PhD (M/F) in motor neurosciences: "Neuromodulation of Neural Substrates Underlying Effort Perception and Engagement in Physical Activity"

Job Description

Thesis Subject

Our society is currently facing a true “pandemic” of physical inactivity, with a substantial proportion of the global population failing to meet recommended levels of physical activity. Physical inactivity represents a major public health challenge due to its association with numerous chronic diseases (including obesity, diabetes, cancer, cardiovascular diseases, and mental health disorders) and its significant contribution to global mortality, which is estimated at approximately 5 million deaths annually. Conversely, adopting an active lifestyle provides considerable health benefits and has even been described as a “miracle cure” by the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges.

Despite the implementation of policies aimed at promoting physical activity, the prevalence of insufficient physical activity remains high in industrialized countries and has increased since 2001 (from 32% in 2001 to 37% in 2018). The limited effectiveness of these policies highlights the need to explore novel determinants of physical inactivity. Among these, individuals' automatic attraction to activities requiring low levels of effort appears to be a key factor.

The objective of this PhD project is to investigate the causal role of two brain regions by modulating their excitability and assessing the resulting effects on effort perception and effort-based decision-making. Non-invasive brain stimulation techniques, such as repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) and transcranial ultrasound stimulation (TUS), provide a particularly suitable methodological framework for such causal testing. More specifically, the project will examine whether transient inhibition of the supplementary motor area (SMA) using continuous theta-burst stimulation (cTBS) reduces the subjective perception of effort during ecologically valid exercise tasks, and whether inhibition of the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) using transcranial ultrasound stimulation (TUS) increases the subjective value of physical effort, thereby facilitating effort-based decision-making.
The candidate must hold a master's degree in psychology, neuroscience, movement sciences, or cognitive sciences, or an engineering degree in biomedical engineering, signal processing, or a related field. The candidate must demonstrate a strong interest in the project's topic, particularly in the mechanisms involved in the perception of exertion, as well as in the development of interventions aimed at promoting engagement in and adherence to physical activity from a public health perspective. Skills in neuroimaging (EEG, fMRI) and non-invasive neurostimulation (TMS or TUS) will be highly valued, whether in data acquisition, analysis, and/or interpretation. The candidate must demonstrate scientific rigor and critical thinking. The project will involve a balance of group work, where strong interpersonal skills are expected and independent work, where a high degree of autonomy will be required. A solid understanding of the ethical principles governing research involving human participants (research overseen by an Institutional Review Board) as well as the rules of scientific integrity will also be required.

Your Work Environment

The doctoral project will be hosted jointly by the Laboratory of Psychology and NeuroCognition (LPNC, UMR 5105, CNRS / Université Grenoble Alpes) and the Interuniversity Laboratory of Human Movement Biology (LIBM) located in Technolac (Chambéry). The candidate will join the Body and Space research team at the Saint-Martin-d'Hères campus and will conduct most experimental work at the IRMaGe neuroimaging platform in Grenoble. The PhD will be supervised by Estelle Raffin and Florian Monjo and will benefit from a strong national and international collaborative research network.

Compensation and benefits

Compensation

2300 € gross monthly

Annual leave and RTT

44 jours

Remote Working practice and compensation

Pratique et indemnisation du TT

Transport

Prise en charge à 75% du coût et forfait mobilité durable jusqu’à 300€

About the offer

About the CNRS

The CNRS is a major player in fundamental research on a global scale. The CNRS is the only French organization active in all scientific fields. Its unique position as a multi-specialist allows it to bring together different disciplines to address the most important challenges of the contemporary world, in connection with the actors of change.

CNRS

The research professions