BSI Research Units

The Biology of Individual Differences Research Unit

Unit Leader: Dr. Joseph Ciorciari

Introduction:

The Biology of Individual Differences Research Unit was established to investigate the biological aspects associated with personality & abnormal personality, using a multidisciplinary approach incorporating psychological constructs, neurophysiological measures (EEG), brain imaging techniques (MRI, fMRI) and stimulation techniques (Transcortical Magnetic Stimulation - TMS).

Current studies include the investigation of the neurobiological systems associated with emotional intelligence, personality traits, creativity, history of trauma, mental illness susceptibility factors, consciousness and dissociative disorders. The unit is also examining the neurobiology associated with personality and consumer decision making behaviour.

Key Members

Name: Dr. Joseph Ciorciari

Role In Unit: Unit Leader

Dr. Joseph Ciorciari is a lecturer who teaches into the Biomedical Sciences, Biomedical Engineering and Psychophysiology undergraduate, honours and postgraduate programs at Swinburne University of Technology. He is currently the program coordinator for the undergraduate Psychology/Psychophysiology course.

Name: Prof. Con Stough

Role in Unit: Co-Unit Leader and Director of BSI

Unit Members

BSI Staff

• Prof Richard Silberstein

• Prof. Grant Devilly

• Assoc. Prof David Liley

• Dr. Pat Johnston

• Dr Greg Murray

• Jo Tarasuik

Profles

Name: Dr Greg Murray

Role: Greg brings experience in conceptualizing and treating clinical disorders to an interest in brain function, with a current focus on the role of brain reward pathways in the sleep and circadian changes that characterise mood disorder. He has ongoing research collaborations in this area with major chronobiology centers in Canada (University of British Columbia) and the US (Harvard Medical School).

Tel: +61 3 9214 8300

Email: gwm swin.edu.au

Representative Publications From Past 5 Years:
(10 of 32 peer-reviewed publications in this time period)

Murray, G. (2006). Seasonality, Personality and the Circadian Regulation of Mood. NY: Nova Science Publishers.

Murray, G., Goldstone, E., & Cunningham, E. (in press). Personality and the predisposition(s) to bipolar disorder: Heuristic benefits of a two-dimensional model. Bipolar Disorders.

Murray, G., Judd, F., Jackson, H., Fraser, C., Komiti, A., Pattison, P., et al. (in press). Ceremonies of the whole: Does social participation moderate the mood consequences of neuroticism? Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology.

Michalak, E. E., Murray, G., Levitt, A. J., Levitan, R. D., Enns, M. W., Morehouse, R., et al. (in press). Quality of life as an outcome indicator in patients with seasonal affective disorder: Results from the can-sad study. Psychological Medicine.

Murray, G., Michalak, E. E., Levitt, A. J., Levitan, R. D., Enns, M. W., Morehouse, R.Lam, R. W., 2006. O sweet spot where art thou? Light treatment of Seasonal Affective Disorder and the circadian time of sleep. Journal of Affective Disorders, 90, 227-231.

Murray, G., Michalak, E. E., Levitt, A. J., Levitan, R. D., Enns, M. W., Morehouse, R., et al. 2005. Therapeutic mechanism in Seasonal Affective Disorder: do fluoxetine and light operate through advancing circadian phase? Chronobiology International, 22, 937-943.

Murray, G., Allen, N. B., Trinder, J.,Burgess, H., 2002. Is weakened circadian rhythmicity a characteristic of neuroticism? Journal of Affective Disorders 72, 281-289.

Murray, G., Allen, N. B.,Trinder, J., 2002. Longitudinal investigation of mood variability and the FFM: Neuroticism predicts variability in extended states of positive and negative affect. Journal of Personality and Individual Differences 33, 1217-1228.

Murray, G., Allen, N. B.,Trinder, J., 2002. Mood and the circadian system: Investigation of a circadian component in positive affect. Chronobiology International 19, 1151-1169.

Murray, G., Allen, N. B.,Trinder, J., 2003. Seasonality and circadian phase delay: Prospective evidence that winter lowering of mood is associated with a shift towards eveningness. Journal of Affective Disorders 76, 15-22.

