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) Practical: 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

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)

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
Other University of Auckland co-authors: Karen Waldie, Nicole Mckay
Moreau, D. (2018). Physical exercise and cognitive enhancement. The Exercise Effect on Mental Health: Neurobiological Mechanisms (pp. 171-187). 10.4324/9781315113906
Moreau, D., Wilson, A. J., McKay, N. S., Nihill, K., & Waldie, K. E. (2018). No evidence for systematic white matter correlates of dyslexia and dyscalculia. NeuroImage : Clinical, 18, 356-366. 10.1016/j.nicl.2018.02.004
URL: http://hdl.handle.net/2292/43414
Other University of Auckland co-authors: Karen Waldie, Nicole Mckay
Habacha, H., Moreau, D., Jarraya, M., Lejeune-Poutrain, L., & Molinaro, C. (2018). Dissociating object-based from egocentric transformations in mental body rotation: effect of stimuli size. Experimental brain research, 236 (1), 275-284. 10.1007/s00221-017-5125-y
Waldie, K., Wilson, A., Roberts, R., & Moreau, D. (2017). Reading network in dyslexia: Similar, yet different. Brain and Language, 174, 29-41. 10.1016/j.bandl.2017.07.004
URL: http://hdl.handle.net/2292/35929
Other University of Auckland co-authors: Karen Waldie, Reece Roberts
Wang, C.-H., Yang, C.-T., Moreau, D., & Muggleton, N. (2017). Motor expertise modulates neural oscillations and temporal dynamics of cognitive control. NeuroImage, 158, 260-270. 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2017.07.009
URL: http://hdl.handle.net/2292/44283
Waldie, K. E., Cornforth, C. M., Webb, R. E., Thompson, J. M. D., Murphy, R., Moreau, D., ... Mitchell, E. A. (2017). Dopamine transporter (DAT1/SLC6A3) polymorphism and the association between being born small for gestational age and symptoms of ADHD. Behavioural Brain Research, 333, 90-97. 10.1016/j.bbr.2017.06.040
URL: http://hdl.handle.net/2292/35928
Other University of Auckland co-authors: Karen Waldie, John Thompson, Lynnette Ferguson, Edwin Mitchell, Rinki Murphy, Rebecca Slykerman
Moreau, D., Kirk, I. J., & Waldie, K. E. (2017). High-intensity training enhances executive function in children in a randomized, placebo-controlled trial. eLife, 6.10.7554/eLife.25062
Other University of Auckland co-authors: Ian Kirk, Karen Waldie