My current research interests lie in the neural mechanisms that underpin intelligent behaviour. Many relatively unsophisticated animals appear to show glimpses of the highest orders of cognitive ability, once thought to be out of reach of such tiny brains. That these animals can solve very complex problems seems to challenge the conventional distinctions between ?higher-order? and ?lower-order? thought. In setting aside these traditional notions, we can ask new and exciting questions. What truly characterises intelligent behaviour? In what ways can simple neural mechanisms come together to facilitate higher-order aptitudes? And what does it mean to be clever? By using cutting edge neuroimaging techniques, I hope to contribute to our growing knowledge of how basic neural function can coordinate complex behavioural outcomes and in doing so, address these questions.
