UEL Psychology Seminar Series - 17th November 2015 - Prof Michael Nitsche

UEL Psychology Seminar Series

Date:     17^th November 2015

Time:     17:00 - 18:00       

Venue:   Arthur Edwards Building, Room 2.06

Professor Michael A. Nitsche

Dept. Psychology and Neurosciences, Leibniz Research Centre for Working Environment and Human Factors, Dortmund, Germany

Title:

Physiology, and functional effects of tDCS and related techniques

Abstract:

Neuroplasticity, and functional connectivity are important physiological derivates of cognition, and behaviour. Recently introduced non-invasive brain stimulation techniques are suited to induce, and modulate respective physiological alterations. One of these techniques is transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS). Itsprimary mechanism of action is a polarity-dependent subthreshold shift of resting membrane potentials, the after-effects of stimulation depend on the glutamatergic system. Beyond these regional effects, tDCS has been shown recently to alter cortical, as well as cortico-subcortical functional network connectivity. This talk will give an overview about the physiological effects, and will cover functional consequences of tDCS, including sleep-related processes. Finally, it will be shown how alterations of functional oscillatory connectivity via transcranial alternating current stimulation can modify cognitive performance.

Brief Bio:

Michael A. Nitsche is Director of the Dept. Psychology and Neurosciences at the Leibniz Research Centre for Working Environment and Human Factors in Dortmund, and holds a position as scientific staff member at the Dept. Neurology of the University Medical Center Bergmannsheil, Bochum, Germany. He studied Psychology and Medicine at the Georg-August-University in Goettingen, and performed his Dissertation in Medicine at the Max-Planck-Institute for Biophysical Chemistry in Goettingen. From 1999-2015, he was registrar and consultant at the Dept. Clinical Neurophysiology of the University Medical Center in Goettingen. He is a leading expert in plasticity research in humans, including non-invasive brain stimulation, neuropsychopharmacology, and cognition. He received grants from various funding organizations, including the German Research Foundation. He published more than 150 papers in international peer-reviewed journals, and is member of the editorial board of The Journal of Neuroscience, Scientific Reports, Clinical Neurophysiology, and Restaurative Neurology and Neurosciences. He received the Alois Kornmüller, and Richard Jung Awards by the German Society of Clinical Neurophysiology, and the GESET Award by the German society of Electrostimulation and Electrotherapy for his work on non-invasive brain stimulation in humans.

Session Chair:

Dr. Davide Rivolta

UEL Psychology Seminar Series - 29th July

UEL Psychology Seminar Series

Date:     29^th July 2015

Time:     12:30 - 13:30       

Venue:  Arthur Edwards Building, Room tbc

 

 

Professor Andrew H. Kemp

Associate Professor, University of Sydney; Visiting Professor, University of São Paulo; Global Burden of Disease Expert, University of Washington; Editor, PLoS ONE, Frontiers in Psychology & Frontiers in Psychiatry

Title:

Bridging the gap between psychophysiology and global mental health

 

Abstract:

Professor Kemp’s research interests include psychophysiology (ECG, GSR, EEG, ERPs), the cognitive neurosciences (pharmaco-fMRI, imaging genetics, tDCS), neuropsychopharmacology (antidepressants, oxytocin) and psychiatric epidemiology, focusing on the mood and anxiety disorders, their treatments, and most recently, their relation to coronary heart disease (CHD). In this presentation, he will focus on his research programme on heart rate variability (HRV) - a marker of vagal inhibitory function - that refers to the variability of the R–R interval extracted from the ECG waveform. HRV has important functional significance for motivation to engage social situations, psychological flexibility in the face of stressors, and over the long–term, may provide the structural link to physical health and disease, attributable to vagally-regulated, inflammatory processes. Consequently, HRV is of interest to psychophysiologists interested in the physiological effects of psychological events, and epidemiologists, who have used HRV to predict risk of future adverse cardiovascular events. Professor Kemp will describe his recent research activities aimed at merging these two largely independent fields, thereby bridging the gap between experimental psychophysiology and large-scale, epidemiological research. His research has important and wide-reaching implications for basic emotion theory (e.g. his social-approach / withdrawal hypothesis relating to the role of oxytocin in human affect), understanding comorbidity between mental and physical health (e.g. the robust impact of generalized anxiety disorder on HRV), and global mental health (e.g. associations between tricyclic antidepressants and CHD in Brazil).

 

Brief Biography:

Professor Kemp is a leading multi-disciplinary researcher, academic and editor for PLOS ONE and Frontiers in Psychology. He is an Associate Professor at the University Sydney at which he has developed a productive program of research to better understand the relationship between mental and physical wellbeing. With a strong background in psychophysiology and cognitive neuroscience, he has recently applied his research skills to the exciting, emerging field of global mental health. It is in this regard that he is currently living and working in São Paulo, Brazil working on the largest epidemiological project on the health and wellbeing of the Brazilian population at the University of São Paulo. His research spans cognitive and affective neuroscience through to epidemiology, bridging the gap between biological mechanism and public health. His research has been published in over 100 articles and books (since 2001; h-index = 38), attracting significant attention from scientific and lay communities. He is also a Global Burden of Disease Expert for the University of Washington, and this role has directly led to a series of high profile, public health outcomes published in The Lancet journal. He is also a member of the prestigious, Global Young Academy, a rallying point for outstanding young scientists committed to community service and shaping policy at a global level.

 

Session Chair:

Professor Cynthia Fu

UEL Psychology Seminar Series - 28th July

UEL Psychology Seminar Series
Date: 28th July 2015
Time: 12:00 - 13:30
Venue: Arthur Edwards Building, Room 2.06


Professor Yi-Yuan Tang, PhD
Professor of Psychological Sciences and Internal Medicine, Presidential Endowed Chair in Neuroscience and Founding Director of Neuroimaging Institute at Texas Tech University, USA

Title:
Mindfulness meditation: brain mechanisms and clinical application

Abstract:
Research broadly supports the claim that mindfulness meditation exerts beneficial effects on physical and mental health and cognitive performance. Recent neuroimaging studies have begun to uncover the brain areas and networks that mediate these positive effects. However, the underlying neural mechanisms remain unclear. This talk will explore the mechanism and application of mindfulness meditation.

Brief Biography:
Professor Yi-Yuan Tang is a Professor of Psychological Sciences and Internal Medicine, Presidential Endowed Chair in Neuroscience and Founding Director of Neuroimaging Institute at Texas Tech University, USA. His interdisciplinary research covers cognitive, social, affective, cultural and educational neuroscience/ psychology, neuroplasticity and performance. He developed a preventive intervention - Integrative Body-Mind Training (IBMT) and has been studying its effects since 1990's. Research indicates that IBMT reduces stress, improves attention and cognitive performance, emotion regulation, social behavior and neuroplasticity over the lifespan. He has published 6 books and over 260 peer-reviewed articles including Nature Reviews Neuroscience, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Trends in Cognitive Sciences, and these findings are reported in Nature, Science, Neuron, and popular media including TIME, New York Times, BBC, NPR, The Press Association, Reuters. See more on www.yi-yuan.net

Session Chair:
Dr. Tim Lomas

This will be followed by an additional talk on: How to publish in the journal: Social, Cognitive & Affective Neuroscience, where Professor Tang is an Associate Editor, chaired by Professor Cynthia Fu.

Professional and ethical practice issues conference - details of the day

Friday 17th July 2015

Professional and Ethical Practice for Psychologists, Counsellors and Psychotherapists: An important part of Civic and Community Engagement