Current grants:

Berk, Castle, Gilbert, Piterman, Klein, Austin & Murray, 2006 “MoodSwings: an online intervention program for bipolar affective disorder”, National Depression Initiative – beyondblue Centre of Research Excellence Project Grant, $50,000

Berk, Castle, Gilbert, Piterman, Klein, Austin & Murray, 2006 “Evaluating MoodSwings: an online intervention program for bipolar affective disorder”, National Depression Initiative – beyondblue Centre of Research Excellence Project Grant, $150,000 (requested)

Murray & Judd, 2006 “Computer-assisted self-monitoring in Bipolar Disorder”, Swinburne Industry Synergy Grant, $20,000.

Murray & Judd, 2005 “Automated longitudinal monitoring to predict and counter relapse in Bipolar Disorder: a pilot investigation of effectiveness”. National Depression Initiative - beyondblue Centre of Research Excellence Project Grant, $46,000.

 

Students

David Camfield
Brett Foster
Fallon Cook
David White
Josh Gold

Collaboration

Dr. John Gountas ( LaTrobe University )
Dr. Colin Carbis (Biomedicine)
Dr. John Spensley (Jamillon Centre)
Ms. Gillian Johnson (Jamillon Centre)

Current Unit Research Projects:

The principle focus of more recent research has been to investigate the biological basis of personality and various personality disorders. Brain electrophysiology techniques such as photic driving and EEG coherence and neurospsychological measures have been applied in the investigation of gender, intelligence, personality traits, families with a history psychosis (schizophrenia) and substance abuse in schizophrenia. This research has been done in collaboration with a number of research groups within the University; the Centre for Biomedical Instrumentation, the Neuropsychology Laboratory and the Sensory Neurosciences Laboratory and externally with the Dual Diagnosis Resource Centre (Dandenong).

Dr. Ciorciari, Annedore Hopper (Psychophysiology Honours student) and fellow researchers from the Swinburne University and the Jamillon Centre had conducted a world first study into the psychiatric condition Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID), previously known as Multiple Personality Disorder.

An investigation of the psychophysiological correlates of personality and relevance to designing marketing stratagems. Investigating brain activity associated with advertising material and personality.

Dissociation and Handedness: A Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation Approach

Hypnosis Study: Attention and dissociation in hypnosis- an EEG study.

The Effects of Nitrous Oxide (laughing gas) on electrical brain activity.

Creativity- The Biological basis of openness to experience.

EEG Correlates of Dissociation and Trauma

Grants received:

La Trobe Collaboration Neuromarketing fMRI Grant Study with Dr J. Gountas

2006 Neuromarketing Collaborative Study with Dr. J. Gountas LaTrobe University $6000

2005 Faculty of Life & Social Sciences Track Record Grant $1000

2005 Faculty of Life & Social Sciences National Grant Scheme Mentoring Grant $1500

2003: Centre For Neuropsychology: additional $58,000 for the purchase of a second Neuroscan EEG system . Strategic Initiative Grant submission. Dr.Ciorciari, Prof Con Stough

2002: Vice Chancellor Strategic Initiatives Grant: Brain function studies associated with Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID). $38,000

2001: Swinburne Research Development Grants Scheme. Psychophysiological Correlates of Familial Mental Illness (for 2002). Dr.J.Ciorciari. Dr.C.Stough $7000

1995:School of Biophysical Sciences & Electrical Engineering Seeding Grant -$5000 EEG Photic driving Experiments

Symposium hosted by the Research Unit

First Annual Symposium on Neuromarketing:
The Neuroscience of Consumer Choice.
Friday 16th February 2007
Swinburne University of Technology
TAFE Conference Centre,
Hawthorn Campus

Work with Community and Affiliates:

“Boys and The Brain” Teachers Forum, Scotch College 2006

Teachers training forum for development of education curriculum specifically suited for how boys learn.
Scotch College 2006
Part of the International Boys' School Coalition. Committed to best practices

http://www.boysschoolscoalition.org

Abstract of Talk :

Exploring the Secrets of your Personality: Neuroimaging the Brain

Can the latest brain imaging tools tell us more about how the human brain works? Can we find the brain areas associated with your personality, your emotions and intelligence? Researchers at the Brain Sciences Institute are attempting to answer these questions, while also investigating issues which impact on young developing brain such as traumatic abuse.  Is their evidence to suggest that male and female brains have their own ways of processing information and coping? What are the implications for teaching and learning? Current research findings and implications will be discussed.  

