BEGIN:VCALENDAR
VERSION:2.0
PRODID:-//Memento EPFL//
BEGIN:VEVENT
SUMMARY:Using functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) to understand 
 deafness and brain plasticity
DTSTART:20170227T150000
DTEND:20170227T160000
DTSTAMP:20260415T000701Z
UID:f319f4de7d87daf4e37127cf21da0f898f6162a10079ea697be87486
CATEGORIES:Conferences - Seminars
DESCRIPTION:Prof. Colette McKay\, The Bionics Institute of Australia.\nD
 ISTINGUISHED LECTURES in NEUROPROSTHETICS\n\nAbstract:\nfNIRS is a recentl
 y developed brain imaging technique that uses near-infrared light to detec
 t changes in oxygenated and de-oxygenated haemoglobin (HbO and HbR\, respe
 ctively) in the outer layers of the cortex. Compared to fMRI\, it has bett
 er temporal resolution and poorer spatial resolution\, and compared to EEG
  is has better spatial resolution and poor temporal resolution. The major 
 advantages of fNIRS over fMRI and PET imaging are that it is non-invasive\
 , is patient and user friendly\, is portable\, is compatible with implante
 d devices such as cochlear implants\, and is not affected by electrical ar
 tefacts. The major disadvantage of fNIRS is that it can only image activit
 y in the outer layers of the cortex.\n\nAt the Bionics Institute\, fNIRS i
 s being used by the Hearing Research Group to investigate the effect of de
 afness and cochlear implant use on brain plasticity and brain connectivity
  in adults who use\, or are planning to receive\, a cochlear implant. We a
 re also planning to use fNIRS to study language development in deaf childr
 en. In this presentation\, I will outline the principles behind fNIRS imag
 ing and give examples of experimental protocols and analysis methods that 
 are used in our lab and in other labs. Example data and preliminary result
 s will be presented.\n\nOur results show that fNIRS can show large differe
 nces in resting state connectivity between cochlear implant users and norm
 al hearing adults\, and that brain activity level in certain regions of in
 terest evoked by speech stimuli is highly correlated with speech understan
 ding in cochlear implant users.\n\nBio:\nProfessor McKay is an internation
 al leader in the field of psychophysics with electrical stimulation\, and 
 her multidisciplinary research combines psychophysics\, electrophysiology\
 , imaging\, speech perception\, speech processing and mathematical modelli
 ng with the aim of improving outcomes of auditory implants. She contribute
 d significantly to the design and signal processing strategies used in the
  family of cochlear implants manufactured by Cochlear Ltd. \n\nShe gradua
 ted and received her PhD from the University of Melbourne in the fields of
  mathematics and physics. From 1991-2004\, she was Research Fellow\, Senio
 r Research Fellow\, and then Principal Research Fellow at the University o
 f Melbourne Department of Otolaryngology. From 2005 to 2013 she held chair
  and research group leadership positions at Aston University\, Birmingham\
 , and Manchester University in the UK. Since 2013 she has led the Translat
 ional Hearing Research group at the Bionics Institute.
LOCATION:Campus Biotech H8 Auditorium http://cnp.epfl.ch/files/content/sit
 es/cnp/files/Seminars/PlanSallesCampusBiotechH8-01.pdf
STATUS:CONFIRMED
END:VEVENT
END:VCALENDAR