Professor Elizabeth Franz, Our People, Department of Psychology, University of Otago, New Zealand

Liz Franz

Email liz.franz@otago.ac.nz
Tel +64 3 479 5269

Professor Liz Franz’s current research explores psychological and neural processes associated with the action system, using the techniques of MRI, DTI, fMRI, and EEG, combined with laboratory protocols. She is specifically interested in the way the brain organises complex behaviours so that goal-directed actions can occur. In her range of research experience, she has worked with over 20 different neurological disorders of the motor and/or cognitive systems.

Her laboratory has also formed five different support groups for neurological patients in New Zealand (supported by funds from Todd Foundation, Parkinson’s New Zealand, Neurological Foundation, and Health Research Council), and she has formed a world-wide support group for people with mirror movements, in association with her Marsden Grant. She has taught at both undergraduate and graduate levels for about 15 years and has supervised over 30 postgraduate degrees at MSc/PhD levels. She is Director of the Cognitive Science Program at Otago (since 2004), and also directs fMRIotago (the first MRI-fMRI research programme in New Zealand (developed in 2000).

Liz joined the Department in 1997 following a PhD in Psychology at Purdue University, and NIH-funded postdoctoral fellowships in Cognitive Neuroscience at UC Berkeley. The latter included two years on a Neurosurgical pallidotomy team in which she worked closely with neurologists and neurosurgeons investigating the neural basis of Parkinson’s disease.

Teaching

PSYC 210 Principles of Psychological Research
PSYC 437 Cognitive Neuroscience Seminar

Research Interests

Psychological and neural processes associated with action planning and how higher level networks interact with lower networks, using the techniques of MRI, DTI, fMRI, and EEG, combined with laboratory protocols

Find out about Professor Franz's research interests

Selected articles relating to Bimanual Actions

Bimanual Action Representation
Action Selection in Special Populations
The Mirror Neuron System and Imitation

For reference details on Bimanual Actions publications

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Publications

Zhang, Y., Li, Y., Shi, Z., & Franz, E. (2022). Does acute exercise benefit emotion regulation? Electrophysiological evidence from affective ratings and implicit emotional effects on cognition. Biological Psychology, 172, 108375. doi: 10.1016/j.biopsycho.2022.108375

Miasnikova, A., & Franz, E. A. (2022). Brain dynamics in alpha and beta frequencies underlies response activation during readiness of goal-directed hand movement. Neuroscience Research. Advance online publication. doi: 10.1016/j.neures.2022.03.004

Disbrow, E. A., Glassy, N. D., Dressler, E. M., Russo, K., Franz, E. A., Turner, R. S., … Sigvardt, K. A. (2022). Cortical oscillatory dysfunction in Parkinson disease during movement activation and inhibition. PLoS ONE, 17(3), e0257711. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0257711

Dovenberg, E., Franz, L., & Miyahara, M. (2021). Experiences of autistic secondary schools participating in a weekly sports programme: A proposed study. Proceedings of the University of Otago Student Research Symposium: Te Wānaka Rakahau: Ākoka. (pp. 25). [Abstract]

Ginieis, R., Abeywickrema, S., Oey, I., Franz, E. A., Perry, T., Keast, R. S. J., & Peng, M. (2021). The role of an individual's olfactory discriminability in influencing snacking and habitual energy intake. Appetite, 167, 105646. doi: 10.1016/j.appet.2021.105646

Markošova, M., Franz, L., & Beňuškova, L. (2009). Topology of brain functional networks: Towards the role of genes. In M. Köppen, N. Kasabov & G. Coghill (Eds.), Advances in neuro-information processing: Lecture notes in computer science (Vol. 5506). (pp. 111-118). Berlin, Germany: Springer. doi: 10.1007/978-3-642-02490-0_14

Chapter in Book - Research

Franz, E. A. (2006). Converging evidence of the Basal Ganglia's role in focused action selection and inhibition of competing information. In E. Bezard (Ed.), Recent breakthroughs in Basal Ganglia research. (pp. 227-239). New York: Nova Science.

Chapter in Book - Research

Franz, E. A. (2003). Bimanual action representation: A window on human evolution. In S. H. Johnson-Frey (Ed.), Taking action: Cognitive neuroscience perspectives on intentional acts. (pp. 259-288). London: MIT.

