ART news

New YouTube channel content every Friday afternoon!

desaianisha /

Following on from the four series of free online talks that Dr Jansari gave during lockdown, he is now developing content that is going straight to YouTube. The videos will be shorter (10-15 minutes each) and will tackle a range of different topics mainly related to the brain or psychology.  The first 3 videos are already out now – so go on and check out.

Click, like and subscribe to the channel to ensure you receive the content as soon as it’s released!

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC7hfjGv3Qx1G0ULygi0zy8w

Get involved with ART research!

desaianisha /

Could you imagine not being able to recognise your family and friends or even your own face in the mirror?

As impossible as that may seem, more than 2% of the population is known to suffer from a condition known as Prosopagnosia, the inability to recognise faces. Prosopagnosia can be developmental – a life-long condition with no underlying cause – or acquired through brain damage.

Its consequences can have a strong negative impact. These include feelings of embarrassment, guilt, fear, avoidance of social situations and anxiety leading to social isolation and severe employment and relationship problems.

Research into the field is facing some challenges since the condition can present in very different ways between individuals. Further to this, extensive objective testing is needed in order to have a greater understanding of the different facets of Prosopagnosia.

If you have Prosopagnosia, or think you might struggle with face recognition, don’t hesitate to email our lead face recognition researcher Claudia Pulcini on cpulc002@gold.ac.uk.

Get involved with ART research!

desaianisha /

The concerning rise in hospital admissions for people with anorexia shows the urgency of gaining a better understanding of this illness.  ART member, Denisa Gorina, is currently working on her final-year project into the differences in executive functions of individuals with anorexia and those unaffected by this disorder.

Testing will take place remotely over Zoom and involves a fun computer game where participants would play the role of an office clerk for 45 minutes.

If you are over the age of 18, fluent in English, struggle with Anorexia Nervosa, and are interested in taking part or would like to find out more, please e-mail dgori001@gold.ac.uk.

 

Get involved with ART research!

desaianisha /

In order to better understand how we can support adopted and fostered children throughout their education, Kim Clark, a member of ART, is currently working on a MSc study into the mental processes that allow us to plan, focus, remember instructions and be flexible with our thinking. The purpose of her project is to investigate how these processes in children who have been adopted, or are in foster care, differ from their non-fostered/adopted peers.

Testing will take place remotely over Zoom and involves children playing an enjoyable computer game where they plan and run their own birthday party! It takes about 45 minutes to complete and is really good fun.

If you are an adoptive or foster parent and would be interested in your child taking part, or would like to find out more, please email Kim Clark on kcorb001@gold.ac.uk

 

 

Get involved with ART research!

desaianisha /

Did you know, there are approximately 50 million people living with dementia in the world, and this number is estimated to rise to 75 million by 2030. The global societal cost of dementia is approximately $1,000,000,000,000 (one trillion dollars) which is projected to double by 2030.

In addition to the challenges posed due to the progressive nature of this condition, clinical diagnoses of dementia are often made past the stage at which preventative strategies could be applied. This introduces extreme challenges to those affected by dementia.

The Memory, Alzheimer’s, and Dementia (MeAD) project, run by a PhD student Terry McGibbon, is focused towards developing a new test which may facilitate a much earlier diagnosis of dementia than currently possible, in turn preserving more memory, sense of self and improving the overall quality of life of individuals living with dementia.

If you are over the age of 18 and would like to take part in the development of this new test to potentially interrupt the progression of dementia, or if you would like to find out more about the project, please e-mail Terry McGibbon on tmcgi001@gold.ac.uk