Dr David Moreau

Lecturer

In: Psychology » Faculty of Science

Biography

I completed my BS, MS and PhD at the University of Lille, France, followed by a postdoctoral fellowship at Princeton University. I arrived at The University of Auckland in 2015, where I now lead the Brain Dynamics Lab (braindynamicslab.com).

Research | Current

The Brain Dynamics Lab focuses on the variability inherent to behavioral and neural systems, in the context of normal development, neurological diseases and disorders, and as a result of interventions.

More specifically, research in the lab is centered on three main goals:

(1) Theoretical: understanding the mechanisms of behavioral and neural change;

(2) Methodological: refining the measurements and methods to evaluate these dynamics;

(3) Translational: designing and implementing interventions to improve mental and physical health.

We pursue these three intertwined lines of research in the hope to further our understanding of typical and disordered brains, with the overall goal to facilitate personalized approaches to intervention.

Teaching | Current

PSYCH306: Research Methods in Psychology - Course coordinator, Lecturer

PSYCH756: Dynamics of Brain and Behavior - Course coordinator, Lecturer

PSYCH722: Learning and Human Development - Guest Lecturer

PSYCH744: Experimental Design and Quantitative Methods for Psychology - Guest Lecturer

Postgraduate supervision

I supervise postgraduate students at the Honors, Masters and PhD level. Possible research areas for postgraduate students include:

The dynamics of brain and behavior
The neural mechanisms underlying cognitive performance
The influence of health interventions (e.g., exercise, diet) on brain and cognition
The development of novel methods to assess variability in brain and behavior

Distinctions/Honours

Early Career Research Excellence Award (2019)
Centre for Brain Research Emerging Researcher Award (2018)
National Award for Best PhD Thesis in Science (2013)
National Research Fellowship (2011)
Fulbright Fellowship (2008)
Fulbright Award, Washington D.C. (2008)
Fulbright Award, Brown University (2008)
E.U. Exchange Student Fellowship (2007)
French National Student Fellowship (2007)
Franco-Canadian Bilateral Fellowship (2004)

Areas of expertise

Cognitive Neuroscience; Training and Plasticity of Cognition; Methods; Statistics; Mathematical Modeling

Committees/Professional groups/Services

Neuroimaging User Group, 2017-present
Statistical Consultant for the Growing Up in New Zealand study, 2016-present
Emerging Researcher Committee, Centre for Brain Research, University of Auckland, 2016-present
Strategic Planning Group Committee, Centre for Brain Research, University of Auckland, 2016-present
National Development Grant Referee (ad hoc), 2015

Selected publications and creative works (Research Outputs)

Wang, C.-H., Moreau, D., Yang, C.-T., Tsai, Y.-Y., Lin, J.-T., Liang, W.-K., & Tsai, C.-L. (2019). Aerobic exercise modulates transfer and brain signal complexity following cognitive training. Biological psychology, 144, 85-98. 10.1016/j.biopsycho.2019.03.012
McKay, N. S., Moreau, D., Henare, D. T., & Kirk, I. J. (2019). The brain-derived neurotrophic factor Val66Met genotype does not influence the grey or white matter structures underlying recognition memory. NeuroImage, 197, 1-12. 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2019.03.072
Moreau, D., Wiebels, K., Wilson, A. J., & Waldie, K. E. (2019). Volumetric and surface characteristics of gray matter in adult dyslexia and dyscalculia. Neuropsychologia, 127, 204-210. 10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2019.02.002
URL: http://hdl.handle.net/2292/46610
Other University of Auckland co-authors: Kristina Wiebels, Karen Waldie
Spriggs, M. J., Thompson, C. S., Moreau, D., McNair, N. A., Wu, C. C., Lamb, Y. N., ... Shelling, A. N. (2019). Human Sensory LTP Predicts Memory Performance and Is Modulated by the BDNF Val(66) Met Polymorphism. FRONTIERS IN HUMAN NEUROSCIENCE, 1310.3389/fnhum.2019.00022
Other University of Auckland co-authors: Andrew Shelling, Jeffrey Hamm, Karen Waldie, Ian Kirk
Wang, C.-H., Moreau, D., Yang, C.-T., Lin, J.-T., Tsai, Y.-Y., & Tsai, C.-L. (2019). The influence of aerobic fitness on top-down and bottom-up mechanisms of interference control. Neuropsychology, 33 (2), 245-255. 10.1037/neu0000507
Moreau, D., Macnamara, B. N., & Hambrick, D. Z. (2019). Overstating the Role of Environmental Factors in Success: A Cautionary Note. CURRENT DIRECTIONS IN PSYCHOLOGICAL SCIENCE, 28 (1), 28-33. 10.1177/0963721418797300
Moreau, D., Stonyer, J. E., McKay, N. S., & Waldie, K. E. (2018). No evidence for systematic white matter correlates of dyslexia: An Activation Likelihood Estimation meta-analysis. Brain research, 1683, 36-47. 10.1016/j.brainres.2018.01.014
URL: http://hdl.handle.net/2292/44674
Other University of Auckland co-authors: Karen Waldie
Moreau, D., & Corballis, M. C. (2018). When Averaging Goes Wrong: The Case for Mixture Model Estimation in Psychological Science. Journal of Experimental Psychology: General10.1037/xge0000504
URL: http://hdl.handle.net/2292/45946