Chapter in Book - Research

Journal - Research Article

Manan, H. A., Franz, E. A., & Yahya, N. (2021). The utilisation of resting-state fMRI as a pre-operative mapping tool in patients with brain tumours in comparison to task-based fMRI and intraoperative mapping: A systematic review. European Journal of Cancer Care, 30, e13428. doi: 10.1111/ecc.13428

Journal - Research Article

Neo, P. S.-H., Mayne, T., Fu, X., Huang, Z., & Franz, E. A. (2021). Crosstalk disrupts the production of motor imagery brain signals in brain-computer interfaces. Health Information Science & Systems, 9, 13. doi: 10.1007/s13755-021-00142-y

Journal - Research Article

Manan, H. A., Franz, E. A., & Yahya, N. (2020). Functional connectivity changes in patients with brain tumours: A systematic review on resting state-fMRI. Neurology, Psychiatry & Brain Research, 36, 73-82. doi: 10.1016/j.npbr.2020.03.003

Journal - Research Article

Manan, H. A., Franz, E. A., & Yahya, N. (2020). Utilization of functional MRI language paradigms for pre-operative mapping: A systematic review. Neuroradiology, 62, 353-367. doi: 10.1007/s00234-019-02322-w

Journal - Research Article

Trevis, K. J., McTavish, E., Winter, T., Fu, Y., McTavish, J., Wilson, B., … Franz, E. A. (2019). Harnessing the brain’s neuro-compensatory processes: Lessons from a high-functioning person with complete agenesis of the corpus callosum. Arzneimittel-Forschung, 3, 120-131. doi: 10.46278/j.ncacn.20190513

Journal - Research Article

Fielding, A., Fu, Y., & Franz, E. A. (2018). The brain's reward response occurs even without actual reward! Journal of Gambling Studies, 34(2), 449-463. doi: 10.1007/s10899-017-9721-3

Journal - Research Article

Ginieis, R., Franz, E. A., Oey, I., & Peng, M. (2018). The “sweet” effect: Comparative assessments of dietary sugars on cognitive performance. Physiology & Behavior, 184, 242-247. doi: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2017.12.010

Journal - Research Article

Hammond-Tooke, G. D., Tallabs Grajeda, F., Macrorie, H., & Franz, E. A. (2018). Response inhibition in patients with functional neurological symptom disorder. Journal of Clinical Neuroscience, 56, 38-43. doi: 10.1016/j.jocn.2018.08.005

Journal - Research Article

Franz, E. A., & Fu, Y. (2017). Pre-movement planning processes in people with congenital mirror movements. Clinical Neurophysiology, 128(10), 1985-1993. doi: 10.1016/j.clinph.2017.07.412

Journal - Research Article

Glendining, K. A., Markie, D., Gardner, R. J. M., Franz, E. A., Robertson, S. P., & Jasoni, C. L. (2017). A novel role for the DNA repair gene Rad51 in Netrin-1 signalling. Scientific Reports, 7, 39823. doi: 10.1038/srep39823

Journal - Research Article

Manan, H. A., Yusoff, A. N., Franz, E. A., & Mukari, S. Z.-M. S. (2017). Effects of aging and background babble noise on speech perception processing: An fMRI study. Neurophysiology, 49(2), 441-452. doi: 10.1007/s11062-018-9707-5

Journal - Research Article

Méneret, A., Franz, E. A., Trouillard, O., Oliver, T. C., Zagar, Y., Robertson, S. P., … Gardner, R. J. M., … Jasoni, C. L., … Markie, D. (2017). Mutations in the netrin-1 gene cause congenital mirror movements. Journal of Clinical Investigation, 127(11), 3923-3936. doi: 10.1172/jci95442

Journal - Research Article

Moore, M. R., & Franz, E. A. (2017). Mu rhythm suppression is associated with the classification of emotion in faces. Cognitive, Affective & Behavioral Neuroscience, 17(1), 224-234. doi: 10.3758/s13415-016-0476-6

Journal - Research Article

Moore, M. R., & Franz, E. A. (2017). Resting-state mu activity modulations are associated with aloofness. Personality & Individual Differences, 116, 366-371. doi: 10.1016/j.paid.2017.05.026

Journal - Research Article

Bednark, J. G., Reynolds, J. N. J., Stafford, T., Redgrave, P., & Franz, E. A. (2016). Action experience and action discovery in medicated individuals with Parkinson's disease. Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, 10, 427. doi: 10.3389/fnhum.2016.00427

