In this episode of Better Thinking, Nesh Nikolic speaks with Dr Genevieve Rayner about the intricate interplay of neurobiology and psychosocial factors contributing to mood and cognitive disorders in epilepsy and other neurological conditions.

Dr Genevieve Rayner is a practicing clinical neuropsychologist and lecturer in clinical neuropsychology at the Melbourne School of Psychological Sciences. As a clinician-scientist, she balances her clinical and academic work with her role as a senior neuropsychology research fellow in a world-leading epilepsy research genetics group at the Epilepsy Genetics Research Program.

Her program of research aims to explore the neurobiological and psychosocial underpinnings of mood and cognitive disorders in epilepsy and other neurological conditions, using behavioural, neuroimaging, and genetics methodologies. Genevieve is a member of the Next Generation Task Force of the International League Against Epilepsy (ILAE), a founding member and secretary of the ILAE's Young Epilepsy Section (YES), and a member of the Research and Training Subcommittee of the Epilepsy Society of Australia. She is also a YES representative for the 13th Asian and Oceanic Epilepsy Congress Organising Committee.

Episode link at https://neshnikolic.com/podcast/genevieve-rayner

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In this episode of Better Thinking, Nesh Nikolic speaks with Dr James Dunn about strategies that support superior face identification accuracy and contextual influences on face identification as well as his most interesting research on Super-recognisers which he has been studying using the UNSW Face Test.

James Dunn is a Lecturer in the School of Psychology at UNSW Sydney. Current areas of interest include face and person recognition, forensic science and individual differences with both applied and theory-inspired research using behavioural methods, machine learning and eye-tracking.

Previous and current research projects: person-in-crowd identification, the strategies supporting superior face identification accuracy, and contextual influences on face identification.

Episode link at https://neshnikolic.com/podcast/james-dunn

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In this episode of Better Thinking, Nesh Nikolic speaks with Kelly Clemens about the intricate realms of addiction neuroscience, including behavioural neuroscience of nicotine dependence as well as the epigenetic consequences of drug addiction.

Kelly Clemens is an Associate Professor in the School of Psychology, and Associate Dean of Impact Partnerships for the Faculty of Science, UNSW.

Kelly has studied at the University of Otago and the University of Sydney, with post-doctoral experience at the University of Bordeaux, France, and Macquarie University, Sydney, before establishing her own laboratory at UNSW in 2012. Her research focuses on the causes and consequences of drug addiction, spanning basic science through to translational and industry engagement.

Episode link at https://neshnikolic.com/podcast/kelly-clemens

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In this episode of Better Thinking, Nesh Nikolic speaks with Dr Mark Horowitz about exploring expert strategies for tapering off SSRIs and managing withdrawal symptoms.

Dr Mark Horowitz MBBS PhD is a Clinical Research Fellow in Psychiatry in the National Health Service (NHS) in England and an Honorary Research Fellow at University College London (UCL) and a trainee psychiatrist. He runs a deprescribing clinic in the NHS helping people to stop psychiatric medications.

He co-authored the Royal College of Psychiatry guidance on “Stopping Antidepressants”, and his work informed the recent National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) guidelines on safe discontinuation of psychiatric medications. He also published work on how to safely taper antipsychotics in JAMA Psychiatry and Schizophrenia Bulletin.

He has authored chapters of the Maudsley Prescribing Guidelines on how to stop mood stabilisers, antidepressants, antipsychotics, benzodiazepines, z-drugs and gabapentinoids. He is currently writing the Maudsley Deprescribing Guidelines in Psychiatry which will be published in 2023. He is Co-Investigator on the RELEASE trial in Australia evaluating the effect of gradual, hyperbolic tapering of antidepressants compared to care as usual.

He has an interest in rational psychopharmacology and deprescribing psychiatric medication. He has experienced the difficulty of coming off psychiatric medications first-hand which has informed much of his work. His work can be found at https://markhorowitz.org/

Episode link at https://neshnikolic.com/podcast/mark-horowitz

In this episode of Better Thinking, Nesh Nikolic speaks with Dr Suzy Green enhancing mental health outcomes in organizations and schools through positive psychology, emphasizing the promotion of mental wellbeing over solely addressing mental illness.

Dr Suzy Green is a Clinical Psychologist with extensive experience in the treatment of mental illness, Dr Green is on a mission to reduce the impact of mental illness in our workplaces, schools and communities and promote the value of improving mental wellness.

Dr Green is the CEO & Founder of The Positivity Institute, an organisation dedicated to the research and application of Positive Psychology in workplaces and schools.

Dr Green is an Honorary Professor in the School of Psychology at the University of East London and also holds honorary academic positions at the Centre for Positive Psychology, University of Melbourne and the Black Dog Institute. Dr Green is also an affiliate of the Institute for Wellbeing at Cambridge University.

Its a great pleasure to speak with Dr Green on the topic of enhancing MH outcomes in organisations and schools through positive psychology and focusing toward promoting mental wellbeing rather than mental illness alone.

Episode link at https://neshnikolic.com/podcast/suzy-green

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In this episode of Better Thinking, Nesh Nikolic speaks with Jayashri Kulkarni about her research on the connections between mental health, such as depression, with premenstrual cycles most notably premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) and premenstrual exacerbation (PME).

