The Centre for Human Brain Health

Our new paper “An assessment of autistic and parkinsonian movement profiles to inform selective classification algorithms” is now published in the Journal of Neurodevelopmental Disorders: rdcu.be/e2ItP with Jen Cook @dagmarfraser.bsky.social @galeaj.bsky.social @proffrancescahappe.bsky.social 🧵1/n

Menstrual-cycle driven fluctuations in cortical excitability: A basis for temporally-targeted rTMS in depression at University of Birmingham on FindAPhD.com PhD Project - Menstrual-cycle driven fluctuations in cortical excitability: A basis for temporally-targeted rTMS in depression at University of Birmingham, listed on FindAPhD.com

In this position you will work with TMS and neuroimaging (next-gen OPM sensors developed here at @thechbh.bsky.social @uob-sop.bsky.social) to understand the effects of the menstrual cycle on the excitability of the brain.

www.findaphd.com/phds/project...

She is! More info coming!

Hey, @thechbh.bsky.social: Isn't official 'Rising Star of Neuroscience' @nadinedijkstra.bsky.social scheduled to give a talk at our institute next month?

What's that?

She IS? 😮😮😮😮

We still have some places available for our thalamus workshop in January, including slots for attendee short talks (just submit a thalamus-related abstract).
uobevents.eventsair.com/emerging-tec...
@thechbh.bsky.social

No travel (very green!). No cost! Just signup✨
👉 Register now: www.matlabexpo.com
#MATLAB #MATLABambassador

Finally, we found that people who believe climate change is man-made and support policies to protect the planet had higher pro-environmental motivation specifically.

People lower in trait apathy and who rated the task as less effortful were more likely to help both causes.

Boosting climate motivation with psychological interventions Actions that protect the environment are crucial but often require effort, which people avoid. In a large international collaboration, we identified psychological interventions that can effectively bo...

Read more about the story behind the project here - communities.springernature.com/posts/boosti...

Thanks to all the co-authors across @sdnl.bsky.social, @msnlab.bsky.social, @thechbh.bsky.social, @uob-sop.bsky.social, @scanunit.bsky.social & others

Day 2 starts with a keynote from Susan Healy on learning from mistakes!

Nearly ready to go! Mechanistic Basis of Foraging 2025!

Today we welcome attendees of The Mechanistic Basis of Foraging conference to @uob-sop.bsky.social and @unibirmingham.bsky.social ! Two days of inspiring talks exploring how the brain, body, and environment shape foraging behaviour.

#MechForage2025

uobevents.eventsair.com/the-mechanis...

How Dopamine Affects Our Motivation to Help Others New research shows patients with Parkinson's disease were more willing to help others after taking their dopamine-boosting medication.

Does dopamine modulate the willingness to help?

New Psychology Today post, "How Dopamine Affects Our Motivation to Help Others", written by me, with special thanks to @drjocutler.bsky.social and @thepsychologist.bsky.social

www.psychologytoday.com/gb/blog/the-...

Great to see this out! Exciting work led by @shawnrhoadsphd.com on how we learn when actions affect ourselves and others 🧠

w/ @aa-marsh.bsky.social, @k-oconnell.com, Kathryn Berluti, & Lin Gan plus @thepsychologist.bsky.social & me @sdnl.bsky.social, @thechbh.bsky.social, @uob-sop.bsky.social

🚨 PhD Opportunity! 🚨

Come investigate the mechanistic role of dopamine in emotion processing with Prof Jennifer Cook (and me!) MIBTP-funded PhD - more details here: warwick.ac.uk/fac/cross_fa...

@thechbh.bsky.social

Get in touch if interested, and please share!

The computational and neural dynamics of human motivation and cognitive control at University of Birmingham on FindAPhD.com PhD Project - The computational and neural dynamics of human motivation and cognitive control at University of Birmingham, listed on FindAPhD.com

Looking for a PhD? Interested in cognitive computational neuroscience, motivation and decision-making? See our project listed in the BBSRC MIBTP competition for funding for a 4-year PhD in the @msnlab.bsky.social in the @thechbh.bsky.social. Deadline 27/11. More info: tinyurl.com/5d5vz8m7

Final few days to register for The Mechanistic Basis of Foraging Conference!