Journal - Research Article

Debnath, R., & Franz, E. A. (2016). Perception of hand movement by mirror reflection evokes brain activation in the motor cortex contralateral to a non-moving hand. Cortex, 81, 118-125. doi: 10.1016/j.cortex.2016.04.015

Journal - Research Article

Gillett, G., & Franz, E. (2016). Evolutionary neurology, responsive equilibrium, and the moral brain. Consciousness & Cognition, 45, 245-250. doi: 10.1016/j.concog.2014.09.011

Journal - Research Article

Franz, E. A., Chiaroni-Clarke, R., Woodrow, S., Glendining, K. A., Jasoni, C. L., Robertson, S. P., Gardner, R. J. M., & Markie, D. (2015). Congenital mirror movements: Phenotypes associated with DCC and RAD51 mutations. Journal of the Neurological Sciences, 351(1-2), 140-145. doi: 10.1016/j.jns.2015.03.006

Journal - Research Article

Manan, H. A., Franz, E. A., Yusoff, A. N., & Mukari, S. Z.-M. S. (2015). Aging effects on working memory: Fronto-parietal network involvement on tasks involving speech stimuli. Neurology, Psychiatry & Brain Research, 21(1), 64-72. doi: 10.1016/j.npbr.2014.09.001

Journal - Research Article

Manan, H. A., Franz, E. A., Yusoff, A. N., & Mukari, S. Z.-M. S. (2015). The effects of aging on the brain activation pattern during a speech perception task: An fMRI study. Aging Clinical & Experimental Research, 27(1), 27-36. doi: 10.1007/s40520-014-0240-0

Journal - Research Article

Bednark, J. G., & Franz, E. A. (2014). Agency attribution: Event-related potentials and outcome monitoring. Experimental Brain Research, 232(4), 1117-1126. doi: 10.1007/s00221-014-3821-4

Journal - Research Article

Fisher, S. D., Gray, J. P., Black, M. J., Davies, J. R., Bednark, J. G., Redgrave, P., Franz, E. A., Abraham, W. C., & Reynolds, J. N. J. (2014). A behavioral task for investigating action discovery, selection and switching: Comparison between types of reinforcer. Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience, 8, 398. doi: 10.3389/fnbeh.2014.00398

Journal - Research Article

Fu, Y., & Franz, E. A. (2014). Viewer perspective in the mirroring of actions. Experimental Brain Research, 232(11), 3665-3674. doi: 10.1007/s00221-014-4042-6

Journal - Research Article

Gong, X., Fu, Y., Wang, D., Franz, E., & Long, Z. (2014). Remoteness modulates the effects of emotional valence on the neural network of autobiographical memory in older females. International Journal of Aging & Human Development, 79(1), 23-54. doi: 10.2190/AG.79.1.b

Journal - Research Article

Manan, H. A., Franz, E. A., Yusoff, A. N., & Mukari, S. Z.-M. S. (2014). Age-related brain activation during forward and backward verbal memory tasks. Neurology, Psychiatry & Brain Research, 20(4), 76-86. doi: 10.1016/j.npbr.2014.08.001

Journal - Research Article

McCarthy, P., Benuskova, L., & Franz, E. A. (2014). The age-related posterior-anterior shift as revealed by voxelwise analysis of functional brain networks. Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience, 6, 301. doi: 10.3389/fnagi.2014.00301

Journal - Research Article

Regenbrecht, H., Hoermann, S., Ott, C., Müller, L., & Franz, E. (2014). Manipulating the experience of reality for rehabilitation applications. Proceedings of the IEEE, 102(2), 170-184. doi: 10.1109/jproc.2013.2294178

Journal - Research Article

Woods, A. M., Nowostawski, M., Franz, E. A., & Purvis, M. (2014). Parkinson’s disease and essential tremor classification on mobile device. Pervasive & Mobile Computing, 13, 1-12. doi: 10.1016/j.pmcj.2013.10.002

Journal - Research Article

Yusoff, A. N., Manan, H. A., Mukari, S. Z.-M. S., Hamid, K. A., & Franz, E. A. (2014). Brain activation and psychophysiologic interaction in association with a phonological working memory task. Modern Applied Science, 8(5), 97-114. doi: 10.5539/mas.v8n5p97

