Building an evidence base and education for non-pharmacological depression treatments is a focus for Dr Aleksandra Miljevic, a Postdoctoral researcher at the Perron Institute and The University of Western Australia (UWA).
Dr Miljevic recently completed her PhD at Monash University in Melbourne and since her move to Perth she has begun to work with Associate Professor Jennifer Rodger, who heads the Brain Plasticity and Youth Mental Health research at Perron Institute and UWA.
“My PhD research involved EEG - Electroencephalography-based functional connectivity or brain communication,” Dr Miljevic said.
“EEG measures brain activity using electrodes placed on the scalp. It detects brain waves which we can examine to determine how different brain regions communicate with one another.
“However, EEG – like a lot of non-invasive imaging techniques – can also detect non-brain signals such as muscle movements or heartbeats, and how these signals are ‘cleaned’ (or separated from the brain signals) varies significantly across studies and researchers.
“My thesis aimed to improve how EEG data is processed and develop a valid, replicable methodology to assess brain communication more effectively.
“By refining the way we record and measure EEG changes, we hope to better understand how different conditions, such as depression, and different treatments for those conditions, including medication or brain stimulation, affect brain communication.
“Better recordings can lead to a better understanding of the brain which can then lead us to better evaluation of brain-related changes and treatment outcomes.”
Dr Miljevic’s PhD Supervisors were Professor Paul Fitzgerald (Australian National University (ANU) and Monash University), and co-founder of TMS Australia, Dr Neil Bailey (ANU and Monash University), and Dr Oscar Murphy (Bionic Institute and Monash University).
“My work currently focuses on the neuroscience of mental health in adolescent and youth populations (individuals between 15-25 years old),” Dr Miljevic said.
“I am grateful to have received funding to continue my research into depression, it’s treatment, and the associated brain changes.
“I feel very honoured and privileged to be working at the Perron Institute on research that I love, with a passionate and dedicated team.
“I’m very excited for the opportunity the funding provides to work with youth organisations and young people from the community. It’s important to put youth at the forefront of this research to make sure we do the research they want to see, and research that they can trust, while also offering more treatment options.
“I think this work can make a real impact and broaden the Perron Institute’s youth mental health research focus.”