HUMANERRORS · Brain imaging of human errors
FP6 — Marie Curie Actions (Human Resources and Mobility)
- Duration
- 2004-10-01 → 2008-09-30
- EU contribution
- €183,284
- Participants
- 1
- Scheme
- TOK
Lines connect the coordinator with its partners.
Results in brief
Final Activity Report Summary - HUMANERRORS (Brain imaging of human errors)
This two-year ToK knowledge project allowed our region to develop a state-of-the-art technique for functional brain imaging. This included recording eye movements within the magnetic field using remote eye tracking equipment, developing a specialised (possibly patentable) device for precise synchronising visual display and time marking the eye movement data with respect to the magnet scanning cycle, and using event-related analysis based on the eye movement response. Combining these components is, to our knowledge, unique and provides our region with a new and credible facility in fMRI. This was only made possible by Dr Natalia Passynkova's expertise and attention to detail. There was also some reverse transfer, as the PI's knowledge of eye movement controlled Dr Passynkova to a new appreciation of the potential of using objective oculomotor variables in fMRI studies. The work also led to a new collaboration with Dr Heinrich Neubauer (Magdeburg). Dr Passynkova also participated in our local seminars and post-graduate teaching and became an integral member of staff for two years. This has led to a deeper appreciation of the value of fMRI among our group, and we are now incorporating this knowledge into a new cross-faculty grant proposal on 'ageing of the brain'. Scientifically, we found that we could image very focal brain areas that are involved in monitoring self-made errors, and appear to be involved in individual pre-dispositions to making these errors, and possibly regions involved in self-awareness. These results are quite surprising, as we did not expect oculomotor control could tap into such high level conreo centres. We now believe this opens up a new approach to objectively quantify individual differences in high-level error monitoring, with potential impact in many neiurologival conditiosn, especially those typically seen in again populations (such Parkinson's, Alzheimer's and other dementias).
Data: CORDIS, © European Union
Project objective
Brain disease is a huge burden on the Community, accounting for 25% of all EU health costs and affecting 150mindividuals. Much results from long-term care of chronic disorders (eg. stroke, Parkinson disease). It is unclear why disorders, particularly motor disorders, persist in the first place given that the brain can exhibit impressive plasticity in adapting and modifying its own function. Failure of plasticity implies that the brain cannot recognise its own errors. The challenge is to understand how the b rain recognises and handles errors, so that we canharness the brain's own 'repair shop' in patient rehabilitation. The goal of this transfer of knowledge project is to enhance our research team's capability in studying plasticity.We are building an innovat ive and challenging neuroscience program of research to use functional magneticresonance imaging (fMRI) to image the brain during normal and abnormal adaptive learning. We are initially focussing on saccadic eye movements, since saccades are known to be un der rapid adaptive control. Our team has international experience in behavioural neuroscience, biomedical physics, neurology, mathematicsand engineering. We have already invested in capital equipment including a research-dedicated fMRI magnetand facilities and specialised fMRI eye movement and display equipment. Our paradigm is to induce errors in normals and patients by using visual feedback and image the brain event-related fMRI. To complement our team we wish to recruit a specialist with expertise in eve nt-related fMRI techniques andmovement imaging in patients. Our goals are to develop the technology and the measurement techniques; second to use our newly leamed skills as a platform for future research and extend the paradigm to other modalities; third t o enhance our research and clinical capability in the southwest of the UK, a popular retirement area with a burgeoning ageing population.
Original text from CORDIS.
Participants
- University of Plymouth · PlymouthCoordinatorUnited Kingdom
Links
Data: CORDIS, © European Union