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Translational Cognitive Neuroscience Lab

 
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A superlist combining individual seminars and series from other lists on talks.cam. These Neuroscience-themed seminars will be advertised throughout the relevant interest group in Cambridge.
Updated: 53 min 36 sec ago

Mon 19 Feb 12:30: Studies with Single Subjects or Large Numbers of Volunteers - Why, & How?

Wed, 31/01/2024 - 13:03
Studies with Single Subjects or Large Numbers of Volunteers - Why, & How?

Will will stream ISMRM-23 “Advances in fMRI” Educational Course’s session on Studies with Single Subjects or Large Numbers of Volunteers – Why, & How?” by Wietske van der Zwaag (Spinoza Centre for Neuroimaging, Amsterdam). Let’s watch it together and discuss it afterwards!

Abstract: In the functional MRI field, datasets continue to grow. Interestingly, there are two different trends: There are currently multiple efforts towards collection of datasets with a huge number of participants, to capture the variance in a population, or to use the power of massive averaging to discover subtle brain function patterns. A second trend is towards exhaustive sampling of a single participant (or a few), arguing that measurements of one brain likely generalize to most other brains. Dense sampling allows experiments with either many conditions or extremely detailed images, exploring different types of variance. This talk will discuss both trends.

Venue: MRC CBU Lecture Theatre and Zoom https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82385113580?pwd=RmxIUmphQW9Ud1JBby9nTDQzR0NRdz09

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Mon 05 Feb 12:30: BOLD & Non-BOLD Contrasts in Human fMRI

Wed, 31/01/2024 - 12:56
BOLD & Non-BOLD Contrasts in Human fMRI

Will will stream ISMRM-23 “Advances in fMRI” Educational Course’s session on ”BOLD & Non-BOLD Contrasts in Human fMRI” by Sriranga Kashyap (Krembil Brain Institute, Toronto). Let’s watch it together and discuss it afterwards!

Abstract: FMRI is a non-invasive method that allows scientists to study the brain function during task or at rest. The BOLD contrast is the workhorse of functional neuroimaging. A cascade of physiological events following neuronal activity (changes in blood oxygenation, flow and volume) culminates in the BOLD signal. The versatility of MRI enables imaging of blood flow and volume using techniques such as Arterial Spin Labelling (ASL) and Vascular Space Occupancy (VASO) respectively. In this talk, we will learn about BOLD and non-BOLD contrasts (CBF, CBV ), discuss what they offer and how they differ in their application to human fMRI.

Venue: MRC CBU Lecture Theatre and Zoom https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82385113580?pwd=RmxIUmphQW9Ud1JBby9nTDQzR0NRdz09

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Wed 20 Mar 16:00: Title to be confirmed

Tue, 30/01/2024 - 14:14
Title to be confirmed

Abstract not available

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Mon 11 Mar 11:00: Title to be confirmed NOTE: This talk is on Monday at 11 am !

Tue, 30/01/2024 - 14:12
Title to be confirmed

Abstract not available

NOTE: This talk is on Monday at 11 am !

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Thu 06 Jun 16:00: Title to be confirmed

Tue, 30/01/2024 - 09:27
Title to be confirmed

Abstract not available

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Thu 23 May 16:00: Title to be confirmed

Tue, 30/01/2024 - 09:26
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Abstract not available

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Thu 09 May 16:00: Title to be confirmed

Tue, 30/01/2024 - 09:25
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Abstract not available

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Thu 25 Apr 16:00: Title to be confirmed

Tue, 30/01/2024 - 09:24
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Abstract not available

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Thu 14 Mar 16:00: Title to be confirmed

Tue, 30/01/2024 - 09:23
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Abstract not available

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Thu 14 Mar 16:00: Title to be confirmed

Tue, 30/01/2024 - 09:23
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Thu 29 Feb 16:00: Title to be confirmed

Tue, 30/01/2024 - 09:12
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Thu 29 Feb 16:00: Title to be confirmed

Tue, 30/01/2024 - 09:12
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Abstract not available

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Thu 15 Feb 16:00: Towards Human Systems Biology of Sleep/Wake Cycles: Phosphorylation Hypothesis of Sleep

Tue, 30/01/2024 - 09:09
Towards Human Systems Biology of Sleep/Wake Cycles: Phosphorylation Hypothesis of Sleep

