Abstract

Abstract: Intracranial recordings provide the distinct advantage of direct high fidelity signals at neuronal population level providing the means to uncover the precise frequency dependent activity and coupling among brain regions. Such knowledge is of significant value in the evolving field of neuromodulation (at node/network level) to understand the neurobiological basis of emotional processing and its dysfunction. In this talk I will first show how intracranial recordings from the amygdala, orbitofrontal cortex and medial prefrontal cortex allow investigation of emotional valence differentiation and the connectivity profile. Furthermore, to highlight the translational potential of such intracranial recordings, I will present results from a study of habenular recordings investigating valence differentiation and non-oscillatory component of the power spectrum which can be used to characterise the severity of depression.

Biography: Dr Saurabh Sonkusare completed his PhD in QIMR Berghofer/ The University of Queensland, Australia, in 2019 under Prof Michael Breakspear. In 2020, he joined the Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, as a post-doc in Prof Valerie Voon’s research group. Dr Sonkusare utilises neuroimaging (LFPs, fMRI) and neuromodulation tools (TMS) to understand the functioning of key brain regions, their interactions as well as meso/macroscale brain dynamics. He also specialises in psychophysiological measures (heart rate and skin conductance) and especially facial thermal imaging having developed methods for its analyses. Together these two streams of research form the basis for his investigations on emotions, brain-body communication and their dysfunction in affect, anxiety and addiction disorders.