Email kristin.hillman@otago.ac.nz
Tel 64 3 470 3473
Dr Kristin Hillman’s current research examines the neural mechanisms of decision-making, particularly how the brain assesses and implements effort expenditure in cost-benefit type decisions. Her interests include the neurophysiology underlying executive function, ambitious behaviour and work ethic, with applications to behaviour modification and psychopharmacology.
She has taught undergraduate and postgraduate courses in physiology, pharmacology, and neuroscience. She currently teaches Biopsychology, Sensation and Perception, and a psychopharmacology seminar series for Clinical Intervention.
Kristin joined the department in 2008 as a postdoctoral fellow, making the shift from in vitro neuropharmacology research in the United States to in vivo behavioural neuroscience here in New Zealand.
Teaching
Research Interests
- Neural mechanisms of decision-making
- Neurophysiology underlying executive function
- Ambitious behaviour and work ethic
- Behaviour modification and psychopharmacology
Find out more about Dr Hillman's research interests
Publications
Silva, C., Porter, B. S., & Hillman, K. L. (2021). Stimulation in the rat anterior insula and anterior cingulate during an effortful weightlifting task. Frontiers in Neuroscience, 15(202), 643384. doi: 10.3389/fnins.2021.643384
Kaack, I., Chae, J., Shadli, S. M., & Hillman, K. (2020). Exploring approach motivation: Correlating self-report, frontal asymmetry, and performance in the Effort Expenditure for Rewards Task. Cognitive, Affective, & Behavioral Neuroscience. Advance online publication. doi: 10.3758/s13415-020-00829-x
Porter, B. S., Li, K., & Hillman, K. L. (2020). Regional activity in the rat anterior cingulate cortex and insula during persistence and quitting in a physical-effort task. eNeuro, 7(5), ENEURO.0243-20.2020. doi: 10.1523/eneuro.0243-20.2020
Porter, B., & Hillman, K. L. (2019). A novel weight lifting task for investigating effort and persistence in rats. Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience, 13, 275. doi: 10.3389/fnbeh.2019.00275
Hillman, K. L., Wall, H. J., Matthews, L. O., Gowing, E. K., & Clarkson, A. N. (2019). Altered hippocampal-prefrontal dynamics following medial prefrontal stroke in mouse. NeuroMolecular Medicine, 21, 401-413. doi: 10.1007/s12017-019-08557-3
Journal - Research Article
Silva, C., Porter, B. S., & Hillman, K. L. (2021). Stimulation in the rat anterior insula and anterior cingulate during an effortful weightlifting task. Frontiers in Neuroscience, 15(202), 643384. doi: 10.3389/fnins.2021.643384
Kaack, I., Chae, J., Shadli, S. M., & Hillman, K. (2020). Exploring approach motivation: Correlating self-report, frontal asymmetry, and performance in the Effort Expenditure for Rewards Task. Cognitive, Affective, & Behavioral Neuroscience. Advance online publication. doi: 10.3758/s13415-020-00829-x
Porter, B. S., Li, K., & Hillman, K. L. (2020). Regional activity in the rat anterior cingulate cortex and insula during persistence and quitting in a physical-effort task. eNeuro, 7(5), ENEURO.0243-20.2020. doi: 10.1523/eneuro.0243-20.2020
Porter, B., & Hillman, K. L. (2019). A novel weight lifting task for investigating effort and persistence in rats. Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience, 13, 275. doi: 10.3389/fnbeh.2019.00275
Hillman, K. L., Wall, H. J., Matthews, L. O., Gowing, E. K., & Clarkson, A. N. (2019). Altered hippocampal-prefrontal dynamics following medial prefrontal stroke in mouse. NeuroMolecular Medicine, 21, 401-413. doi: 10.1007/s12017-019-08557-3
Porter, B. S., Hillman, K. L., & Bilkey, D. K. (2019). Anterior cingulate cortex encoding of effortful behavior. Journal of Neurophysiology, 121, 701-714. doi: 10.1152/jn.00654.2018
Laurence, N. C., Labuschagne, L. G., Lura, B. G., & Hillman, K. L. (2015). Regular exercise enhances task-based industriousness in laboratory rats. PLoS ONE, 10(6), e0129831. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0129831
Hillman, K. L. (2013). Cost-benefit analysis: The first real rule of fight club? Frontiers in Neuroscience, 7, 248. doi: 10.3389/fnins.2013.00248
Hillman, K. L., & Bilkey, D. K. (2012). Neural encoding of competitive effort in the anterior cingulate cortex. Nature Neuroscience, 15(9), 1290-1298. doi: 10.1038/nn.3187
Hillman, K. L., & Bilkey, D. K. (2010). Neurons in the rat anterior cingulate cortex dynamically encode cost-benefit in a spatial decision-making task. Journal of Neuroscience, 30(22), 7705-7713. doi: 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.1273-10.2010
Hillman, K. L., Lei, S., Doze, V. A., & Porter, J. E. (2009). Alpha-1A adrenergic receptor activation increases inhibitory tone in CA1 hippocampus. Epilepsy Research, 84, 97-109. doi: 10.1016/j.eplepsyres.2008.12.007
Hillman, K. L., Doze, V. A., & Porter, J. E. (2007). α1A-Adrenergic receptors are functionally expressed by a subpopulation of cornu ammonis 1 interneurons in rat hippocampus. Journal of Pharmacology & Experimental Therapeutics, 321, 1062-1068. doi: 10.1124/jpet.106.119297