3rd - 5th November 2025, Edgbaston Park Hotel, University of Birmingham

uobevents.eventsair.com/the-mechanis...

#MechanisticForaging #ForagingScience #ComputationalNeuroscience #CognitiveNeuroscience
#BehaviouralScience

Decoding with multivariate pattern analysis is superior for optically pumped magnetometer-based magnetoencephalography compared to superconducting quantum interference device-based systems Background: Multivariate pattern analysis (MVPA) has become an increasingly important method for decoding distributed brain activity from neural electrophysiological recordings by leveraging both temp...

Decoding performance (MVPA) better for OPM-MEG than SQUID-MEG 😎. The improved spatial specificity of OPM-MEG due to the reduced brain-sensor distance is key. And more sensors (beyond 40) don't improve decoding.
Preprint from our recent @thechbh.bsky.social study: www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...

Are you interested in the thalamus, or are you still waiting to discover that you are (these are the only two options)? It is a great pleasure to announce our workshop on the 12-13th January 2026. uobevents.eventsair.com/emerging-tec...
@thechbh.bsky.social #neuroscience

Ever wondered about the variety and depth of neuroscience research at the University of Birmingham (if not, why not?)? Seek no further: www.birmingham.ac.uk/research/pro...
@thechbh.bsky.social @uob-sop.bsky.social @imh-uob.bsky.social

The Sleep Network is up and running at the University of Birmingham, looking forward to talking to more people about sleep and circadian rhythms

Fast hierarchical processing of orthographic and semantic parafoveal information during natural reading - Nature Communications Combining MEG, eye-tracking, and representational similarity analysis, this study shows that readers rapidly and sequentially extract orthographic and semantic information from upcoming words before fixation, supporting efficient reading.

Ever wonder how you read so fast? Your brain gets a head start—processing the next word before your eyes move. Our MEG + eye tracking study out in Nature Communications study from @thechbh.bsky.social reveals orthographic & semantic previews predicting reading speed www.nature.com/articles/s41...

First speakers Professor Sean Cain from Flinders University and our very own Dr Isabel Morales-Munoz! @thechbh.bsky.social @uob-sop.bsky.social

🚨 PhD Opportunity! 🚨

Come investigate the mechanistic role of dopamine in emotion processing with Prof Jennifer Cook - @thechbh.bsky.social @unibirmingham.bsky.social

MIBTP-funded PhD, using behavioural, computational and pharmacological approaches. Get in touch and please share!

Thank you so much to everyone who came and to our sponsors @carneyinstitute.bsky.social, Brown CoPsy, Brown Neuro, @unibirmingham.bsky.social, UoB College of Life & Environmental Sciences & @thechbh.bsky.social

Marseille is a great place to be thinking about the future of MEG...
@thechbh.bsky.social

Join us for a CHBH Seminar with @danieljamesyon.bsky.social on 'Learning about uncertainty from ourselves and others'
Thur 9 Oct 1–2pm
LT6 Strathcona/Zoom
Hosted by Prof Jennifer Cook
Event info/registration: bit.ly/4gWAPdO
#CognitiveNeuroscience#Metacognition#Learning #Uncertainty #SocialCognition

Stephane he has been integral to CHBH since its inception and brings fresh ideas and vision for the Centre’s future.
#CentreForHumanBrainHealth #CHBH
#UniversityOfBirmingham #Neuroscience #BrainHealth #ResearchLeadership #TeamCHBH #InnovationInScience #Interdisciplinarity #MultimodalNeuroimaging

We’re excited to share some leadership updates at the CHBH! After three years, Dr @katjakornysheva.bsky.social stepped down this month, we're grateful to Katja for her leadership. Prof @bagshaap.bsky.social will continue as Co-Director and we welcome Prof Stephane De Brito as Co-Director into 25/26.