Stamatina Tsiora
Postgraduate Student
Supervisor: Dr Douglas Potter
Co-Supervisor: Dr Astrid Schlorsheid & Dr Cyril Pernet (University of Edinburgh)

Contact Details:
Email: Stamatina Tsiora
Postal Address:
School of Psychology
The University of Dundee
Dundee
DD1 4HN
Scotland, UK
Interests
I am interested in attention orienting mechanisms. Evidence from recent studies (Corbetta and Shulman, 2008), suggest the existence of two neurologically distinct networks that either interact or compete with each other to facilitate attentional demands. Specifically, it has been shown that the stimulus-driven system facilitates the orientation of the goal-driven system towards new stimuli, especially when these are of high salience. On the other hand, the goal-driven network can, to a certain extent, inhibit the stimulus-driven network. I am exploring these effects in withdrawn from nicotine smokers and after they have ingested nicotine as well as in non-smokers. We believe that the manipulation of nicotine levels alters the relationship between stimulus and goal-driven attention networks. To investigate this we use electrophysiological (EEG) and combined EEG and functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) methods.
Biography
I completed my BSc with honours in Psychology in 2006 in Abertay University (Dundee) and soon after I worked for 2 years with children and adults with Autism and Asperger’s Syndrome. I also volunteered as a citizen advocate for people with learning disabilities. In 2009 I completed my MSc in Psychological Research Methods in Dundee University where I investigated attention-orienting mechanisms and which formed the basis of my PhD thesis.
Qualifications
MSc in Psychological Research Methods
University of Dundee, 2009
BSc Hons Psychology
University of Abertay, Dundee, 2006
Teaching
Level 2 Demonstrator: Research Skills for Psychologists
Level 2 Marker
Funding
SINAPSE PhD Studentship
Poster Presentations
Tsiora S., Potter D.D., Pernet, C. (2011). The effect of withdrawal and ingestion of nicotine on Event-Related Potential (ERP) correlates of goal-driven and stimulus-driven attention network activation by distractors, in a number decision task. Poster presented at the SINAPSE Annual Scientific Meeting, Dundee, June & SINAPSE Student Poster Day, Glasgow, May.
Macfarlane, J.A., Potter, D.D., Mugruza Vassallo, C., Tsiora, S., Cavin, I.D., Lerski, R.A., Crowe, E. & Kanodia, A.K (2011). Do fluctuations in EEG measures recorded during a verbal working memory task predict short-term changes in simultaneously acquired fMRI BOLD responses? Poster presented at the SINAPSE Annual Scientific Meeting, Dundee, June.

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