Presentation
The Centre for Neurocognitive and Neurophysiological Research (Centre d'investigations neurocognitives et neuro physiologiques – CI2N) specialises in the measurement, recording and analysis of physiological and electrophysiological data in humans. Thanks to its cutting-edge scientific equipment, the platform is an attractive asset for many academic and industrial partners.
In addition to its interest in research and the development of numerous industrial partnerships, this infrastructure plays an essential role in translational and medical research, at a local and regional scale.
In addition, it provides valuable support for the training of psychology and neuroscience Masters students, in particular by serving as a teaching platform for the Graduate School of Pain (École Universitaire de Recherche Interdisciplinaire sur la Douleur – EURIDOL). Teachers have access to its electrophysiological equipment dedicated to pain assessment.
Research topics
The platform focuses most of its research activities on exploring human perceptual systems, whatever the sensory modality. In line with local and regional research topics, over the last five years it has gradually specialised in the study of the somatosensory system (thermal, tactile, nociceptive). The expertise of the teams involved covers all aspects related to the stimulation, measurement and analysis of data relating to the exploration of perceptual systems, through :
- Psychophysical measurements
- Electrophysiological measurements (electroencephalogram, electrocardiogram, electrodermal response, electromyogram, electrooculogram)
- Physiological measurements (vasomotricity using laser Doppler, sweating using spectrometry, indirect brain activity using near infrared spectrometry - NIRS, and audiometry)
- Analysis of electrophysiological data using Analyzer© and Brainwave© software
Major events and works
The platform plays a key role in validating innovative tools for local start-ups such as HypnoVR, Easy-Pain and QST.Lab, demonstrating its usefulness in the socio-economic world.
HypnoVR
HypnoVR offers a virtual reality hypnosis system for use during surgical procedures, as a complement to or substitute for local or general anaesthesia. For the past 2 years, CI2N has been collaborating in the testing of this technology with healthy volunteers.
QST.Lab
QST.Lab has developed a tactile stimulator, offering an electronic alternative to Von Frey filaments. CI2N is responsible for testing this tactile stimulator on a group of healthy volunteers.
Easy-Pain
Easy-Pain is developing an application designed to diagnose cognitive deficits linked to chronic pain. The CI2N is testing this application with a group of elderly people.