Staff Profile

Background

I hold a Bachelor's Degree in Psychology (graduated 2013) from Newcastle University, UK. 

In 2016 I completed my MRes in Neuroscience at Newcastle University, UK. My final research dissertation was supervised by Professor John-Paul Taylor and Dr Greg Elder and was entitled: "Examining the effects of transcranial direct current stimulation upon attentional function in Lewy body dementia: a pilot study" for which I worked for 2 months at the Institute of Neurosciences, Kolkata, India.

I completed my PhD in Neuroscience at Newcastle University in 2020, under the supervision of Professor John-Paul Taylor and Dr Daniel Collerton in which I set up and managed the "VISMAC" study, which investigated neural mechanisms and a novel intervention trial for visual hallucinations in people with eye disease and vision loss. My thesis was entitled "Understanding Charles Bonnet Syndrome: Mechanisms and Intervention".

Following my PhD I worked as a staff demonstrator in the School of Psychology teaching research methods and statistics on the undergraduate Psychology BSc program.

I am currently a Research Associate in the Translational and Clinical Research Institute within the Lewy Body Lab led by Professor John-Paul Taylor. My current research focus is investigating mechanisms underlying visual hallucinations in Lewy body dementia using electrophysiology and neuroimaging.

Areas of Expertise: Visual hallucinations, Neurdegenerative disorders, Charles Bonnet syndrome, Dementia, Cognition

https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Katrina-Da-Silva-Morgan

My research interests relate to visual hallucinations across disorders, in particular dementia and eye disease (Charles Bonnet syndrome). I am particularly focussed on understanding both the aetiology of visual hallucinations in the brain and how that may help researchers to develop new and effective interventions for this, often distressing and disruptive, symptom. 

Between 2017-2020 I conducted the VISMAC study, funded by the Macular Society, Fight for Sight, and the National Eye Research Council, investigating the neural mechanisms involved in the formation of visual hallucinations in eye disease, with the aim of better understanding why some people with vision loss experience visual hallucinations, while others do not. In addition to this, the study included a placebo-controlled crossover trial designed to investigate the potential therapeutic benefits of transcranial brain stimulation for people with Charles Bonnet Syndrome, the findings of which are currently being written up for publication.

At present, I am working on and managing the 'ALLSPICE' study, investigating connectivity between visual processing regions of the brain using PET-MR in people with Dementia with Lewy bodies and visual hallucinations.

Current Teaching:

• Seminar teaching for the School of Psychology and Medical School
  
• Supervisor for undergraduate Psychology BSc programme

• Demonstrator on the following BSc Psychology modules: "PSY1010: Research Methods and Skills 1", "PSY1011: Research Methods and Statistics 2", "PSY2009: Methods in Psychology 2A", "PSY2008: Psychological Inquiry 2", "PSY2011: Methods in Psychology 2B", "PSY3033: Eating and Weight Disorders".