Current projects
FACETS – Fatigue: Applying Cognitive behavioural and Energy effectiveness Techniques to LifeStyle
Fatigue is the most common symptom of MS and the main reason why people with MS stop working. FACETS is an evidence-based face-to-face fatigue management group programme for MS developed by researchers from Bournemouth University in collaboration with Poole hospital. FACETS combines cognitive behavioural and energy effectiveness approaches. It is delivered by health care professionals and provides people with MS with tools and strategies to manage their fatigue more effectively and explore different, more helpful ways of thinking about fatigue.
To date, over 200 health care professionals have attended training to enable them to deliver FACETS in their local area and more than 1500 people with MS across the UK have received FACETS. There is significant interest in the programme from a number of international MS groups and universities. Work is currently underway on creating a FACETS digital toolkit to promote quality of life of people with multiple sclerosis.
[Visit MS research at Bournemouth University for more information on this project]
Development and evaluation of a cognitive-motor system for an objective and quantitative measurement of fatigue in Multiple Sclerosis with functional MRI
Chief Investigator: Dr Jade Thai, Clinical Research & Imaging Centre (CRICBristol) School of Clinical Science. Research collaborator: Prof Giovanni De Marco Université Paris Ouest Nanterre La Défense, France.
Since it is often difficult to objectively quantify the effects of physical or cognitive fatigue, we propose in this project a neurobiologically objective measure to determine mental and physical components of Central fatigue by employing a novel paradigm to investigate the cognitive motor system using functional MRI (fMRI). The objective of our study will be to mobilize the attention of research volunteers while they carry out physical exercise in the MRI scanner. We will use a cognitive paradigm we have previously published (see Perin et al 2010) that manipulates the alertness mechanism that has two dimensions: "phasic" and "tonic" .This very basic cognitive marker will allow us to understand the effect of cognitive fatigue in the brain. Physiological measures (EMG, force), and neuropsychological fatigue scales, will complement the fMRI data. Brain activity and functional connectivity analyses will help to highlight the effects of motor activity and fatigue on the circuits of the attention mapped by our two tasks of alertness. We aim to bring new and original insight on this subject of study by using a paradigm that combines both neurobiological and neuropsychology approaches.
[View Article on this project]
Chief Investigator: Dr Jade Thai, Clinical Research & Imaging Centre (CRICBristol) School of Clinical Science. Research collaborator: Prof Giovanni De Marco Université Paris Ouest Nanterre La Défense, France.
Since it is often difficult to objectively quantify the effects of physical or cognitive fatigue, we propose in this project a neurobiologically objective measure to determine mental and physical components of Central fatigue by employing a novel paradigm to investigate the cognitive motor system using functional MRI (fMRI). The objective of our study will be to mobilize the attention of research volunteers while they carry out physical exercise in the MRI scanner. We will use a cognitive paradigm we have previously published (see Perin et al 2010) that manipulates the alertness mechanism that has two dimensions: "phasic" and "tonic" .This very basic cognitive marker will allow us to understand the effect of cognitive fatigue in the brain. Physiological measures (EMG, force), and neuropsychological fatigue scales, will complement the fMRI data. Brain activity and functional connectivity analyses will help to highlight the effects of motor activity and fatigue on the circuits of the attention mapped by our two tasks of alertness. We aim to bring new and original insight on this subject of study by using a paradigm that combines both neurobiological and neuropsychology approaches.
[View Article on this project]
Application of behavioural economic model to describe the neural underpinnings of treatment choice and treatment adherence among patients with Multiple Sclerosis (MS) an MRI study
Chief Investigators: Dr Jade Thai, University of Bristol UK & Professor Giovanni De Marco Professor of Neuro-imaging and Neurosciences, Université Paris Nanterre,
Research Collaborators
Dr Jared Bruce Associate Professor, Clinical Neuropsychology Research Laboratory, Department of Psychology, University of Missouri-Kansas City, Kansas City, USA.
Dr Antonia Csillik, PhD., Clinical Psychologist & Senior Lecturer, Department of Psychology, Université Paris Nanterre, France
Malek ABIDI, PhD student, 1Laboratoire CeRSM (EA-2931), Equipe « Analyse du Mouvement en Biomécanique, Physiologie et Imagerie ». Université Paris Nanterre France.
Angela Davies-Smith & Rosemary Jones The Brain Centre, Southmead Hospital, North Bristol NHS Foundation Trust, UK
The research project will employ a behavioural economic model to investigate the neural substrates of treatment choice and treatment adherence among patients with chronic disease. Adherence researchers frequently use biopsychosocial models to better understand, assess, and treat poor adherence in chronic disease. Yet, very little is known about the neural mechanisms of patient treatment choice and adherence. The project will use functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to examine brain mechanisms of risk and reward, the proposed study will evaluate a neuroeconomic model of treatment choice and adherence in multiple sclerosis (MS). The aim of the research is to model the behavioural and neural mechanisms associated with how adherent and non-adherent patients weigh potential risks and benefits when making hypothetical treatment decisions as part of a novel fMRI medication probability discounting paradigm we have published in healthy populations. .
