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Rachael, an Auckland Medical Research Foundation doctoral scholar, graduated with her PhD in Pharmacy in 2019. Rachael feels as though she is exactly where she is meant to be as a researcher in neuroscience. When she took one look at a human brain during her psychology courses, she was hooked and proceeded to take every available course in cognitive neuroscience. Recently, Rachael has been working with a collaborator at Cardiff University Brain Research Imaging Centre in the UK on using advanced computational modelling with electroencephalography (EEG) to provide even more detail on the interaction between sex steroids and major neurotransmitters. Dr Rachael Sumner I completed my master’s degree in Psychology in 2014 where, by following my passions in research, I was creating a clear path towards clinical neuroscience and neuroimaging. My research focuses on finding ways to measure the human brain using non-invasive techniques like electroencephalography (EEG), and computational modelling. Particularly in contexts where there is a real need to study the brain functioning as a networked system in the affected people themselves. EEG involves placing lots of small electrodes on people’s scalp and recording the electrical signals that the brain emits. The shape, size, timing, and location of the electrical signals can tell us a lot about important brain functions. When I completed my PhD in Pharmacy in 2019 under the supervision of Associate Professor Suresh Muthukumaraswamy, I learnt about harnessing pharmacology to further this research. Much can be learnt about refining non-invasive research techniques in the human brain by using pharmacotherapies to change the system in known ways and measuring the response. Most of my work with Associate Professor Suresh Muthukumaraswamy has been in mental health and trying to understand the biologically complex disorder, major depression. I have had the privilege of working on clinical trials that are investigating how ketamine and scopolamine work as rapid-acting antidepressants. My latest work involves studying microdoses of lysergic-acid diethylamide (LSD). I am currently beginning to forge my own independent research pathway and future, based on a study that I completed during my PhD on how the menstrual cycle affects EEG signals. It started as a project to understand how and if sex steroids affect our measures more generally, and the results were unexpectedly powerful. The menstrual cycle seemed to be impacting specific major brain systems to the same magnitude as an anti-seizure drug (tiagabine), or a low dose of ketamine. We not only showed the profound effect of the menstrual cycle on the brain, but also that we could measure it happening! This ability presents massive potential for understanding disorders associated with the menstrual cycle. My current work is building on this, by measuring what happens to the brain on the combined oral contraceptive. Next, I am hoping to get research off the ground, beginning by the end of 2021 with women who experience catamenial epilepsy. Catamenial epilepsy affects around 40% of females with epilepsy. Affected women will experience a doubling or more of seizures at specific points of their menstrual cycle. These seizures are hard to treat; international studies have shown catamenial seizures are frequently treatment resistant. My research specialty is well placed to further our understanding of what happens in the brain to cause catamenial seizures and, armed with more information about the affected systems in the brain, to search for better treatment options. I have teamed together with neurologist’s Dr Peter Bergin, and Dr Cynthia Sharpe. We are very excited about this new research programme. Dr Rachael Sumner will be speaking in Hamilton in March to celebrate Brain Awareness Month! If you’d like to join us, please RSVP for a ticket today. Date: 24 March 2021 Time: 6.30 pm Location: Splice Construction Lounge, FMG Stadium Waikato, 128 Seddon Road, Hamilton Register for a ticket using one of the options below. Phone: 0508 BRAINS (0508 272 467) Email: RSVP@neurological.org.nz Online: events.humanitix.com/BAM- Hamilton 18 Headlines