2. Science Teachers of Victoria (STAV) VCE Psychology Conference 2006

Presented latest research and theory associated with the new Psychology Curriculum to teachers.

3. PPL Education Services 2005

“ Effectively assessing, intervening and managing personality disorders”

Raise community awareness of mental illness and current research trends.

4. School Education Program ( Swinburne University )

5. Jamillon Centre: support group for Dissociative Disorders.

Key Publications:

Devilly G.J., Ciorciari J.,Piesse A., Sherwell S., Zammit S., Cook F., Turton C., (2007) The Influence Of Dissociative Tendencies And Trauma History On Memory Performance. In A Directed-Forgetting Task. In Press Psychological Science

Devilly G.J., Ciorciari J., (2007) Conclusions in Science When theory and data collide. In Press Psychological Science

Ciorciari J. (2006) Biological Basis of Personality: EEG Studies and Behaviour. In: Case Studies in Psychology. Whelan T., (Ed)., Thomson Learning Australia (ISBN 0170130002)

Ciorciari J. (2006) Dissociative Identity Disorder: An EEG Experiment. In Case Studies in Psychology. Whelan T., (Ed)., Thomson Learning Australia (ISBN 0170130002)

Ciorciari J. (2005 ) “Biological Basis of Emotional Intelligence” in Research on Emotional Intelligence: International Symposium 2005. (2005). (Eds. Stough, C., Saklofske, D. & Hansen, K.). Tertiary press. (ISBN 0 86458 775 9)

Ciorciari J. (2003) “The Biological Basis of Personality” Labtalk Vol.47. No.2 pp12-13.

Hopper A., Ciorciari J., Johnson G., Spensley J., Sergejew A., Stough C. (2002) EEG Coherence and Dissociative Identity Disorder. Journal of Dissociation and Trauma. Vol 3 Issue 1.

Stough C., Donaldson C., Scarlata B., Ciorciari J. (2001) Psychophysiological Correlates of the NEO PI-R Openness, Agreeableness and Conscientiousness: Preliminary Results. International Journal of Psychophysiology. 41 pp87-91.

Ciorciari J.,Silberstein R., Copolov D.,(1998) The Steady State Visually Evoked Potential Topography in Chronic Schizophrenia. Brain Topography Today. Excerpta Medica International Congress Series No.1147. Excerpta Medica International Congress Series (ICS). Elsevier. 1997

Ciorciari, J., Silberstein, R., Line, P., Copolov, D., (1997) The steady state visually evoked potential topography dynamics in schizophrenia. Electroencephalography and Clinical Neurophysiology., Volume 103, Issue 1, July 1997, Page 92

Silberstein R.B., Ciorciari J., and Pipingas A., (1995). Steady State Visually Evoked Potential topography during the wisconsin card sort. EEG and Clin.Neurophysiology.96 pp24-35.

Ciorciari J.,Silberstein R., Copolov D., Currie., Ma S. (1995) The Topography and dynamics of the Steady State Visually Evoked Potential in Schizophrenia: A Pilot Study. ISBET Oct 10-12, Tokushima , Japan . Brain Topography

Silberstein R.B., Ciorciari J., and Pipingas A.,.(1993) Rapid changes in steady-state visually evoked potential topography associated with the Wisconsin card sort  Biological Psychology, Volume 37, Issue 1, October 1993, Page 59.

Silberstein R.B., Ciorciari J., Schier M.A., Pipingas A., Wood S. (1991). The steady state visually evoked potential and topography and vigilance. Proc XVth Annual Conference of the Australian Society for the Study of Brain Impairment. In: B.G.Frost, M.Watson and H.P.Pfister (eds).Brain Impairment: advances in applied research.. Australian Society for the study of brain impairment. pp267-274.

Silberstein R.B., Pipingas A., Schier M.A., Ciorciari J., Wood S.R.(1991) Dynamic changes in brain evoked potentially laterality in a visual vigilance task.Proc XVth Annual Conference of the Australian Society for the Study of Brain Impairment. In: B.G.Frost, M.Watson and H.P.Pfister (eds). Advances in applied research.. Australian Society for the study of brain impairment. pp267-274.

Silberstein R.B., Pipingas A., Schier M.A., Ciorciari J., Wood S.R., Simpson D.R. (1990) Steady-State Visually Evoked Potential topography associated with a visual vigilance task. Brain Topography. Volume 3, Number 2 Pages: 337 - 347

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