NIHRDataInsights/HRCSData huggingface dataset:
Title: Neuroscience and Public Policy: Examining the background and impact of Nudge.
Funder: Wellcome Trust

Abstract: I intend to examine the way Nudge theories of public policy, linked to behavioural science research, have gained traction as a policy framework in the UK. The development, impact and conceptual basis of Nudge has not been extensively studied from a social science perspective and where it has it is mostly from public policy and behavioural economic perspectives. Thus the current literature does not comprehensively track links between Nudge and neuroscience, despite this being an area of growing i mportance both in public policy and the social impact of neuroscience. In doing this work, I aim to: clarify the relationship between the Nudge framework of public policy and contemporary neuroscience; flag areas of possible concern or good practice in the way Nudge has been applied to public policy issues, and specifically the way neuroscience research may have been harnessed; think about issues for Nudge, and the use of neuroscience in this way, in the future.


Research activity codes: 8.3 POLICY, ETHICS AND RESEARCH GOVERNANCE
Health categories: MENTAL HEALTH;NEUROLOGICAL
Title: Virtual Fly Brain: a global informatics hub for Drosophila neurobiology
Funder: Wellcome Trust

Abstract: Studying brain function is critical to understanding human behaviour and braindiseases. However the human brain is so complex that it is also vital to study simpler brains. The fruitfly brain has around one millionth as many neurons but still mediates sophisticated behaviours like learning, sleep, walking/flying and courtship song. The small size of this brain makes a wiring map more feasible than for humans or mice. Many researchers therefore study fruitfly behaviour, and generate floods of information on properties of different neurons, and genetic tools to monitor and manipulate them. Using these tools, researchers can follow neuronal pathways, or turn activity of single neurons on or off, and assess the effects on behavior, sensory perception, learning or memory. Virtual Fly Brain helps researchers to map fruitfly brain circuitry and dissect its function. It includes an encyclopedic catalogue of neurons, and tens of thousands of 3D images, all morphed on a template brain. This allows users to view brain cells from multiple experiments together as if part of the same brain. We will extend this resource, adding new content, and new tools to help researchers identify neurons, and track down information and genetic reagents to study them.


Research activity codes: 1.5 RESOURCES AND INFRASTRUCTURE (UNDERPINNING)
Health categories: MENTAL HEALTH;NEUROLOGICAL
Title: The London Down Syndrome Consortium (LonDownS): An integrated system to study the development and therapeutic amelioration of cognition and dementia.
Funder: Wellcome Trust

Abstract: Down Syndrome (DS) is the most common condition involving learning disability, and arises because people have an extra copy of chromosome number 21. This proposal is for cutting-edge inter-disciplinary research by leading geneticists, psychiatrists and neuroscientists to understand how learning disabilities develop in people with DS and to identify the processes involved in the decline that often occurs as people with DS age. We will link with US and European colleagues to develop similar asses sments for babies and adults with DS. We will particularly focus on individual differences and sub-groups in DS to understand for example why some go on to develop dementia. Participants will be asked for sputum or blood tests and hair samples for genetic analyses to identify the genes involved in DS learning and ageing. We will also study cultured cells from DS people to examine related processes. We will link this work with studying similar functions in specially created mice to help us unders tand the biology of DS. This research will reveal how genes influence brain functions throughout life in people with DS and will lead, we hope, to treatments to prevent decline and improve brain function, which can be tested in clinical trials.


Research activity codes: 2.1 BIOLOGICAL AND ENDOGENOUS FACTORS
Health categories: MENTAL HEALTH;NEUROLOGICAL;CONGENITAL DISORDERS
Title: Understanding the mechanisms of multimodal communication in deaf children with cochlear implants
Funder: Wellcome Trust

Abstract: Children develop and interact in complex, multimodal environments. I will investigate how deaf children with cochlear implant (CIs) integrate visual information from the talker’s face to supplement sound. This is important because CIs provide a degraded sound that lacks pitch and much affective information, placing high cognitive demand on the developing brain and increasing reliance on visual information and audio-visual integration. I will conduct experiments comparing adolescents with early-onset deafness and bilateral CIs to hearing controls. Eye tracking will be used to understand allocation of visual attention during word and emotion perception and the interaction between these processes. Visual evoked potentials will be measured using electroencephalography to understand the efficiency of cortical processing during visual perception. Psychophysics and pupillometry will be combined to estimate the benefit gained from audio-visual speech integration and the impact on cognitive effort. Functional near-infrared spectroscopy will enable cortical imaging of CI users without interference from CI-generated artefacts. Correlations between activity in temporal and occipital cortices will be examined to understand audio-visual cortical connectivity and to specify mechanisms of audio-visual integration. This work will enable us to better understand the role for visual cues in augmenting current auditory-only rehabilitative interventions to help deaf children communicate effectively.