Jurgens, C. W. D., Hammad, H. M., Lichter, J. A., Boese, S. J., Nelson, B. W., Goldstein, B. L., … Hillman, K. L., … Doze, V. A. (2007). α2A adrenergic receptor activation inhibits epileptiform activity in the rat hippocamal CA3 region. Molecular Pharmacology, 71(6), 1572-1581. doi: 10.1124/mol.106.031773
Journal - Research Other
Hillman, K. L., & Bilkey, D. K. (2013). Persisting through subjective effort: A key role for the anterior cingulate cortex? Behavioral & Brain Sciences, 36(6), 691-692. doi: 10.1017/S0140525X13001039
Conference Contribution - Published proceedings: Abstract
Li, K., Porter, B., & Hillman, K. (2019). Local field potential recordings in rat anterior cingulate cortex, anterior insula, and ventral tegmental area during a voluntary effort exertion task. In K. Hillman (Ed.), Proceedings of the 37th International Australasian Winter Conference on Brain Research (AWCBR). (pp. 49). Retrieved from http://www.otago.ac.nz/awcbr
Porter, B. S., & Hillman, K. (2019). A novel weight lifting task to investigate persistence in rodents. Proceedings of the Society for Neuroscience Annual Meeting. 241.14/W16. SfN. Retrieved from https://www.sfn.org
Hillman, K., & Porter, B. (2019). A novel weight lifting task for investigating effort and persistence in rats. Proceedings of the 39th Australasian Neuroscience Society (ANS) Annual Scientific Meeting. 12624. Retrieved from https://www.ans.org.au
Porter, B. S., Bilkey, D. K., & Hillman, K. L. (2019). Mind over matter: The anterior cingulate cortex's role in driving action towards difficult but worthwhile goals. In K. Hillman (Ed.), Proceedings of the 37th International Australasian Winter Conference on Brain Research (AWCBR). (pp. 26). Retrieved from http://www.otago.ac.nz/awcbr
Jaquiery, Z., Wall, H., & Hillman, K. (2017). Regular exercise enhances anterior cingulate-insula coherence in the adult rat brain. Proceedings of the Australasian Neuroscience Society 37th Annual Scientific Meeting. Retrieved from http://ans2017.aomevents.com.au
Hillman, K., & Bilkey, D. (2015). Broadband local field potential characteristics in rat cingulate cortex are predictive of high-effort, goal-directed behaviour. Journal of Neurochemistry, 134(Suppl. 1), (pp. 316-317). doi: 10.1111/jnc.13189
Hillman, K., & Bilkey, D. (2015). Broadband local field potential characteristics in rat cingulate cortex are predictive of high-effort, goal-directed behaviour. Proceedings of the International Behavioral Neuroscience Society (IBNS) 24th Annual Meeting. (pp. 72-73). Retrieved from http://www.ibnsconnect.org/ibns-2015-annual-meeting
Bilkey, D. K., & Hillman, K. L. (2012). Prospective memory during decision-making. Proceedings of the Australian Neuroscience Society (ANS) Annual Scientific Meeting. (pp. 10). Retrieved from http://www.ans.org.au/ans-annual-conference/
Hillman, K., & Bilkey, D. (2011). Competitive effort registers in the rat anterior cingulate cortex as a cost-benefit decision variable. Proceedings of the Society for Neuroscience 41st Annual Meeting. Washington, DC: SfN. Retrieved from http://www.sfn.org/am2011/index.aspx?pagename=abstracts_main
Hillman, K., & Bilkey, D. (2010). Nike says ″Just Do It″: But what does your brain say? New Zealand Medical Journal, 123(1312). Retrieved from http://journal.nzma.org.nz/journal/123-1312/4065/content.pdf
Hillman, K. L., & Bilkey, D. K. (2010). Neurons in the rat anterior cingulate cortex encode integrated effort-reward information in a spatial decision-making task. Proceedings of the 7th Forum of European Neuroscience (FENS). Retrieved from http://fens2010.neurosciences.asso.fr/
Hillman, K. L., & Bilkey, D. K. (2010). Cost-benefit encoding in the anterior cingulate cortex. In B. Leitch (Ed.), Proceedings of the 28th International Australasian Winter Conference on Brain Research. 28, (pp. 58). AWCBR. Retrieved from http://psy.otago.ac.nz/awcbr/Abstracts/Abstracts2010.htm
Bilkey, D. K., & Hillman, K. L. (2009). Neurons in the rat anterior cingulate cortex dynamically encode cost-benefit in both a retro- and prospective manner in a spatial decision-making task. Proceedings of the Society for Neuroscience 39th Annual Meeting. SfN. Retrieved from http://www.abstractsonline.com/plan/AdvancedSearch.aspx
Conference Contribution - Edited volume of conference proceedings
Hillman, K. (Ed.). (2019). Proceedings of the 37th International Australasian Winter Conference on Brain Research (AWCBR). 45p. Retrieved from http://www.otago.ac.nz/awcbr
Hillman, K. (Ed.). (2018). Proceedings of the 36th International Australasian Winter Conference on Brain Research (AWCBR). AWCBR. 76p. Retrieved from https://www.otago.ac.nz/awcbr
Conference Contribution - Verbal presentation and other Conference outputs
Hillman, K. L., & Bilkey, D. K. (2013, February). Neural encoding of competitive effort in the anterior cingulate cortex. Verbal presentation at the Australian Neuroscience Society Annual Meeting, Melbourne, Australia.
Hillman, K., & Bilkey, D. (2010, November). Nike says ″Just Do It″: But what does your brain say? Verbal presentation at the Psycolloquy Seminar, Dunedin, New Zealand.
