Directory of Experts

Details for Professor Matt Jones

Personal details
Name Professor Matt Jones
Job title Professorial Research Fellow in Neuroscience
Department School of Physiology, Pharmacology & Neuroscience University of Bristol
Personal web page http://www.bristol.ac.uk/phys-pharm/people/matt-w-jones/index.html
Contact details This expert can be contacted via the University of Bristol Public Relations Office.

To help us deal with your request, please mention the Directory of Experts when contacting the Public Relations Office.

work+44 (0)117 331 8092
email:
Qualifications B.A.(Cantab.), Ph.D.(Bristol)
Professional details
Membership of professional bodies British Neuroscience Association
Society for Neuroscience (US)
Keywords neuronal networks
brain
learning and memory
frontal cortex
hippcampus
neuronal oscillations
schizophrenia
sleep
Areas of expertise How are networks of neurons across numerous brain regions organized during complex processes and behaviour such as learning and memory or decision-making? One likely mechanism is through the coordinated, rhythmic activity of neuronal populations, which give rise to oscillations in local field potentials (LFP) and electroencephalogram (EEG) at a broad range of frequencies. Like musicians in an orchestra - who play in time with one other by following the beat of their conductor - so groups of neurons may align the relative timing of their activities by tracking the phase of rhythmic oscillations.

Unfortunately, neither orchestras nor nervous systems behave perfectly all the time. Complex and debilitating psychiatric disorders like schizophrenia, ADHD and autism are thought to arise as a consequence of dysfunctional interactions between brain regions. For example, the EEG of schizophrenic patients shows abnormal rhythmicity likely to reflect impaired neural coordination.
Media experience http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/6727727.stm

'Questions, questions' - Radio 4