The field of human biology faces three major technological challenges. Firstly, the causation problem is difficult to address in humans compared to model animals. Secondly, the complexity problem arises due to the lack of a comprehensive cell atlas for the human body, despite its cellular composition. Lastly, the heterogeneity problem arises from significant variations in both genetic and environmental factors among individuals. To tackle these challenges, we have developed innovative approaches. These include 1) mammalian next-generation genetics, such as Triple CRISPR for knockout (KO) mice and ES mice for knock-in (KI) mice, which enables causation studies without traditional breeding methods; 2) whole-body/brain cell profiling techniques, such as CUBIC , to unravel the complexity of cellular composition; and 3) accurate and user-friendly technologies for measuring sleep and awake states, exemplified by ACCEL , to facilitate the monitoring of fundamental brain states in real-world settings and thus address heterogeneity in human.

By integrating these three technologies, we have made significant progress in addressing two major scientific challenges in sleep research: 1) understanding sleep regulation (sleep mechanisms) and 2) determining the role of sleep (sleep functions). With regard to sleep mechanisms, we have recently proposed the phosphorylation hypothesis of sleep, which emphasizes the role of the sleep-promoting kinase CaMKIIα/CaMKIIβ (Tatsuki et al., 2016; Tone et al., 2022; Ode et al., 2020) and the involvement of calcium signaling pathways (Tatsuki et al., 2016). According to this novel perspective, the dynamics of calcium, representing neural activity during wakefulness, can be integrated and converted into the auto-phosphorylation status of CaMKIIα/CaMKIIβ, which induces and sustains sleep (Tone et al., 2022). Concerning sleep functions, we conducted computational studies to examine synaptic efficacy dynamics during sleep and wakefulness. Our findings led to the formulation of the Wake-Inhibition-Sleep-Enhancement (WISE) hypothesis, suggesting that wakefulness inhibits synaptic efficacy, while sleep enhances it.

During this talk, we will also present our discoveries regarding the identification of muscarinic acetylcholine receptors (Chrm1 and Chrm3) as essential genes of REM sleep. Furthermore, we will discuss new insights into psychiatric disorders, neurodevelopmental disorders, and neurodegenerative disorders derived from the phosphorylation hypothesis of sleep.

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Wed 31 Jan 11:30: Sensory hypersensitivity and poor sleep - understanding neural mechanisms during early development

Mon, 29/01/2024 - 15:12
Sensory hypersensitivity and poor sleep - understanding neural mechanisms during early development

Poor sleep, sensory hyper-sensitivity and learning delays co-occur in autism (and the general population). In my lab, we aim to delineate causal mechanisms linking these phenotypic trats, in development. I will present findings from an infant sibling study (BASIS) that show early emerging associations between neural measures of sensory processing and infant sleep and new findings from the Snoose study, which uses polysomnography (EEG) to investigate individual variation in how infant sleep adapts to environmental noise.

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Wed 07 Feb 15:00: Understanding and managing conspiracy beliefs

Fri, 26/01/2024 - 19:53
Understanding and managing conspiracy beliefs

While considerable progress has been made in uncovering the motivational processes, contextual consequences, and interventions to reduce beliefs in conspiracy theories, certain areas of concern remain unclear. First, recent academic debates have centred around the exact nature of different measures of conspiracy beliefs (e.g., conspiracy mentality vs. belief in specific conspiracy theories). Regardless, what these measures fail to capture are the underlying components that make up a “conspiracist worldview”, alongside the potentially distinct implications of these different ontological processes. To understand this, I discuss our ongoing work on developing a scale that aims to capture a propensity to perceive the world in conspiracist terms. Second, inoculation or “pre-bunking” interventions have proven effective at reducing general misinformation susceptibility and acceptance of conspiracy narratives. However, less is known about the efficacy of these interventions among the specific population of interest; that is, actual “conspiracy theorists”. To explain how interventions might be extended to manage this issue, I will present promising recent evidence from our pre-bunking interventions that are specifically tailored to appeal to those already susceptible to conspiracy narratives. Finally, I will summarise and discuss other potential extensions of pre-bunking interventions to improve their efficacy specifically among “conspiracy theorist” communities.

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Thu 01 Feb 12:00: “Complement in Alzheimer’s Disease”

Fri, 26/01/2024 - 10:50
“Complement in Alzheimer’s Disease”

Abstract not available

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Cambridge Memory Meeting 2015

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