Brain Connectivity Study

Study Description

Healthy brain function relies on the coordinated transfer of information between separate brain regions. If this communication becomes chronically disrupted, it can result in various psychological conditions, such as depression and obsessive compulsive disorder.

Our research takes the first step toward understanding these disrupted communication patterns by mapping functional brain activity in healthy individuals.

Aim 

Our research takes the first step toward understanding disrupted communication patterns by mapping functional brain activity in healthy individuals.

Participation involves 

The study will involve three visits to QIMR Berghofer.

On the first visit, you will have a 45 minute magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan to provide us with a 3D model of your brain and a snapshot of your brain activity at rest. During the next two visits, we will stimulate your brain using transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) to temporarily change the communication patterns between certain brain regions. We’ll use electroencephalography (EEG) to monitor these changes in real time to see how the brain regions ‘talk’ to each other.

As a thank you for your participation, you will receive a $75 Coles-Myer gift card for the three study sessions ($25 per session).

Eligibility criteria

To be eligible for this study, you will:

• Be aged 18 to 35
• Have no history of neurological disorders or mental illness
• Have no personal, or family history of seizures or epilepsy
• Be willing and eligible for an MRI and transcranial magnetic stimulation