Rachel Marchant

School of Psychology
Doctoral Researcher

Contact details

Email: rem393@student.bham.ac.uk

Address: Office: G11, 52 Pritchatts Road
School of Psychology
University of Birmingham
Edgbaston
Birmingham
B15 2TT
UK

Rachel Marchant is a doctoral researcher at the University of Birmingham studying anomalous perceptual experiences and aberrant processing in psychologically-healthy populations. She is currently using brain-stimulation (tDCS) and –recording (EEG) techniques to investigate how cortical hyperexcitability in the visual association and auditory cortices can influence predisposition to visual hallucinations and associated distortions. Understanding the origin and nature of these experiences and processes provides important insights into current models of brain function and consciousness.

Qualifications

Cognitive Neuroscience BSc (Sussex University) – First
Brain Imaging and Cognitive Neuroscience MSc (University of Birmingham) – Distinction

Biography

Rachel previously studied Neuroscience and Cognitive Science at the University of Sussex, before undertaking a research-based Masters in Brain Imaging and Cognitive Neuroscience at the University of Birmingham. She is now in the final year of her doctorate at Birmingham.

Doctoral research

PhD title: The dissociated self: An investigation of the neurocognitive factors underlying anomalous experiences in self-consciousness

Other activities

Associate Fellow of the Higher Education Academy
2018-Current: Teaching Fellow for Psychology, School of Psychology, Birmingham University
2016-Current: Teacher on the Introduction to Teaching and Learning course, Higher Education Futures institute, Birmingham University
2015-2018: Undergraduate Teaching Assistant, Birmingham University (various modules)
2015-2017 Senior Student Representative for Psychology PhD students at Birmingham University
2015-2017: Member of the Equality & Diversity Committee, School of Psychology, Birmingham University

Publications

Journal articles

Braithwaite, J., Marchant, R., Takahashi, C., Dewe, H., & Watson, D. (2015). The Cortical Hyperexcitability index: A new measure for quantifying correlates of visually driven cortical hyperexcitability. Cognitive Neuropsychiatry, 20, 4, 330-348.

Conference presentations

Marchant, R. & Braithwaite, J. (2017). Using the Cortical Hyperexcitability index (CHi) to predict anomalous experience in psychologically-healthy young people. Oral presentation at the International Association for Youth Mental Health 2017 conference, Dublin, Ireland, 26/09/17.

Marchant, R., & Braithwaite, J. (2017). Stimulating the mind: Exploring predisposition to anomalous visual experiences using transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS). Poster presented at the Royal Society meeting “Of mice and mental health: Facilitating dialogue between basic and clinical neuroscientists”, London, UK, 25/04/2017.

Marchant, R., & Braithwaite, J. (2017). Stimulating the mind: Exploring predisposition to anomalous visual experiences using transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS). Poster presented at the British Neuroscience Association Festival of Neuroscience 2017, Birmingham, UK, 10/04/2017.

Marchant, R., & Braithwaite, J. (2017). Stimulating the mind: Exploring predisposition to anomalous visual experiences using transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS). Poster presented at the 2^nd Midlands Academy of Medical Sciences Research Festival 2017, University of Warwick, UK, 31/03/2017.

Invited presentation, University of Lancaster – “Predisposition to anomalous experiences: An investigation using tDCS brain stimulation methods.” (6/12/2016)