A5103134004- Heart Rate Variability and Autonomic Control
- Anxiety, Depression, Psychometrics, Treatment, Cognitive Processes
- Functional Brain Connectivity Studies
- Pain Mechanisms and Treatments
- Mental Health Research Topics
- Musculoskeletal pain and rehabilitation
- Mindfulness and Compassion Interventions
- Trigeminal Neuralgia and Treatments
- Migraine and Headache Studies
- Neuroscience and Music Perception
- Health, Environment, Cognitive Aging
- COVID-19 and Mental Health
- Mind wandering and attention
- Neural and Behavioral Psychology Studies
- Acupuncture Treatment Research Studies
- Neural dynamics and brain function
- Multisensory perception and integration
- Ophthalmology and Eye Disorders
- Advanced Neuroimaging Techniques and Applications
- Psychosomatic Disorders and Their Treatments
- EEG and Brain-Computer Interfaces
Wellcome Centre for Human Neuroimaging
2017-2024
King's College London
2017-2024
Brunel University of London
2023-2024
St George's, University of London
2024
Czech Academy of Sciences, Institute of Psychology
2023
Brighton and Sussex Medical School
2016-2019
University of Sussex
2017-2019
Fondazione Santa Lucia
2016-2019
Istituti di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico
2016-2019
There are bi-directional interactions between the autonomic nervous system (ANS) and pain. This is likely underpinned by a substantial overlap brain areas of central network involved in pain processing modulation. To date, however, relatively little known about neuronal substrates ANS-pain association. Here, we acquired resting state fMRI scans 21 healthy subjects at rest during tonic noxious cold stimulation. As indicators function, examined how heart rate variability (HRV) frequency...
Abstract The goal of this study was to compare brain structure between individuals with generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) and healthy controls. Previous studies have generated inconsistent findings, possibly due small sample sizes, or clinical/analytic heterogeneity. To address these concerns, we combined data from 28 research sites worldwide through the ENIGMA-Anxiety Working Group, using a single, pre-registered mega-analysis. Structural magnetic resonance imaging children adults (5–90...
Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) is characterized by excessive worry, autonomic dysregulation and functional amygdala dysconnectivity, yet these illness markers have rarely been considered together, nor their interrelationship tested longitudinally. We hypothesized that an individual's capacity for emotion regulation predicts longer-term changes in connectivity, supporting the modification of GAD core symptoms. Sixteen patients with (14 women) individually matched controls were studied at...
The Cognitive Avoidance Theory of Worry argues that worry is a cognitive strategy adopted to control the physiological arousal associated with anxiety. According this theory, pathological worry, as in Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD), verbal nature, negative and abstract, rather than concrete. Neuroimaging studies link expression characteristic modes brain functional connectivity, especially relation amygdala. However, distinctive features (verbal, negative), their relationship arousal,...
Abstract There is a strict interaction between the autonomic nervous system (ANS) and pain, which might involve descending pain modulatory mechanisms. The periaqueductal grey (PAG) involved both in modulation ANS, but its role mediating this relationship has not yet been explored. Here, we sought to determine brain regions ANS control associations. Thirty participants underwent conditioned (CPM) assessments, they rated painful pressure stimuli applied their thumbnail, either alone or with...
Resting heart rate variability (HRV), a surrogate index of cardiac vagal modulation, is considered putative biomarker stress resilience as it reflects the ability to effectively regulate emotions in changing environment. However, most studies are cross-sectional, precluding longitudinal inferences. The high degree uncertainty and fear at global level that characterizes COVID-19 pandemic offers unique opportunity explore utility HRV measures predictors resilience. This study examined whether...
People with Parkinson's disease (PD) often present disabling neuropsychiatric symptoms. Compassionate mind training (CMT) is a psychological approach effective in reducing stress and promoting well-being. Heart rate variability (HRV), measure reflecting sympathovagal balance, has been associated well-being compassionate attitude.
Abstract Background Cluster headache is an excruciating disorder with no cure. Greater occipital nerve blockades can transiently suppress attacks in approximately 50% of patients, however, its mechanism action remains uncertain, and there are reliable predictors treatment response. To address this, we investigated the effect blockade on regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF), index brain activity, differences between responders non-responders. Finally, compared baseline perfusion maps from...
Abstract Looping Star is a near‐silent, multi‐echo, 3D functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) technique. It reduces acoustic noise by at least 25dBA, with respect to gradient‐recalled echo echo‐planar (GRE‐EPI)‐based fMRI. has successfully demonstrated sensitivity the cerebral blood‐oxygen‐level‐dependent (BOLD) response during block design paradigms but not been applied event‐related auditory perception tasks. Demonstrating Star's such tasks could (a) provide new insights into...
Functional connectivity (FC) perturbations have been reported in multiple chronic pain phenotypes, but the nature of changes varies between cohorts and may relate to consequences living with chronic-pain related comorbidities, such as anxiety depression. Healthy volunteer studies provide opportunities study effects tonic noxious stimulation independently these sequelae. Connectivity task negative positive networks, for example, default mode salience networks (DMN/SN), respectively,...
The ENIGMA group on Generalized Anxiety Disorder (ENIGMA-Anxiety/GAD) is part of a broader effort to investigate anxiety disorders using imaging and genetic data across multiple sites worldwide. actively conducting mega-analysis large number brain structural scans. In this process, the was confronted with many methodological challenges related study planning implementation, between-country transfer subject-level data, quality control considerable amount choices statistical methods efficient...
The autonomic nervous system (ANS) and pain exhibit a reciprocal relationship, where acute triggers ANS responses, whereas resting activity can influence perception. Nociceptive signalling also be altered by 'top-down' processes occurring in the brain, brainstem spinal cord, known as 'descending modulation'. By employing conditioned modulation (CPM) paradigm, we previously revealed connection between reduced low-frequency heart rate variability CPM. Individuals with chronic often experience...
Abstract The autonomic nervous system (ANS) and pain exhibit a reciprocal relationship, whereupon acute triggers ANS responses, while resting activity can influence perception. Nociceptive signalling also be altered by “top-down” processes occurring in the brain, brainstem, spinal cord, known as descending modulation . By employing Conditioned Pain Modulation (CPM) paradigm, our previous study revealed connection between reduced low-frequency heart rate variability (HRV) CPM. Chronic...
Abstract Background: Cluster headache is an excruciating disorder with no cure. Greater occipital nerve blockades can transiently suppress attacks in approximately 50% of patients, however, its mechanism action remains uncertain, and there are reliable predictors treatment response. To address this, we investigated the effect blockade on regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF), index brain activity, differences between responders non-responders. Finally, compared baseline perfusion maps from...