Professor Stephen Mayhew

Supervisor Details

Contact Details

Scientific Background

Research Interests

My research uses multimodal neuroimaging (EEG/fMRI/MRI/MEG) to obtain neural and haemodynamic measures of brain activity and uses them to study human health and cognition. I am especially interested in how patterns of collaborative and antagonistic brain network activity give rise to human behaviour and how this develops and changes across the human lifespan. Current projects study the negative BOLD fMRI response and aim to understand questions such as: what are their neural signatures; what (if any) inhibitory processes do NBR reflect; how do they relate to quality of behavioural task performance; what functional purpose do NBR serve to benefit overall brain function; what brain network mechanisms give rise to them.

Supervision Style

In three words or phrases: supportive, collaborative, organised.

Provision of Training

I would take responsibility for your technical training at first, alongside experienced post docs/PhD students, leading to more independence later as you grow more comfortable and skilled.

Progression Monitoring and Management

I will expect you to take full ownership of your progression but I will always be available to help and will support you every step of the way. I like to be kept up to date and so we will typically meet weekly and discuss progress and revise/set new targets as we go along.

Communication

I wont expect communications outside of working hours. I am happy to discuss any issues that are impacting your ability to fulfil your potential or my/our expectations.

PhD Students can expect scheduled meetings with me:

In a group meeting

At least once a fortnight

In year 1 of PhD study

At least once a week

In year 2 of PhD study

At least once a week

In year 3 of PhD study

At least once a fortnight

These meetings will mainly be face to face, and I am usually contactable for an instant response 3 or 4 days per week.

Working Pattern

The timing of work in my lab is completely flexible, and (other than attending pre-arranged meetings), I expect students to manage their own time.

Notice Period for Feedback

I need at least 2 weeks' notice to provide feedback on written work of up to 5000 words.

MIBTP Project Details

Current Projects (2025-26)

Primary supervisor for:

Revealing the origins of deactivations in human brain activity and their mechanistic support for task performance

See the PhD Opportunities section to see if this project is currently open for applications via MIBTP.

Please Note: The main page lists projects via BBSRC Research Theme(s) quoted and then relevant Topic(s).

Revealing the origins of deactivations in human brain activity and their mechanistic support for task performance

Secondary Supervisor(s): Dr Caroline Witton, Professor Stefano Seri

University of Registration: Aston University

BBSRC Research Themes: Understanding the Rules of Life (Neuroscience and Behaviour)

Project Outline

Summary

Combines functional MRI (fMRI) and magnetoencephalography (MEG) measurements with intra-cranial, stereo-electroencephalography (SEEG) recordings and computational modelling to investigate the fundamental mechanisms of how patterns of neuronal activation and deactivation create efficient brain network function and how they support behaviour.

Overview

A core operation of the brain is efficiently adjusting the activity of its composite networks to meet behavioural goals. This is achieved via co-ordinated patterns of brain activation (BA, increases in neuronal activity above resting baseline levels) and deactivation (BD) (Shmuel 2006; Parker 2019). Therefore, the execution of everyday tasks arises from two parallel and interlinked processes: 1) ensuring the recruitment of the necessary cortical and subcortical systems; 2) inhibiting activity within brain regions that is not required for achieving the current goal. BD are ubiquitous but our understanding of them is surprisingly poor and consequently BD are underutilised in neuroimaging. This project will address this by utilising the highest possibly fidelity of neural activity recordings (SEEG), available via a unique collaboration with Birmingham Children’s Hospital, alongside non-invasive fMRI and MEG. It will aim to discover the neural signatures of BD; what inhibitory processes BD reflect; what brain network mechanisms give rise to BD and what functional purpose BD serve to benefit overall brain function. This will enable a deeper understanding of behaviour and construction of more complete models of brain function.

References

Parker and Razlighi 2019, Scientific Reports. DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-50483-8.

Shmuel et al 2006, Nature Neuroscience. DOI: 10.1038/nn1675.

Improving understanding of childhood brain network function and physiology

See the PhD Opportunities section to see if this project is currently open for applications via MIBTP.

Please Note: The main page lists projects via BBSRC Research Theme(s) quoted and then relevant Topic(s).

Improving understanding of childhood brain network function and physiology

Secondary Supervisor(s): Dr Caroline Witton, Professor Stefano Seri

University of Registration: Aston University

BBSRC Research Themes: Understanding the Rules of Life (Neuroscience and Behaviour)

Project Outline

Summary

Combines functional MRI (fMRI) and optically pumped magnetometer (OPM) measures to study the development and maturation of brain network activity and neurovascular health in children.

Overview

Childhood is a crucial period of cognitive and neurophysiological development featuring changes in brain-network function and behaviour. Obtaining a full understanding of these processes and how they interact necessitates a multimodal neuroimaging approach measuring fundamental parameters of brain function and brain health such as neural activity, brain blood flow and energy usage. These parameters are linked by neurovascular coupling (NVC) which is well studied in adults and underlies the contribution of fMRI to our current understanding of the adult brain. However, NVC is poorly studied but suggested to alter during childhood (Schmithorst 2015) which restricts fMRI application to developmental questions as well as neurophysiological interpretation in this vital period. OPM (Brookes 2022) are a new technology which are ideally suited to non-invasive, high-fidelity measures of neural activity in children. OPM offer a wearable, more comfortable system with sensors much closer to the brain than traditional cryogenic MEG systems which are designed primarily for adults. This project will combine MRI measures of brain function, blood flow and metabolism with OPM recordings to provide the most comprehensive assessment of childhood (4-18 years) brain function to date. Across childhood the project will: 1) characterise NVC via relationships between neural, metabolic and haemodynamic brain activity; 2) investigate the physiological and functional parameters of both healthy and efficient brain function during cognition. Understanding such healthy brain mechanisms can help identify how they differ in pathology and mental health conditions.

References

Brookes MJ et al 2022. Trends in Neurosciences. DOI: 10.1016/j.tins.2022.05.008.

Schmithorst et al 2015, Human Brain Mapping. DOI: 10.1002/hbm.22608.