By Associate Professor Ingvars Birznieks

Journal articles

Afzal N; du Bois de Dunilac S; Loutit AJ; Shea HO; Ulloa PM; Khamis H; Vickery RM; Wiertlewski M; Redmond SJ; Birznieks I, 2024, 'Role of arm reaching movement kinematics in friction perception at initial contact with smooth surfaces', Journal of Physiology, http://dx.doi.org/10.1113/JP286027

Loutit AJ; Wheat HE; Khamis H; Vickery RM; Macefield VG; Birznieks I, 2023, 'How Tactile Afferents in the Human Fingerpad Encode Tangential Torques Associated with Manipulation: Are Monkeys Better than Us?', Journal of Neuroscience, 43, pp. 4033 - 4046, http://dx.doi.org/10.1523/JNEUROSCI.1305-22.2023

Sharma D; Ng KKW; Birznieks I; Vickery RM, 2022, 'The burst gap is a peripheral temporal code for pitch perception that is shared across audition and touch', Scientific Reports, 12, pp. 11014, http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-15269-5

Sharma D; Ng KKW; Birznieks I; Vickery RM, 2022, 'Perceived tactile intensity at a fixed primary afferent spike rate varies with the temporal pattern of spikes', Journal of Neurophysiology, 128, pp. 1074 - 1084, http://dx.doi.org/10.1152/jn.00284.2022

Sharma D; Ng KKW; Birznieks I; Vickery RM, 2022, 'Auditory clicks elicit equivalent temporal frequency perception to tactile pulses: A cross-modal psychophysical study', Frontiers in Neuroscience, 16, pp. 1006185, http://dx.doi.org/10.3389/fnins.2022.1006185

Afzal N; Stubbs E; Khamis H; Loutit AJ; Redmond SJ; Vickery RM; Wiertlewski M; Birznieks I, 2022, 'Submillimeter Lateral Displacement Enables Friction Sensing and Awareness of Surface Slipperiness', IEEE Transactions on Haptics, 15, pp. 20 - 25, http://dx.doi.org/10.1109/TOH.2021.3139890

Ng KKW; Tee X; Vickery RM; Birznieks I, 2022, 'The Relationship Between Tactile Intensity Perception and Afferent Spike Count is Moderated by a Function of Frequency', IEEE Transactions on Haptics, 15, pp. 14 - 19, http://dx.doi.org/10.1109/TOH.2022.3140877

Willemet L; Kanzari K; Monnoyer J; Birznieks I; Wiertlewski M, 2021, 'Initial contact shapes the perception of friction', Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 118, http://dx.doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2109109118

Jack BN; Chilver MR; Vickery RM; Birznieks I; Krstanoska-Blazeska K; Whitford TJ; Griffiths O, 2021, 'Movement planning determines sensory suppression: An event-related potential study', Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience, 33, pp. 2427 - 2439, http://dx.doi.org/10.1162/jocn_a_01747

Khamis H; Afzal HMN; Sanchez J; Vickery R; Wiertlewski M; Redmond SJ; Birznieks I, 2021, 'Friction sensing mechanisms for perception and motor control: Passive touch without sliding may not provide perceivable frictional information', Journal of Neurophysiology, 125, pp. 809 - 823, http://dx.doi.org/10.1152/JN.00504.2020

Ng KKW; Snow IN; Birznieks I; Vickery RM, 2021, 'Burst gap code predictions for tactile frequency are valid across the range of perceived frequencies attributed to two distinct tactile channels', Journal of Neurophysiology, 125, pp. 687 - 692, http://dx.doi.org/10.1152/jn.00662.2020

chen F; Zhou Y; Zhu Y; zhu R; Guan P; Fan J; zhou L; Valanoor N; Wegner FV; Saribatir E; Birznieks I; Wan T; Chu D; von Wegner F, 2021, 'Recent progress in artificial synaptic devices: materials, processing and applications', Journal of Materials Chemistry C, 9, pp. 8372 - 8394, http://dx.doi.org/10.1039/D1TC01211H

Ng KKW; Olausson C; Vickery RM; Birznieks I, 2020, 'Temporal patterns in electrical nerve stimulation: Burst gap code shapes tactile frequency perception', PLoS ONE, 15, pp. e0237440, http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0237440

Vickery RM; Ng KKW; Potas JR; Shivdasani MN; McIntyre S; Nagi SS; Birznieks I, 2020, 'Tapping Into the Language of Touch: Using Non-invasive Stimulation to Specify Tactile Afferent Firing Patterns', Frontiers in Neuroscience, 14, pp. 500, http://dx.doi.org/10.3389/fnins.2020.00500

Ng K; Olausson C; Vickery R; Birznieks I, 2020, 'Temporal patterns in electrical nerve stimulation: burst gap code shapes tactile frequency perception', , http://dx.doi.org/10.1101/2020.04.10.033241

Birznieks I; McIntyre S; Nilsson HM; Nagi SS; Macefield VG; Mahns DA; Vickery RM, 2019, 'Tactile sensory channels over-ruled by frequency decoding system that utilizes spike pattern regardless of receptor type', eLife, 8, pp. e46510, http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.46510

