When perception goes wrong: how brain plasticity shapes our reality
When hearing is damaged, the brain tries to compensate by ‘filling in’ missing sound information, creating the phantom ringing or buzzing of tinnitus. The same plasticity that enables this compensation can also reinforce it over time, allowing tinnitus to persist. But tinnitus is just one example of a much broader phenomenon – phantom perceptions occur across all our senses. This talk will explore how the brain changes itself through plasticity, and how this influences our conscious experience of reality.
Bio
Dr Kristin Barry is a neuroscientist and lecturer in Physiology at The University of Western Australia. She studies how the brain makes sense of sound, with a particular interest in hearing loss and tinnitus. Her research focuses on why some people develop tinnitus after hearing loss while others do not, with the goal of finding new ways to treat tinnitus. Passionate about making science accessible, Kristin is an award-winning educator who enjoys sharing everything she's learned about the brain.
Event
Tuesday 28 October, 5:30pm – 6:30pm @Lil's Hideout, 437 Murray St, Perth WA 6000
The other talk at this location is When governments sabotage vaccination: an analysis of the United States at 7:00pm – 8:00pm
