Postgraduate eNewsletters
Human Sciences
World-first brain imaging system at Macquarie
The recent installation of the world's first brain imaging system for children at the University means that researchers at the Macquarie Centre for Cognitive Science (MACCS) are now able to conduct cutting edge studies in cognitive processing across all ages.
The KIT-Macquarie Brain Research Laboratory, part of MACCS, first opened in 2006 with the southern hemisphere's first adult MEG system. MEG (magnetoencephalography) is a brain imaging technique that measures the magnetic fields generated by the human brain whenever information is being processed.
The new MEG system is specifically sized and shaped for children. Sensors are positioned close enough to the child's head to accurately measure brain activity with an excellent temporal resolution and without discomfort for the child.
"The MEG system records the magnetic activity of neurons," explained Dr Graciela Tesan, KIT-Macquarie Brain Research Lab Manager. "The electric currents generated by the synchronized activity of neurons also generate magnetic fields, which MEG can detect. One great advantage of MEG, unlike EEG, is that magnetic fields can be detected outside the brain so there is no need to place electrodes on the child's scalp."
Results from the MEG allow researchers to see how brain activity unfolds over time, providing information on when activity is happening with millisecond accuracy. One of the first studies carried out using the child MEG system will be investigations of the time, course and location of brain mechanisms involved when children process linguistic information for example reading and listening to words or sentences. The data from these studies will establish baseline measurements for future studies with clinical populations including children with dyslexia or specific language impairment.
Current research
The MEG system has enabled a number of groundbreaking studies including work on: language processing, face blindness (Prosopagnosia), mental rotation and auditory processing. Research findings have been presented across the world.
A number of postgraduate students will be utilising the MEG for their research in the near future including PhD student Regine Zopf who will be looking at the neurons that control hands.
Visit MACCS of you are interested in postgraduate opportunities within MACCS. Visit Macquarie Brain imaging Laboratory for further information on the KIT.