Lay abstract: Cochlear implants (CIs) provide deaf children with access to sound, but they often struggle to hear in noisy situations and experience problems learning in classrooms and developing peer relationships. I aim to understand how children with CIs use visual information from the talker’s face to supplement sound when communicating. I will track their eye movements to understand which areas of the face they use to perceive words and emotions, and whether these two processes interfere with each other. I will measure their ability to combine vision and sound together and if this eases the cognitive effort involved in communicating. I will also perform neuroimaging experiments that will allow me to understand whether their brain has adapted to help combine vision and sound to better support their communication. These studies will tell us how visual cues could be used with current sound-based therapy to help deaf children achieve their full potential.

Research activity codes: 1.2 PSYCHOLOGICAL AND SOCIOECONOMIC PROCESSES
Health categories: MENTAL HEALTH;NEUROLOGICAL;EAR
Title: The recurrent neural basis of adaptive hearing
Funder: Wellcome Trust

Abstract: Sensory systems are typically viewed as being organized hierarchically, with stimulus features being progressively extracted as information flows from the sense organs to the neocortex. However, the responses of sensory neurons at each level are continually shaped by a vast network of poorly-understood descending projections. These ascending and descending circuits have largely been studied in isolation and little is known about how they interact to produce the remarkable neuronal adaptability crucial for auditory perception. We will use coordinated computational and experimental approaches, involving cutting-edge methods for measuring, decoding and manipulating neural activity, to investigate sensory processing during active listening and learning. We will focus on the recurrent neural circuits that enable the brain to adapt to long- and short-term changes in auditory inputs and to integrate other sensory and motor signals. Our goal is to understand three aspects of these circuits: the computational principles behind their representational transformations, the dynamic interplay of bottom-up and top-down signals that enables neurons to adapt to changing auditory and behavioural demands, and the neural and behavioural consequences of hearing-loss related plasticity. Together, this work will transform our understanding of the recurrent, dynamic nature of auditory circuits and how they are affected by hearing loss.

Lay abstract: Our ability to hear and respond to sounds in the world around us often seems effortless. The long-held view is that this remarkable feat is based on the successive activity of millions of neurons arranged into a hierarchy of brain areas between the ear and the neocortex. However, in reality, messages are sent both up and down the auditory pathway to incorporate information from our other senses, motor activity and past experience. We will examine how these bidirectional connections contribute to active listening, enabling auditory neurons to adapt to the sensory and behavioural settings in which sounds are heard. Using cutting-edge experimental and computational techniques, we will study how auditory brain circuits are organized, their dynamic interactions, and how they respond to hearing loss. This will reveal how they perform the computations underlying hearing, and lay the foundation for therapies for the many people for whom hearing is not effortless.

Research activity codes: 1.1 NORMAL BIOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENT AND FUNCTIONING
Health categories: MENTAL HEALTH;NEUROLOGICAL;EAR
Title: Dynamic population coding in the auditory system.
Funder: Wellcome Trust

Abstract: Our research aims to understand how sensory experience shapes the behaviour of populations of neurons. Rapid adjustments to neuronal response properties enable listening in changing environments, while longer term plasticity promotes perceptual learning and compensation for partial hearing loss. These adaptive changes have been studied at the single-neuron level, but little is known about how they are coordinated throughout the auditory system and by non-auditory factors, such as visual or neuro modulatory inputs. Our lab is experienced with cutting-edge techniques for recording and manipulating brain activity (two-photon imaging, highly parallel microelectrode recording, optogenetics), which provide an unprecedented view of how populations of neurons interact. We will combine these new techniques with our well-established physiological, anatomical, behavioural and analytical paradigms. This multidisciplinary expertise uniquely positions us to build an understanding of how neurons in th e auditory system are assembled into circuits which adapt to, represent, and enable learning about the changing structure of the auditory world. Hearing loss is the most common sensory disability in the developed world, but most people with hearing loss are not completely deaf. Instead, many struggle to hear accurately in noisy, changing environments. To develop effective therapies for this complex, widespread problem, we need to explore the population dynamics of auditory processing and how thi s is shaped by learning and altered experience. The research proposed here will open up a new understanding of these dynamics, providing a foundation for advancing our knowledge about the auditory brain and for developing future therapies for hearing loss.


