ynic-users January 2012

ynic-users@ynic.york.ac.uk

4 participants
15 discussions

12 Jan '12

Dear Users Today (4.15-5.15 pm in YNiC) there will be a project proposal presentation given by Markus van Ackeren. The title of the talk is "Cortical Dynamics during Pragmatic Inferences about Action". Please see below for the abstract. Everyone is welcome to attend. Best wishes Rebecca Abstract: A plethora of studies have shown that understanding the meaning of words recruits modality-specific areas in the brain, beyond classical language regions. For example, reading words denotingactions (e.g., grasp) also engages areas in the brain that are primarily involved in the control of ourmotor system. However, the level at which this neural motor system (NMS) might become importantduring language comprehension is still debated. In some theories, action information is regarded asconstitutive of word meaning. Specifically, this idea entails that the activation in the NMS is drivendirectly by the word-from of a word. However, others have argued that NMS is activated after wordmeaning has been accessed, which suggests that the NMS is either compositional or epiphenomenalto language understanding.One way to dissociate between different theories is to study utterances in which what is said (literalmeaning), and what is meant (speaker meaning) are not the same. For example, the utterance “it ishot here” does not contain any action information by itself. However, taking into account theintention of the speaker (theory of mind), the utterance might be interpreted as an implied requestfor action (e.g., to open the window). In a previous study we used fMRI to show that both a) neuralmotor and b) theory of mind regions are sensitive to implied requests, suggesting that actioninformation becomes important at a level beyond literal sentence meaning.In the current project, we are interested in the dynamics of motor and theory of mind regions duringlanguage comprehension. Specifically, we will use a modified version of the previous paradigm inwhich the listener will be asked to focus either on the literal meaning (Is this a sensible sentence?),or the speaker meaning of the utterance (Does the person want something from you?). Our goal isto analyse the interaction between a set of posterior regions using dynamic causal modelling (DCM).Specifically, the previous study revealed a set of regions in the posterior part of the brain that areassociated with language perception (MTG), theory of mind (pSTS/TPJ), and motor control (IPL/SMG)respectively. There are different ways in which these regions might interact when a person focuseson the speaker meaning of an utterance. For example, we could find a facilitation of forwardconnections from MTG to both pSTS/TPJ and IPL/SMG. Alternatively, the backward connectionbetween pSTS/TPJ and IPL/SMG might be facilitated. -- ************************************************************************ Dr. Rebecca E. Millman Science Liaison Officer York Neuroimaging Centre The Biocentre York Science Park Heslington YO10 5DG Tel: +44 (0) 1904 567614 Fax: +44 (0) 1904 435356

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Fwd: Assistant Professorship - University of Tennessee Medical School
by Gary Green 11 Jan '12

11 Jan '12

FYI A tenure track Assistant Professor position is immediately available in the Division of Clinical Neurosciences of the University of Tennessee Medical School and the LeBonheur Hospital Neurosciences Institute. Applicants with MEG/EEG experience, and interest in presurgical brain mapping and cognitive neuroscience research, may send a CV, statement of research interest and names of two references to Andrew C. Papanicolaou, PhD (apapanic(a)uthsc.edu <mailto:apapanic@uthsc.edu>).

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YNiC seminar 12th January
by rem 09 Jan '12

