Dr Robin Laycock

Dr Laycock's main research focus is on understanding the neural mechanisms underlying visual attention and object recognition, and also in how these maybe be impaired in some neurodevelopmental and psychiatric conditions (e.g., dyslexia, autism spectrum disorders, schizophrenia/schizotypy).

Investigations of parallel visual pathways in human by use of psychophysics techniques and by application of Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) to briefly disrupt neural networks are being used to better understand how in healthy individuals such an automatic and rapid perception of the visual world is achieved. Electrophysiological, eye-tracking and functional brain imaging (fMRI) techniques are also important tools for understanding the spatial and temporal profile of visual and visual attentional networks involved.

In particular, Dr Laycock has focused on understanding the contribution of parallel visual pathways (magnocellular, parvocellular), and of their contribution to the dorsal and ventral streams. TMS, as a brain stimulation technique, is a particularly exciting tool when used in conjunction with other cognitive neuroscience methodologies, as it provides causal information about the involvement of cortical regions in a given cognitive task.

Dr Laycock has also looked more recently at how anxiety and acute stress can influence perception, as well as exploring the relationship between conscious and non-conscious visual processing.

• BSc (University of Melbourne)
• Postgrad Dip AppPsych (La Trobe University)
• PhD (La Trobe University)

• Lamp, G., Alexander, B., Laycock, R., Crewther, D.P., Crewther, S.G. (2016). Mapping of the underlying neural mechanisms of maintenance and manipulation in visuo-spatial working memory using an n-back mental rotation task: a functional magnetic resonance imaging study. Frontiers in Human Neuroscience. 10:87.
  
• Low, E., Crewther, S.G., Perre, D., Ong, B., Tu, H., Laycock, R., Wijeratne, T. (2016). Beyond Neglect: Evidence of retrospective time estimation abnormalities in non-neglect stroke and transient ischemic attack patients. Scientific Reports, 6:22598 
  
• Laycock, R., Cross, A., Dalle Nogare, F., Crewther, S.G. (2014). Self-rated social skills predict visual perception: Deficits in object discrimination requiring transient attention associated with high autistic tendency. Autism Research, 7, 104-111. 
  
• Laycock, R., Crewther, D.P., Crewther, S.G. (2012). Abrupt and ramped flicker-defined form shows evidence for a large magnocellular impairment in dyslexia. Neuropsychologia.50(8), 2107-2113 
  
• Laycock, R., Cross, A.J., Lourenco, T., Crewther, S.G. (2011). Dorsal stream involvement in recognition of objects with transient onset but not ramped onset. Behavioral and Brain Functions, 7, 34. 
  
• Upton, D.J., Cooper, N.R., Laycock, R., Croft, R.J., & Fitzgerald, P.B. (2010). A combined rTMS and ERP investigation of dorsolateral prefrontal cortex involvement in response inhibition. (2010). Clinical Electroencephalography and Neuroscience, 41(3), 127-131. 
  
• Laycock, R., Crewther, D.P., Fitzgerald, P., Crewther, S.G. (2009). TMS disruption of V5/MT+ indicates a role for the dorsal stream in word recognition. Experimental Brain Research, 197(1), 69-79. 
  
• Laycock, R., Crewther, S.G. (2008). Towards an understanding of the role of the ‘magnocellular advantage’ in fluent reading. Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews, 32(8), 1494-1506. 
  
• Laycock, R., Crewther, S.G., Crewther, D.P. (2008). The advantage in being magnocellular: A few more remarks on attention and the magnocellular system. Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews, 32(8), 363-373. 
  
• Laycock, R., Crewther, D.P., Fitzgerald, P., Crewther, S.G. (2007). Evidence for fast signals and later processing in human V1/V2 and V5/MT+. Journal of Neurophysiology, 98(3), 1253-1262. 
  
  
• Laycock, R., Crewther, S.G., Crewther, D.P. (2007).  A role for the ‘magnocellular advantage’ in visual impairments in neurodevelopmental and psychiatric disorders. Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews, 31(3), 363-373.

Vision science, cognitive neuroscience, neurospsychology.

I am particularly interested in visual/attentional (including eye-movement) abnormalities in people on the autism spectrum, or in schizotypy. Also, I am interested in running projects exploring the extent of information processing that is possible without conscious awareness (using Continuous Flash Suppression).