Research activity codes: 1.1 NORMAL BIOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENT AND FUNCTIONING
Health categories: MENTAL HEALTH;NEUROLOGICAL;EAR
Title: Computer aided diagnosis of neurological damage to improve care for infants born prematurely
Funder: Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council

Abstract: Preterm birth is a major cause of neuropsychiatric impairment in childhood and leads to significant long-term clinical, educational and social problems The incidence of preterm birth and low birth weight has increased over the last decade in industrialised countries, and preterm delivery has a higher prevalence among the unemployed and poorly educated. The burden of impairment is considerable: about 10% of all infants born before 33 weeks of age develop cerebral palsy; over 30% have neurocognitive problems; and half of all surviving infants born at 25 weeks or less show neurodevelopmental impairment at 30 months of age. These problems persist into later life which can have devastating consequences for the individuals and their families. A major issue confronting clinicians who work with preterm infants and their families is the identification of infants who are most at risk for subsequent neurodevelopmental disability and who may benefit from early intervention services. Improved prediction of later handicaps has the potential immediately to improve the delivery of care for preterm infants and their families. At the same time, the improved diagnosis will also aid the growing search for specific treatments to reduce brain injury. Several promising approaches are under active investigation, all of which rely or would be aided by improved diagnosis of adverse outcomes. Currently, the early assessment of brain development in preterm infants and prognosis of outcome is heavily dependent on a subjective assessment of clinical and low resolution imaging data. The aim of this project is the creation of tools and algorithms that enable the detection and diagnosis of abnormal brain development based on high-resolution magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) information. By interpreting these images within an evidence-based statistical framework, a more complete and objective, evidence-based interpretation will be possible. The project will combine two emerging paradigms in computer and imaging science to address the challenge of identifying abnormal brain development and predicting outcome: Machine learning techniques and computational anatomy. In combination these approaches have the potential to provide useful and descriptive models of the underlying anatomy that can be used for comparisons across subjects and over time. This offers the possibility to learn patterns of normal and abnormal brain development and to predict the pattern of future brain development. The result of the research will be a significantly improved ability to predict neurodevelopmental outcome in later life. The ability to predict outcome improves parental counseling and selection of infants for early therapeutic strategies aiming at preventing or ameliorating cerebral injury.


Research activity codes: 4.1 DISCOVERY AND PRECLINICAL TESTING OF MARKERS AND TECHNOLOGIES
Health categories: MENTAL HEALTH;NEUROLOGICAL;REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH AND CHILDBIRTH
Title: Maternal thyroid status and offspring development
Funder: Chief Scientist Office (Scotland)

Abstract: The role of subclinical maternal thyroid dysfunction in determining adverse perinatal and offspring outcomes is contentious. In this proposal we will use an established prospective cohort (ALSPAC) to describe the distribution of maternal thyroid hormones (TSH, fT4) and thyroid peroxidase antibody (TPO) in early and late pregnancy and identify whether maternal characteristics (adiposity, smoking etc) modifies maternal thyroid function or autoantibody seroprevalence. We will then determine the prospective associations of TSH, fT4 and TPO with maternal outcomes including maternal weight gain and blood pressure change in pregnancy and offspring outcomes including growth and adiposity to age 17. Furthermore, we will assess the impact of maternal thyroid status on long term offspring neurodevelopment including repeat measures of cognitive function and GCSE results at age 17. Lastly, we will confirm causality of these offspring associations using genetic variants that are robustly associated with maternal circulating free thyroxine


Research activity codes: 2.1 BIOLOGICAL AND ENDOGENOUS FACTORS
Health categories: MENTAL HEALTH;NEUROLOGICAL;REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH AND CHILDBIRTH;METABOLIC AND ENDOCRINE
Title: Re-Entraining the Brain: Exploring and Exploiting Oscillatory Models of Speech Perception in Wernicke's Aphasia
Funder: Medical Research Council