09 Jan '12

Dear Users This Thursday (4.15-5.15 pm in YNiC) there will be a project proposal presentation given by Markus van Ackeren. The title of the talk is "Cortical Dynamics during Pragmatic Inferences about Action". Please see below for the abstract. Everyone is welcome to attend. Best wishes Rebecca Abstract: A plethora of studies have shown that understanding the meaning of words recruits modality-specific areas in the brain, beyond classical language regions. For example, reading words denotingactions (e.g., grasp) also engages areas in the brain that are primarily involved in the control of ourmotor system. However, the level at which this neural motor system (NMS) might become importantduring language comprehension is still debated. In some theories, action information is regarded asconstitutive of word meaning. Specifically, this idea entails that the activation in the NMS is drivendirectly by the word-from of a word. However, others have argued that NMS is activated after wordmeaning has been accessed, which suggests that the NMS is either compositional or epiphenomenalto language understanding.One way to dissociate between different theories is to study utterances in which what is said (literalmeaning), and what is meant (speaker meaning) are not the same. For example, the utterance “it ishot here” does not contain any action information by itself. However, taking into account theintention of the speaker (theory of mind), the utterance might be interpreted as an implied requestfor action (e.g., to open the window). In a previous study we used fMRI to show that both a) neuralmotor and b) theory of mind regions are sensitive to implied requests, suggesting that actioninformation becomes important at a level beyond literal sentence meaning.In the current project, we are interested in the dynamics of motor and theory of mind regions duringlanguage comprehension. Specifically, we will use a modified version of the previous paradigm inwhich the listener will be asked to focus either on the literal meaning (Is this a sensible sentence?),or the speaker meaning of the utterance (Does the person want something from you?). Our goal isto analyse the interaction between a set of posterior regions using dynamic causal modelling (DCM).Specifically, the previous study revealed a set of regions in the posterior part of the brain that areassociated with language perception (MTG), theory of mind (pSTS/TPJ), and motor control (IPL/SMG)respectively. There are different ways in which these regions might interact when a person focuseson the speaker meaning of an utterance. For example, we could find a facilitation of forwardconnections from MTG to both pSTS/TPJ and IPL/SMG. Alternatively, the backward connectionbetween pSTS/TPJ and IPL/SMG might be facilitated. -- ************************************************************************ Dr. Rebecca E. Millman Science Liaison Officer York Neuroimaging Centre The Biocentre York Science Park Heslington YO10 5DG Tel: +44 (0) 1904 567614 Fax: +44 (0) 1904 435356

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Fwd: [Eeglablist] Post doctoral fellowship in auditory cognitive neuroscience
by Gary Green 03 Jan '12

03 Jan '12

FYI ------------------------ *Post-doc for auditory developmental studies with TMS and EEG* We are seeking applicants to nominate for a post-doctoral fellowship award by the Auditory Cognitive Neuroscience (ACN) Network (http://www.acn-create.org/admissions/), in the Auditory Development Laboratory in the Department of Psychology, Neuroscience & Behaviour, McMaster University and the McMaster Institute for Music and the Mind, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. The post-doctoral fellow will work with Dr. Laurel Trainor, and participate in studies concerning the neural mechanisms underlying rhythm processing and their plasticity with music training in adults and children as well as clinical populations, using transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) and electroencephalography (EEG). The studies will be part of collaborative research with Drs. Larry Roberts and Geoffry Hall at McMaster University and Drs. Tomáš Paus, Takako Fujioka, and Bernhard Ross at the Rotman Research Institute in Toronto. Also the ACN provides scientific exchange opportunities through annual summer workshops with trainees and mentors in the other participating laboratories in the Montreal and Toronto areas. We are looking for candidates with a PhD with a strong track record of publication and experience in TMS-related neuroimaging studies and behavioural methods. Please contact Dr. Laurel Trainor (LJT(a)mcmaster.ca <mailto:LJT@mcmaster.ca>) for more details. The deadline for ACN award application is January 20, 2012, so we will begin looking at application in early January. _______________________________________________ Laurel Trainor, Ph.D. Director, McMaster Institute for Music and the Mind Professor, Psychology, Neuroscience & Behaviour McMaster University 1280 Main Street West, Hamilton, ON, Canada L8S 4K1 office: 905-525-9140 x23007 fax: 905-529-6225 http://psycserv.mcmaster.ca/ljt/

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Fwd: JUNIOR FACULTY POSITION: MEG Imaging - Division Neurology Department of Pediatrics University of Cincinnati
by Gary Green 03 Jan '12

03 Jan '12

FYI Greetings Colleagues, The Pediatric Neuroimaging Research Consortium in Cincinnati is based at Cincinnati Children's Research Foundation and affiliated with the University of Cincinnati. We are currently recruiting to fill 3 faculty positions. Roughly these positions are designed for individuals with skills in the following areas: 1) Neuro-electrophysiology with expertise in the use of MEG for source localization and imaging 2) MR Physics with expertise in ASL/BOLD functional MRI 3) Statistical image analysis with expertise in the use and development of neuroimage analysis tools The advertisement for the MEG position in Pediatric Neurology is attached. Please pass the attached advertisement along to any of your recent graduates or others who know that may be qualified and interested in relocating to southwest Ohio.

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ynic-users January 2012