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Associate Professor Nellie Georgiou-Karistianis

Associate Professor Nellie Georgiou-Karistianis

Biography

My current main focus on research is on the identification of reliable neurocognitive and neurobiological biomarkers in pre-clinical and early symptomatic Huntington's disease (HD) that show promise as being sensitive indicators in not only detecting change early but are reliable in tracking change with disease progression. Once such markers have been identified we can promote them not only to large-scale multi-site studies, but also to pharmaceutical companies involved in clinical drug trials and advise when treatment should begin and at no later than the time at which the markers become abnormal. Only via this method will we ensure that treatment efficacy in pre-diagnosis HD can be quantified as a change in the rate of progression of disease as identified by these markers. Although there are a number of current neuroimaging studies, such as Track-HD, which focuses on the development of a dynamic biomarker with a structural neuroimaging focus, and other fMRI studies addressing fronto-striatal circuits with a focus on activities of the striatum, we are not aware of any other small cross-sectional study utilizing set shifting and working memory tasks with a focus on striatal- cortical-parietal-hippocampal circuitry that combines a range of techniques (fMRI, DTI, functional connectivity) for the purpose of identifying potential sensitive and reliable biomarker/s. This project is currently funded by the HighQ Foundation (USA).

I am currently an Associate Professor in the School of Psychology, Psychiatry and Psychological Medicine, Monash University. I Head the Experimental Neuropsychology Research Unit and am Course Convenor of the Bachelor of Behavioural Neuroscience Undergraduate Degree. In 1997 I completed my PhD and made significant progress in the understanding of cognitive, attentional and motor disturbances in Tourette's syndrome, Huntington's and Parkinson's diseases that lead to 8 peer-reviewed journal articles. Since this time I have been instrumental in developing a large range of cognitive and attentional tasks used to assess attention shifting, holding, changing and maintain set. I have contributed to the understanding of the frontostriatal system in both normality and disease and have now extended my research into neuroimaging (fMRI) and electrophysiology (event-related potentials). I am currently investigating cognitive/attentional and motor abnormalities in Huntington's disease, as well as in those individuals who are presymptomatic gene positive for Huntington's disease (previously funded by NHMRC, ID 194219); eye movement (saccade) control in Huntington's disease/Parkinson's disease, depression and schizophrenia; neuroimaging studies in Huntington's disease (previously funded NHMRC, ID 284247); gait disturbances in Huntington's disease/Parkinson's disease; cognitive and motor control in Friedreich's ataxia, and normal ageing. Collaborators include neurologists, psychiatrists and other high profile researchers at the Alfred Hospital, Howard Florey Institute, Monash Medical Centre, St George's Hospital, Kingston Centre, University of Melbourne, Royal Melbourne Hospital, Murdock Institute, University of Wales, UK, University of Reading, UK, University of Indiana, USA, and University of Iowa USA.

In 1995 I was a finalist in the Young Australian of the Year, Science and Technology category and had research findings reported in the Herald-Sun. In 2000 I was an invited guest speaker, Department of Psychology, University of Wales, Bangor, UK, and in 2002 I was awarded the Distinguished Research Performance Award by a junior academic", School of Psychology, Psychiatry and Psychological Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, Monash University. In recognition of our research on Huntington's disease in Victoria, in 2003 our group was invited by the Huntington's Study Group of USA to participate in a 24 multi-site international project "PREDICT-HD" being a five year longitudinal study of clinical, neuropsychological and neuroimaging assessments of gene positive and gene negative subjects. In 2003 I was awarded an Academic Excellence Award ($3,000) by the Department of Psychology. In 2007 I was invited to undertake a sabbatical at the Universities of Indiana and Iowa, USA, as well as at the University of Reading, UK. At each University I was also a guest speaker.

My total grant funding over the last 7 years has been approx. $570,000 with 2 previous NHMRC project grants as CI-A (ID 284247 and 194219). I have over 60 peer-reviewed international journal articles, 5 book chapters, and since 1995 have presented at 35 conferences, have 10 published conference manuscripts, as well as 24 published abstracts. Since 2000 I have had two periods of career interruptions when I took maternity leave (8 & 12 months, respectively). I am currently the secretary and one of four foundation members of the newly formed Huntington's Research Group of Victoria (HRGV), formed in February, 2004 and chaired by Prof. Edmund Chiu. I was also co-chair of the Huntington's Disease Satellite Meeting held in conjunction with the 11th Congress on Human Genetics, August 2006, Gold Coast, QLD. I have been recently invited as a guest speaker at a satellite meeting in conjunction with the Human Brain Mapping Conference in Melbourne, 2008.

