Page 44 - NZBRI_Annual Report 2017_FA

42 New Zealand Brain Research Institute

Associate Professor Lynette Tippett, Psychology, University of
Auckland)

3. Unravelling the neural mechanisms of speech production: insights

from EEG and fMRI in people who stutter (PI: Dr Catherine Theys,
Communication Disorders, University of Canterbury)

A number of ongoing studies continued on the scanner that moved

from Hagley Radiology to Forte Health. The Parkinson’s disease
research group continues to be the largest user of imaging,

specifically using MRI to (1) track disease progression over time as
part of an ongoing longitudinal study, (2) investigate mild cognitive
impairment in Parkinson’s disease, and (3) test whether a programme

of physical and cognitive enrichment can alter the trajectory of
the disease. Two additional studies scanned participants on this

scanner:

1. Blood flow in Obstructive sleep apnoea (PIs: Richard Jones and

Carrie Innes)

2. Magnesium sulphate at 30-34 weeks gestational age
(MagNUM—PI: Prof Caroline Crowther, Liggins Institute, University

of Auckland)

Amyloid PET scanning completed recruitment in 2017 (actually Jan
2018), with two complementary studies acquiring data:

1. Amyloid deposition in PD with Mild Cognitive Impairment (PIs:
Tim Anderson & John Dalrymple-Alford)

2. Amyloid deposition in PD (excluding MCI—PI: Tracy Melzer)

Staff and Students:

Research Fellows Dr Toni Pitcher, Dr Daniel Myall, Dr Rebekah
Blakemore, and Dr Tracy Melzer were all directly involved in imaging

research, as were 7 students: 4 PhD students (Mustafa Almuqbel,