Professor Jayashri Kulkarni AM graduated in Medicine from Monash University in 1981 and became a Fellow of the College of Psychiatrists in 1988. Jayashri commenced her appointment as Professor of Psychiatry at The Alfred and Monash University in 2002.

Professor Kulkarni founded and directs two research centres – HER Centre Australia and the Monash Alfred Psychiatry Research Centre (MAPrc). She is also Head of the Department of Psychiatry, Central Clinical School, Monash University -Faculty of Medicine, Nursing & Health Sciences.

Jayashri has conducted ground-breaking clinical research and is internationally acknowledged as a leader and expert in the field of Women’s Mental Health, in particular, for her innovative work on reproductive hormones and mental illness. Her world-first research in hormones and mental health has led to the development of new treatments for women with mental ill health. She developed and launched Australia’s first women’s mental health hospital at Cabrini Health in September 2021. Jayashri received an Order of Australia (AM) in 2019 for her services to Medicine.

Episode link at https://neshnikolic.com/podcast/jayashri-kulkarni

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In this episode of Better Thinking, Nesh Nikolic speaks with Lucette Cysique about the importance of understanding post-viral syndromes and how it can pave the way for enhanced long-term outcomes, benefiting both individuals and the wider community.

Associate Professor Lucette Cysique, a neuropsychologist researcher whos intrests lie in Modelling neurocognitive and brain changes based on chronic infectious conditions such as HIV infection and COVID-19.

Lucette completed her Neuro/Psychology undergraduate and graduate degrees in France and U.K.; Neuropsychology PhD in Australia, Neuropsychology and Neuroimaging Post-docs in US and Australia. Currently, Lucette is a Senior Lecturer at UNSW school of Psychology and she also Leads & co-lead NeuroHIV trials nationally and internationally.

In addition, Lucette is Chair of the NeuroCOVID International Neuropsychological Society Special Interest Group.

Episode link at https://neshnikolic.com/podcast/lucette-cysique

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In this episode of Better Thinking, Nesh Nikolic speaks with Dr Anna Kiaos about qualitative research methods and practices, offering valuable insights into understanding mental health within organisations.

Dr Anna Kiaos is a critical ethnographer with a passion for psychiatry, psychology and mental health. Her research explores the boundary between the psychological and societal focused views of the self. Specifically, her PhD research encompassed several interconnected topics, notably, managerial ideology, normative control, the underlying systems of cultural and subcultural meaning with a particularly strong focus on conceptions of self enacted in everyday working life and how such enactments reflect self consciousness from the perspective of various cohorts in the workplace.

T.A. Kiaos trained under Professor Gideon Kunda, Tel Aviv University. She has consulted with organisations in a variety of industries, including government, healthcare organisations, consulting firms and private enterprise to assess and improve an organisation’s ideology, culture, culture change management practices and approaches to leadership.

T.A. Kiaos received her PhD in Management from Macquarie University Business School and her Master of Health Communication from the University of Sydney. She currently works for the University of New South Wales, School of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Health. She is heavily involved with leading projects and her work involves close collaboration across ample research centres and groups, including the Centre for Healthy Brain and Aging (CHeBA), the Department of Developmental Disability Neuropsychiatry (3DN) along with the Discipline's Medical Research Institutes, notably, Black Dog Institute, Ingham Institute and Neuroscience Research Australia (NeuRA).

Episode link at https://neshnikolic.com/podcast/anna-kiaos

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In this episode of Better Thinking, Nesh Nikolic speaks with Dr Philip Jean-Richard Dit Bressel about his research on neural circuitry using animal models to explore reward and punishment paradigms, their impact on decision-making processes, alongside a discussion on the gamification of research protocols in human studies.

Dr Philip Jean-Richard Dit Bressel is a behavioural neuroscientist at UNSW School of Psychology. Currently investigating psychobiological mechanisms of motivated learning by combining precision neuroscience techniques (e.g fibre photometry, optogenetics) with behavioural paradigms and multi-pronged analysis approaches.

His research endeavors to unveil the psychology and biology underlying the acquisition of associations between environmental cues, behavior, and outcomes, enabling adaptive behavioral modifications. His primary focus lies in unraveling the mechanisms of punishment learning, particularly how individuals discern actions leading to adverse outcomes.

This investigation holds significance in comprehending and enhancing decision-making processes in daily life. Furthermore, it holds relevance in various conditions marked by deficiencies in punishment learning, including substance and behavioral addictions (such as drug addiction and gambling disorder), psychopathy (such as antisocial personality disorder), and depression.

Episode link at https://neshnikolic.com/podcast/philip-jean-richard-dit-bressel

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In this episode of Better Thinking, Nesh Nikolic speaks with Michael Kasumovic about how humans respond to status both percieved and actual and how this can moderate specific behaviour.

Michael Matthew Kasumovic is an Associate Professor at University of New South Wales and Teacher & Director of Arludo. His research explores how the social environment shapes the evolution of individual traits and behaviours.

In this broad research question, Michael has explored how access to resources in insects, animals and humans moderates evolutionary decisions. Interestingly, Michael has worked with insects such as spiders and crickets to explore how changes in the density of males and females affects developmental decisions, and the outcome this has for how individuals perform and age.

Michael's research on humans explores how our evolutionary history can explain gender differences in the video games we choose to play and how this affects how we perceive ourselves and behave.

Episode link at https://neshnikolic.com/podcast/michael-kasumovic

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