Professional Activities

As an academic I am not only heavily involved in neuroscience research but I have large teaching and administrative portfolio within the School of Psychology, Psychiatry and Psychological Medicine.


Research Interests

My main research interests lie in the cognitive/behavioural neurosciences, specifically working toward gaining a better understanding of neuro behavioural deficits in neurodegenerative disorders such as Parkinson's and Huntington's diseases. To this effect I have developed a range of experimental paradigms to quantify behaviour (cognitive/motor). My lab also undertakes a range of EEG/ERP and neuroimaging (MRI, fMRI, DTI) studies to understand brain mechanisms and networks in a range of disorders including Parkinson's, Huntington's disease, Tourette's syndrome, Friedrich's ataxia, schizophrenia, depression, normal ageing, and in some neurodevelopmental disorders such as ADHD, OCD. Our recently funded work is working toward identifying a sensitive and reliable biological marker/s for use in clinical drug trials in Huntington's disease.

Postgraduate Research Projects

  1. EEG and ERP investigation in symptomatic and presymptomatic Huntington's disease using a range of cognitive/attentional tasks
  2. Movement and cognitive deficits in Friedreich's ataxia using both cognitive and touch screen paradigms as well as neuroimaging (MRI, fMRI, DTI)
  3. Neuroimaging study (MRI, fMRI, DTI) of cognitive deficits in symptomatic and presymptomatic Huntington's disease
  4. Impact of cognitive deficits on driving performance in patients with Parkinson's disease
  5. An understanding of smooth pursuit deficits in patients with Huntington's and Parkinson's diseases
  6. Understanding the neurobiological mechanisms of motor overflow in both young and elderly groups

Potential Student Projects

  1. Cognitive and motor deficits in Huntington's and Parkinson's diseases, and Friedreich's ataxia using a range of experimental manipulations including assessment of movement via use of touch screen tablet, assessment of walking via gait mat, and other neurocognitive paradigms
  2. Understanding how cognitive deficits differ in patients with Parkinson's disease with and without dyskinesia

Teaching

Course convenor, Bachelor of Behavioural Neuroscience

My teaching contribution is both within the undergraduate Psychology sequence, the undergraduate Bachelor of Behavioural Neuroscience course, and within and DPsych Clinical neuropsychology program.

Collaborations

  • Associate Professor Gary Egan (Senior Research Fellow), Howard Florey Institute.
  • Associate Professor Owen White (Neurologist), Royal Melbourne Hospital.
  • Dr Andrew Churchyard (Neurologist), Monash Medical Centre.
  • Professor Edmond Chiu (Psychiatrist), St George's Hospital.
  • Prof Robert Iansek (Neurologist), Movement Disorders Clinic, Kingston Hospital.
  • Professor Paul Fitzgerald, Alfred Psychiatry Research Centre, Alfred Hospital.
  • Professor Kimron Shapiro (University of Bangor, Wales).
  • Associate Professor Martin Delatycki, Bruce Lefroy Centre for Genetic Health Research, Murdoch Children's Research Institute.
  • Professor Elsdon Storey (Neurologist), Van Cleef Neurosciences, Alfred Hospital.
  • Associate Professor Tony Hannan, Howard Florey Institute.
  • Professor Julie Stout, School of Psychology, Psychiatry and Psychological Medicine, Monash University.
  • Dr Joanne Fielding (NHMRC Research Fellow), Royal Melbourne Hospital and School of Psychology, Psychiatry and Psychological Medicine, Monash University.
  • Doctor Nicole Rinehart, School of Psychology, Psychiatry and Psychological Medicine, Monash University.
  • Associate Professor Ross Cunnington, University of Queensland

Grant Support

Pending approval from a number of organisations.

Selected Publications

1. Addamo P., Farrow M., Hoy K, Bradshaw, J. & Georgiou-Karistianis, N. The influence of task characteristics on the young and older adult motor overflow. The Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology, in press, 3 June, 2008.

2. Bohanna, I.K., Georgiou-Karistianis, N., Hannan, A.J., Egan, G.F. Magnetic Resonance Imaging as an approach towards identifying neuropathological biomarkers for Huntington¹s disease, Brain Research Reviews, in press 3 Apr 2008.

3. Winograd-Gurvich, C, Fitzgerald, PB., Georgiou-Karistianis, N., Millist, L., and White, O. B. (2008). Inhibitory control and spatial working memory: A saccadic eye movement study of negative symptoms in schizophrenia. Psychiatry Research, 157(1-3):9-19.