Journal - Research Article

Bednark, J. G., Reynolds, J. N. J., Stafford, T., Redgrave, P., & Franz, E. A. (2013). Creating a movement heuristic for voluntary action: Electrophysiological correlates of movement-outcome learning. Cortex, 49(3), 771-780. doi: 10.1016/j.cortex.2011.12.005

Journal - Research Article

Disbrow, E. A., Sigvardt, K. A., Franz, E. A., Turner, R. S., Russo, K. A., Hinkley, L. B., … Malhado-Chang, N. (2013). Movement activation and inhibition in Parkinson's disease: A functional imaging study. Journal of Parkinson's Disease, 3(2), 181-192. doi: 10.3233/jpd-130181

Journal - Research Article

Manan, H. A., Franz, E. A., Yusoff, A. N., & Mukari, S. Z.-M. S. (2013). Age-related laterality shifts in auditory and attention networks with normal ageing: Effects on a working memory task. Neurology, Psychiatry & Brain Research, 19(4), 180-191. doi: 10.1016/j.npbr.2013.09.001

Journal - Research Article

Manan, H. A., Yusoff, A. N., Franz, E. A., & Mukari, S. Z.-M. S. (2013). The effects of background noise on brain activity using speech stimuli on healthy young adults. Neurology, Psychiatry & Brain Research, 19(4), 207-215. doi: 10.1016/j.npbr.2013.09.002

Journal - Research Article

Amer, M., Hubert, G., Sullivan, S. J., Herbison, P., Franz, E. A., & Hammond-Tooke, G. D. (2012). Reliability and diagnostic characteristics of clinical tests of upper limb motor function. Journal of Clinical Neuroscience, 19(9), 1246-1251. doi: 10.1016/j.jocn.2011.12.007

Journal - Research Article

Franz, E. A. (2012). The allocation of attention to learning of goal-directed actions: A cognitive neuroscience framework focusing on the basal ganglia. Frontiers in Psychology, 3, 535. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2012.00535

Journal - Research Article

Hoermann, S., Franz, E. A., & Regenbrecht, H. (2012). Referred sensations elicited by video-mediated mirroring of hands. PLoS ONE, 7(12), e50942. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0050942

Journal - Research Article

Lucas, S. J. E., Ainslie, P. N., Murrell, C. J., Thomas, K. N., Franz, E. A., & Cotter, J. D. (2012). Effect of age on exercise-induced alterations in cognitive executive function: Relationship to cerebral perfusion. Experimental Gerontology, 47(8), 541-551. doi: 10.1016/j.exger.2011.12.002

Journal - Research Article

Manan, H. A., Franz, E. A., Yusoff, A. N., & Mukari, S. Z.-M. S. (2012). Hippocampal-cerebellar involvement in enhancement of performance in word-based BRT with the presence of background noise: An initial fMRI study. Psychology & Neuroscience, 5(2), 247-256. doi: 10.3922/ j.psns.2012.2.16

Journal - Research Article

Regenbrecht, H. T., Franz, E. A., McGregor, G., Dixon, B. G., & Hoermann, S. (2012). Beyond the looking glass: Fooling the brain with the augmented mirror box. Presence [2011], 20(6), 559-576. doi: 10.1162/PRES_a_00082

Journal - Research Article

Regenbrecht, H., Hoermann, S., McGregor, G., Dixon, B., Franz, E., Ott, C., Hale, L., … Hoermann, J. (2012). Visual manipulations for motor rehabilitation. Computers & Graphics, 36(7), 819-834. doi: 10.1016/j.cag.2012.04.012

Journal - Research Article

Franz, E. A., & Gillett, G. (2011). John Hughlings Jackson's evolutionary neurology: A unifying framework for cognitive neuroscience. Brain, 134, 3114-3120. doi: 10.1093/brain/awr218

Journal - Research Article

Franz, E. A., & Miller, J. O. (2011). Are the basal ganglia critical in producing redundancy gain effects on simple sensorimotor responses? An investigation on the effects of Parkinson's disease. Neuropsychologia, 49(5), 1267-1274. doi: 10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2011.02.011

Journal - Research Article

Hughes, C. M. L., Haddad, J. M., Franz, E. A., Zelaznik, H. N., & Ryu, J. H. (2011). Physically coupling two objects in a bimanual task alters kinematics but not end-state comfort. Experimental Brain Research, 211(2), 219-229. doi: 10.1007/s00221-011-2673-4

Journal - Research Article

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