Abstract: This fellowship will investigate speech entrainment as a cause of and potential treatment for the speech perception impairment in Wernicke's aphasia (WA). Phase 1 uses EEG measures of cerebro-acoustic coherence to examine entrainment strength in WA. Manipulations of stimulus periodicity and intelligibility will disentangle the cognitive contributors to speech entrainment disruption. Entrainment patterns in WA will be compared to neurotypical individuals and participants with left inferior frontal and right auditory region lesions. Correlations between speech entrainment strength and language comprehension measures will establish the functional significance of entrainment abnormalities. MEG will then be recorded from people with WA to identify source regions driving speech perception and entrainment and measures of cortico-cortical coherence will provide insight into the network dynamics underlying accurate and inaccurate comprehension. Phase 2 will explore whether "optimising" neural conditions can modify perception in WA. Phoneme change detection accuracy will be monitored following stimulation with rhythmical auditory stimuli. EEG connectivity will be simultaneously measured to explore impact on network-level activity according to our hypothesis that rhythmic stimuli will lead to more effective neural network information transfer. The final study uses tACS to enhance oscillatory activity for the analysis of syllabic information in WA. Pre-testing will establish optimal tACS phase-lag, and MEG data and current modelling will identify the optimum stimulation site in each individual. We will measure the impact of tACS on sentence comprehension in comparison to sham. This fellowship is the first mechanistic exploration of the speech perception impairment in WA, as well as the first to use rhythmic stimulation to directly influence residual neural activity to improve speech perception, potentially opening new methods to enhance therapeutic effectiveness.


Research activity codes: 1.1 NORMAL BIOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENT AND FUNCTIONING;1.2 PSYCHOLOGICAL AND SOCIOECONOMIC PROCESSES;2.1 BIOLOGICAL AND ENDOGENOUS FACTORS
Health categories: MENTAL HEALTH;NEUROLOGICAL;STROKE
Title: COPE-A-LOT-SCOT: Exploring the feasibility of conducting a randomised controlled trial to test the impact of a computer-assisted online cognitive-behaviour therapy intervention for child dental anxiety.
Funder: Chief Scientist Office (Scotland)

Abstract: Children with extreme dental fear often present with toothache requiring tooth extraction with sedation or dental general anaesthesia (DGA). A frequent consequence of this is the promotion of a vicious circle of fear and pain resulting in extremely anxious children having untreated tooth decay who attend when experiencing severe toothache, resulting in another DGA to extract painful teeth. As parental and child dental anxiety are interlinked children presenting with extreme dental fear with their parents provide an opportunity for a Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) intervention to be used. The advantage of computer-assisted online CBT is that it will reduce dental treatment costs and child anxiety states. Accessible, affordable and effective computer-assisted online CBT anxiety interventions are available but surprisingly have not been used to reduce child dental anxiety, sedation and/or DGA costs. A detailed feasibility study is required of a computer-assisted online CBT intervention in preparation for a definitive RCT.


Research activity codes: 6.6 PSYCHOLOGICAL AND BEHAVIOURAL
Health categories: MENTAL HEALTH;ORAL AND GASTROINTESTINAL
Title: Stories at the Dentist.
Funder: Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council

Abstract: A major challenge facing the health and wellbeing of people with intellectual disabilities is the level of anxiety experienced by both the disabled patient and the dentist. When a patient with intellectual disabilities is anxious, they may become defensive and exhibit challenging behaviour when the dentist attempts to treat them. As a result of this, the procedure may have to either be abandoned or the patient sedated. The need for sedation is a common problem in dentistry as patients with intellectual disabilities often require a general anaesthetic for simple dental treatment. This carries increased risks, a longer recovery time and increases the cost of the procedure to the NHS. One reason for patients' anxiety is the difficulty in communication between patient and dentist. In particular, it can be difficult for dentists to provide patients with intellectual disabilities with information about the treatment they require in a way that they can understand. An inability to understand what is about to happen or to express feelings makes a visit to the dentist frightening and stressful. In addition, it is considered good practice to obtain informed consent or assent from all patients. However, clinicians are often unsure if a patient with intellectual disabilities has understood explanations of procedures. It is difficult for people with intellectual disabilities to understand how abstract information relates to them with the result that, compared to the general population, patients with intellectual disabilities find it significantly more difficult to make healthcare decisions. This study aims to develop a computer based communication system to support people with intellectual disabilities to understand dental procedures with the aim of reducing anxiety for both patients and clinicians, and to enable patients to be more involved in the decision making process. The system will run on a tablet device, e.g. an iPad. The system will automatically generate a story about a dental procedure which is personalised to the patient. This will allow the dentist to explain the procedure to the patient using a graphical interface. The patient will be able to use the system to ask questions about the procedure and express their feelings. We know that improved communication reduces the anxiety in both the patient and the dentist. This research will investigate whether giving more information to patients with intellectual disabilities improves the outcomes for: (i) the patient; (ii) the practitioner; and (iii) the health service by reducing the time and the resources required to support patients with intellectual disabilities. While this has the potential to produce benefits across the health service, this study will focus on dental health.


Research activity codes: 7.1 INDIVIDUAL CARE NEEDS;7.3 MANAGEMENT AND DECISION MAKING
Health categories: MENTAL HEALTH;ORAL AND GASTROINTESTINAL