hemin. Is it equally toxic to astrocytes and neurones? Can they take it up? Are the metabolites of hemin toxic? This project will investigate the response of astrocytes and neurones to hemin.
Co-supervisor: Dr Glenda Bishop
- The accumulation of iron and its toxicity to neurones: relevance for neurodegenerative diseases.
In the brain, iron (not gold) is the root of all evil! Unbound iron has been implicated as a primary toxic agent in most neurodegenerative disorders, including Alzheimer's, Parkinson's and stroke. Our team has made some exciting discoveries about the way that astrocytes accumulate free iron and now we want to compare them with neurones. In this project neurones cultured from neonatal mice will be treated with iron and the cellular accumulation of iron will be measured. This project will also measure indices of toxicity in response to iron.
Co-supervisor: Dr Glenda Bishop
- The relationship of immunoglobulins to oxidative stress.
The brain is said to be immune-privileged because it lacks the immunoglobulin-based surveillance found elsewhere in the body. However, our team has made the surprising finding that immunoglobulins are present within neurones after the brain has been exposed to oxidative stress. Where do these immunoglobulins come from? Are they harmful or neuroprotective? In this project in vivo and in vitro models will be used to investigate these intriguing questions.
Co-supervisor: Dr Glenda Bishop
- Lactate signalling between astrocytes and neurones.
There is convincing evidence that brain function depends on communication between astrocytes and neurones, with amino acids and other small molecules acting as molecular messengers. Lactate released from astrocytes is thought to play a key role in memory consolidation, as well as when the brain is subjected to hypoxia or oxidative stress. This project will investigate what factors or conditions stimulate the release of lactate from astrocytes.
Co-Supervisor: Dr Tom Edwards
Dr Dianne Sheppard
My research focuses on selective attention and other related cognitive functions. My primary focus relevant to 4th year students is on the cognitive decline associated with normal ageing. I am also interested in whether the frontostriatal dysfunction of ADHD and Tourette's syndrome results in problems selectively attending to task relevant information and ignoring/inhibiting task irrelevant information. I am currently adapting certain selective attention paradigms for use with electrophysiological (ERP) technology so that we can get more direct measures of brain function.
Potential Honours Project for 2006:
The investigation of attentional, or more generally, cognitive performance in the neurologically normal developmental or ageing populations.
Dr Matthew Spitzer
Matt.Spitzer@med.monash.edu.au
Phone: 9905-3952
My research addresses the neuronal basis of auditory perception and social cognition within the primate brain. Current projects are focussed on vocal communication in the common marmoset, a new world monkey that uses a rich vocabulary of social communication calls. Two general types of project are currently available to honours and PhD students:
- Behavioural experiments address the perception of species-specific vocalizations and other complex sounds. These experiments take an ethological approach, in which the marmosets' natural calling behaviour is used to explore the informational basis of voice perception. Topics for student projects include (but are not limited to): How do marmosets recognize voices of familiar individuals? How do marmosets differentiate between different call types, and between calls and other types of sounds? Do marmosets perceive pitch in a manner similar to humans, including pitch illusions? How do marmosets resolve vocal signals from environmental noise?
- Brain mapping. These experiments combine anatomical and neurophysiological methods to map pathways within the cerebral cortex that are involved in vocal communication and other aspects of auditory perception. Experiments are performed on anaesthetized animals. Anatomical tracing compounds are used to map out the patterns of connections between brain areas involved in different aspects of vocal communication, including sound perception, call generation, and face recognition. Neurophysiological methods are used to record the electrical responses of single neurons to natural and digitally manipulated vocalizations, as well as other synthetic sounds. This approach allows us to explore the processing of acoustic information by neurons within different subdivisions of the auditory cortex, and to ask whether different subdivisions are devoted to specific aspects of auditory perception.
Dr Jillian Broadbear
Area of reserach: Behavioural pharmacology, stress physiology, substance abuse. I am available to supervise fourth year projects that are related to the following topics:
- Investigation of reward pathways in behavioural models of substance abuse; roles for hypothalamic-pituitary hormones, gender and stress.
- Investigation of the interactions between antidepressant medication, gender and hormones in behavioural models of affective disorders.
- Investigation of best-practice in commercial farming procedures using physiological measures of stress and pain, and using this information to inform animal welfare policy.
More on Dr Jillian Broadbear and her work.
Dr Samia Toukhasati
Research interests
Music Psychology:
- Evaluating the effects of 'Diversional therapies' - Projects would evaluate the behavioural, psychosocial and/or cognitive benefits of music therapy in a population of interest
- Evaluating the efficacy of Music as a "smart drug" - Projects would explore the effects of deconstructed music (ie. rhythm) on memory performance in normal populations, children and/or Alzheimer's populations
Animal Welfare:
- Much research is required to develop our understanding of welfare methodology in animals. Projects would contribute to this endeavor by exploring the relationship between routinely used indices of physiological stress (ie. plasma cortisol levels) and behavioural preference tests, specifically in relation to the auditory environment, in laboratory animals.
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