SEMINAR: Magnetic fields and the brain: myths and mechanisms of circuit reorganisation

The Seminar: Pulsed magnetic fields (also known as repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation; rTMS) provide significant therapeutic benefits in a wide range of neurological conditions including stroke, depression and tinnitus. Despite these promising clinical outcomes, surprisingly little is known about how magnetic fields affect the brain. My research systematically quantifies how pulsed magnetic fields affect the structure and function of single cells and highly defined neural circuits using in vitro and in vivo animal models. My results suggest that some effects of pulsed magnetic fields are specific to abnormal neural projections and do not impact on normal brain circuitry. A possible explanation is that the molecular profile of abnormal connections makes them particularly susceptible to pulsed magnetic fields. Overall, my research aims to provide insight into the brain mechanisms and thus clinical application of rTMS-induced brain reorganisation.

The Speaker: Assistant Professor Rodger completed a BScHons in Biochemistry at the University of Bath, UK, followed by a PhD in Molecular Neuroscience in 1996 at the University of Paris VI, France. Her research fields are brain development and plasticity and recent work focuses on interventions to promote functional brain repair following injury. She is Chief Investigator on three current NHMRC Australia grants.