[View Article on this project]
Chief Investigators: Dr Jade Thai, University of Bristol UK & Professor Giovanni De Marco Professor of Neuro-imaging and Neurosciences, Université Paris Nanterre,
Research Collaborators
Dr Jared Bruce Associate Professor, Clinical Neuropsychology Research Laboratory, Department of Psychology, University of Missouri-Kansas City, Kansas City, USA.
Dr Antonia Csillik, PhD., Clinical Psychologist & Senior Lecturer, Department of Psychology, Université Paris Nanterre, France
Malek ABIDI, PhD student, 1Laboratoire CeRSM (EA-2931), Equipe « Analyse du Mouvement en Biomécanique, Physiologie et Imagerie ». Université Paris Nanterre France.
Angela Davies-Smith & Rosemary Jones The Brain Centre, Southmead Hospital, North Bristol NHS Foundation Trust, UK
The research project will employ a behavioural economic model to investigate the neural substrates of treatment choice and treatment adherence among patients with chronic disease. Adherence researchers frequently use biopsychosocial models to better understand, assess, and treat poor adherence in chronic disease. Yet, very little is known about the neural mechanisms of patient treatment choice and adherence. The project will use functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to examine brain mechanisms of risk and reward, the proposed study will evaluate a neuroeconomic model of treatment choice and adherence in multiple sclerosis (MS). The aim of the research is to model the behavioural and neural mechanisms associated with how adherent and non-adherent patients weigh potential risks and benefits when making hypothetical treatment decisions as part of a novel fMRI medication probability discounting paradigm we have published in healthy populations. .
[View Article on this project]
Understanding the neural mechanisms underlying voice perception and discrimination between healthy voices and voices in people with MS and depression: A pilot fMRI study
Dr Jade Thai University of Bristol
Research Collaborators
Professor Marie-Claire Gay, Professor of Clinical Psychology, University of Paris West, France Professor Anne Lacheret, Professor of Linguistics, University of Paris West, France Dr olivier Heinzlef, Neurology Head of Service, Poissy St-Germain-en-Laye, Centre Hospitalier Paris Dr Laetitia Bruckert, Associate Lecturer, University of Lorraine, Nancy
Multiple sclerosis is a highly prevalent neurological disorder in young adults, characterized as an inflammatory demyelinating disease of the central nervous system (CNS). To discern what factors are linked to MS and what could be linked to a possible depression is a very complex task for clinicians. There is clearly a need to create new tools and/or methods to refine the diagnosis, one of which could be the use of vocal parameters. The physical and psychological states of an individual have an influence on their voice (Cummins, 2011). Parkinson’s disease can be detected at an early stage from the voice (Tsanas et al., 2012). Depressed people have specific vocal characteristics compared with control people (Flint et al 1993, Moore et al 2008, Alghowinem et al 2012). Vocal characteristics of depression and MS symptoms are different, so the symptoms of MS need to be differentiated from those of depression in MS patients.
We propose a pilot functional MRI study to investigate the neural mechanisms underlying voice discrimination in non-experts whiles listening to voice recordings of people with Multiple sclerosis (pwMS), MS and depression compared to healthy controls. Our fMRI study would be an important step towards understanding the neural mechanisms underlying the ability to detect ill health from voices in humans Previous study conducted at University of Paris West.
Dr Jade Thai University of Bristol
Research Collaborators
Professor Marie-Claire Gay, Professor of Clinical Psychology, University of Paris West, France Professor Anne Lacheret, Professor of Linguistics, University of Paris West, France Dr olivier Heinzlef, Neurology Head of Service, Poissy St-Germain-en-Laye, Centre Hospitalier Paris Dr Laetitia Bruckert, Associate Lecturer, University of Lorraine, Nancy
Multiple sclerosis is a highly prevalent neurological disorder in young adults, characterized as an inflammatory demyelinating disease of the central nervous system (CNS). To discern what factors are linked to MS and what could be linked to a possible depression is a very complex task for clinicians. There is clearly a need to create new tools and/or methods to refine the diagnosis, one of which could be the use of vocal parameters. The physical and psychological states of an individual have an influence on their voice (Cummins, 2011). Parkinson’s disease can be detected at an early stage from the voice (Tsanas et al., 2012). Depressed people have specific vocal characteristics compared with control people (Flint et al 1993, Moore et al 2008, Alghowinem et al 2012). Vocal characteristics of depression and MS symptoms are different, so the symptoms of MS need to be differentiated from those of depression in MS patients.
We propose a pilot functional MRI study to investigate the neural mechanisms underlying voice discrimination in non-experts whiles listening to voice recordings of people with Multiple sclerosis (pwMS), MS and depression compared to healthy controls. Our fMRI study would be an important step towards understanding the neural mechanisms underlying the ability to detect ill health from voices in humans Previous study conducted at University of Paris West.