4. Giummarra, MJ., Gibson, SJ., Georgiou-Karistianis, N., & Bradshaw, L.J. (2008). Mechanisms underlying embodiment, disembodiment and loss of embodiment, Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews, 32, 143-160.

5. Gurvich C, Georgiou-Karistianis N, Fitzgerald P.B,  Millist L, White O.B. (2007). Inhibitory control and spatial working memory in Parkinson's disease. Movement Disorders, 22 (10), 1444-50.

6. Giummarra, M., Gibson, S., Georgiou-Karistianis, N., & Bradshaw, J. (2007). Central mechanisms in phantom limb perception: the past, present and future. Brain Research Reviews, 54(1), 219-32.

7. Addamo, P., Farrow, M., Hoy, K., Bradshaw, J., Georgiou-Karistianis, N. (2007). The Effects of Age and Attention on Motor Overflow Production- A Review. Brain Research Reviews, 54(1), 189-204.

8. Georgiou-Karistianis, N., Sritharan, A., Farrow, M., Cunnington, R., Stout, J., Bradshaw, JL., Churchyard, A., Brawn, T-L., Chua, P., Chiu, E., Thiruvady, D., & Egan, E. (2007). Increased cortical recruitment in Huntington's disease using a Simon task. Neuropsychologia, 45(8), 1791-800.

9. Farrow, M., Churchyard, A., Chua, P., Bradshaw, JL., Chiu, E., & Georgiou-Karistianis, N. (2007). Attention, inhibition, and proximity to clinical onset in preclinical mutation carriers for Huntington's disease. Journal of Clinical and Experimental Neuropsychology, 29(3), 235-46.

10. Georgiou-Karistianis, N., Tang, J., Vardy, Y., Sheppard, D., Evans, N., Wilson, M., Gardner, B., Farrow, M., & Bradshaw, J. (2007). Progressive age related changes in the attentional blink paradigm. Aging, Neuropsychology, and Cognition, 14(3), 213 - 226.

11. Thiruvady, D., Georgiou-Karistianis, N., Egan, G., Ray, S., Sritharan, A., Farrow, M., Churchyard, A., Chua, P., Bradshaw, J., Brawn, T., Cunnington, R. (2007). Functional connectivity of the prefrontal cortex in Huntington's disease.  Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery and Psychiatry, 78, 127-133.

12. Farrow, M., Chua, P., Churchyard, A., Bradshaw, J., Chiu, E., Georgiou-Karistianis, N. (2006). Proximity to clinical onset influences motor and cognitive performance in presymptomatic Huntington's disease gene carriers, Cognitive and Behavioral Neurology, 19(4), 208-216.

13. Corben, LA, Georgiou-Karistianis, N., Fahey, M., Storey, E., Churchyard, A., Horne, M., Bradshaw, JL., & Delatycki, M. (2006). Towards an understanding of cognitive function in Friedreich Ataxia. Brain Research Bulletin, 70, 197-202.

14. Georgiou-Karistianis, N., Gardner, B., Vardy, Y., Evans, N., Bradshaw, JL., Shapiro, K., & Sheppard, D. (2006). The attentional blink in adults with Tourette's syndrome. Australian Journal of Psychology, 58,151-158.

15. Georgiou-Karistianis, N., Tang, J., Mehmedbegovic, F., Farrow, M., Bradshaw, J., Sheppard, D. (2006). Age-Related Differences In Cognitive Function Using A Global Local Hierarchical Paradigm, Brain Research, 1124, 86-95.

16. Fielding, J., Georgiou-Karistianis, N., Bradshaw, JL., Millist, L., Churchyard, A., & White, O. (2006). Accelerated time-course of Inhibition of Return in Huntington's disease. Behavioural Brain Research, 166, 211-219.

17. Fielding, J., Georgiou-Karistianis, N., Millist, L., & White, O. (2006). Temporal variation in the control of goal directed visuospatial attention in basal ganglia disorder. Neuroscience Research, 54, 57-65.

18. Winograd-Gurvich, C., Georgiou-Karistianis, N., Fitzgerald, P., Millist, L., & White, O. B. (2006). Self-paced saccades and saccades to oddball targets in Parkinson's disease, Brain Research, 1106, 134-141.

19. Fielding, J., Georgiou-Karistianis, N., Bradshaw, JL, Millist, L., & White, O. (2005). Sequence dependent modulation of the Simon effect in Parkinson's disease. Cognitive Brain Research, 25, 251-260.

20. Bilney, B., Morris, M., Churchyard, A., Chiu, E., & Georgiou-Karistianis, N. (2004). Evidence for a disorder of locomotion timing in Huntington's disease. Movement Disorders, 20, 51-57.

21. Georgiou-Karistianis, N.,  Hoy, K., Bradshaw, J., Armatas, C.,  Farrow, M, Chiu, E., Churchyard, A., & Fitzgerald, P. (2004)  Motor overflow in Huntington's disease.  Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery and Psychiatry, 75 (6), 904-906.

22. Fielding, J., Georgiou-Karistianis, N., Bradshaw, J.L., Millist, L., Churchyard, A., Chiu, E., and White, O. (2004). Impaired modulation of the vestibulo-ocular reflex in Huntington's disease. Movement Disorders, 19(1), 68-75.

23. Hoy, K., Fitzgerald, P. B., Bradshaw, J. L., Armatas, C. A., Farrow, M., Brown, T. L., & Georgiou- Karistianis, N. (2004). Motor overflow in schizophrenia. Psychiatry Research, 125, 129-137.

24. Hoy, K., Fitzgerald, P., Bradshaw, J., Armatas, C. & Georgiou- Karistianis, N. (2004) Investigating the Cortical Origins of Motor Overflow. Brain Research Reviews, 46 (3), 315-327.

25. Georgiou-Karistianis, N., Smith, E., Bradshaw, J.L., Chua, P., Lloyd, J., Churchyard, A., & Chiu E. (2003). Future directions in research with presymptomatic individuals carrying the gene for Huntington's disease. A Review. Brain Res Bull. 59(5), 331-8.

26. Winograd-Gurvich, C. T., Georgiou-Karistianis, N., Evans, A., Millist, L., Bradshaw, J. L., Churchyard, A., Chiu, E., & White, O. (2003). Hypometric primary saccades and increased variability in visually-guided saccades in Huntington's disease. Neuropsychologia, 41, 1683-1692.

27. Georgiou-Karistianis, N., Churchyard, A., Bradshaw, J. L., & Chiu, E. (2002). Re-orientation of attention in Huntington's disease. Neuropsychiatry, Neuropsychology and Behavioural Neurology, 15(4), 225-231.

28. Johnson, K.A.  Bennett, J. E., Georgiou, N., Bradshaw, J. L., Chiu, E., Cunnington, R, Johnson K. A. & Phillips, J. G. (2000). Bimanual coordination in Huntington's disease. Experimental Brain Research, 134, 483-489.

29. Georgiou, N., Bradshaw, J. L., Chiu, E. Tudor, A., Phillips, J. G., & O'Gormas, L. (1999). The case report of a pair of identical twins with Huntington's disease. Movement Disorders, 14, 320-325.

30. *Georgiou, N., Bradshaw, J. L., & Phillips, J. G. (1997). Movement kinematics in Gilles de la Tourette's syndrome: A comparison with and without a concurrent task. Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery, and Psychiatry, 63, 188-195.

31. Georgiou, N., Phillips, J. L., Bradshaw, J. L., & Chiu, E. (1997). Impairments of movement kinematics in patients with Huntington's disease: A comparison with and without a concurrent task. Movement Disorders, 12, 386-396.

32. Georgiou, N., Bradshaw, J. L., Phillips, J. G., & Chiu, E. (1996). The effect of Huntington's disease and Gilles de la Tourette's syndrome on the ability to hold and shift attention. Neuropsychologia, 34, 843-851.

33. Sheppard, D., Bradshaw, J. L., Phillips, J. G., Iansek, R., Cunnington, R., Georgiou, N., & Bradshaw J. A. (1996). Cueing of movement in Parkinson's disease. Neuropsychiatry, Neuropsychology, and Behavioral Neurology, 9, 91-98.

34. Georgiou, N., Bradshaw, J. L., Phillips, J. G., Bradshaw, J. A., & Chiu, E. (1995). The Simon effect and attention deficits in Gilles de la Tourette's syndrome and Huntington's disease. Brain, 118, 1305-1318.

35. Georgiou, N., Bradshaw, J. L., Phillips, J. G., Chiu, E., & Bradshaw, J. A. (1995). Reliance upon advance information and movement sequencing in Huntington's disease. Movement Disorders, 10, 472-481.

36. Georgiou, N., Bradshaw, J. L., Iansek, R., Phillips, J. G., Mattingley, J. B., & Bradshaw, J. A.  (1994). Reduction in external cues and movement sequencing in Parkinson's disease.  Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery and Psychiatry, 57, 368-370.

37. Georgiou, N., Iansek, R., Bradshaw, J. L., Phillips, J. G., Mattingley, J. B., & Bradshaw, J. A. (1993).  An evaluation of the role of internal cues in the pathogenesis of Parkinsonian hypokinesia. Brain, 116, 1575-1587.