Smith LJ; Macefield VG; Birznieks I; Burton AR, 2019, 'Effects of tonic muscle pain on fusimotor control of human muscle spindles during isometric ankle dorsiflexion', Journal of Neurophysiology, 121, pp. 1143 - 1149, http://dx.doi.org/10.1152/jn.00862.2018

Loutit AJ; Shivdasani MN; Maddess T; Redmond SJ; Morley JW; Stuart GJ; Birznieks I; Vickery RM; Potas JR, 2019, 'Peripheral nerve activation evokes machine-learnable signals in the dorsal column nuclei', Frontiers in Systems Neuroscience, 13, pp. 11, http://dx.doi.org/10.3389/fnsys.2019.00011

Birznieks I; McIntyre S; Nilsson H; Nagi S; Macefield V; Mahns D; Vickery R, 2019, 'Tactile sensory channels over-ruled by frequency decoding system that utilizes spike pattern regardless of receptor type', , http://dx.doi.org/10.1101/570929

Chen W; Khamis H; Birznieks I; Lepora NF; Redmond SJ, 2018, 'Tactile Sensors for Friction Estimation and Incipient Slip Detection - Toward Dexterous Robotic Manipulation: A Review', IEEE Sensors Journal, 18, pp. 9049 - 9064, http://dx.doi.org/10.1109/JSEN.2018.2868340

Steel KA; Mudie K; Sandoval R; Anderson D; Dogramaci S; Rehmanjan M; Birznieks I, 2018, 'Can Video Self-Modeling Improve Affected Limb Reach and Grasp Ability in Stroke Patients?', Journal of Motor Behavior, 50, pp. 117 - 126, http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/00222895.2017.1306480

Birznieks I; Vickery RM, 2017, 'Spike Timing Matters in Novel Neuronal Code Involved in Vibrotactile Frequency Perception', Current Biology, 27, pp. 1485 - 1490.e2, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.cub.2017.04.011

Day J; Bent LR; Birznieks I; Macefield VG; Cresswell AG, 2017, 'Muscle spindles in human tibialis anterior encode muscle fascicle length changes', Journal of Neurophysiology, 117, pp. 1489 - 1498, http://dx.doi.org/10.1152/jn.00374.2016

Birznieks I; Gerling GJ; Sergi F; Bensmaia SJ, 2016, 'Haptics in Neuroscience', IEEE Transactions on Haptics, 9, pp. 443 - 445, http://dx.doi.org/10.1109/TOH.2016.2627738

Kasi P; Wright J; Khamis H; Birznieks I; Van Schaik A, 2016, 'The Bayesian decoding of force stimuli from slowly adapting type I fibers in humans', PLoS ONE, 11, http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0153366

McIntyre S; Birznieks I; Vickery RM; Holcombe AO; Seizova-Cajic T, 2016, 'The tactile motion aftereffect suggests an intensive code for speed in neurons sensitive to both speed and direction of motion', Journal of Neurophysiology, 115, pp. 1703 - 1712, http://dx.doi.org/10.1152/jn.00460.2015

Birznieks I; Logina I; Wasner G, 2016, 'Somatotopic mismatch of hand representation following stroke: is recovery possible?', Neurocase, 22, pp. 95 - 102, http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/13554794.2015.1046886

Hudson KM; Condon M; Ackerley R; McGlone F; Olausson H; Macefield VG; Birznieks I, 2015, 'Effects of changing skin mechanics on the differential sensitivity to surface compliance by tactile afferents in the human finger pad', Journal of Neurophysiology, 114, pp. 2249 - 2257, http://dx.doi.org/10.1152/jn.00176.2014

Nagi SS; Dunn JS; Birznieks I; Vickery RM; Mahns DA, 2015, 'The effects of preferential A- and C-fibre blocks and T-type calcium channel antagonist on detection of low-force monofilaments in healthy human participants', BMC Neuroscience, 16, pp. 52, http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/s12868-015-0190-2

Khamis H; Birznieks I; Redmond SJ, 2015, 'Decoding tactile afferent activity to obtain an estimate of instantaneous force and torque applied to the fingerpad', Journal of Neurophysiology, 114, pp. 474 - 484, http://dx.doi.org/10.1152/jn.00040.2015

Arabzadeh E; Clifford CWG; Harris JA; Mahns DA; Macefield VG; Birznieks I, 2014, 'Single tactile afferents outperform human subjects in a vibrotactile intensity discrimination task', Journal of Neurophysiology, 112, pp. 2382 - 2387, http://dx.doi.org/10.1152/jn.00482.2014

Condon M; Birznieks I; Hudson K; Chelvanayagam DK; Mahns D; Olausson H; Macefield VG, 2014, 'Differential sensitivity to surface compliance by tactile afferents in the human finger pad', Journal of Neurophysiology, 111, pp. 1308 - 1317, http://dx.doi.org/10.1152/jn.00589.2013

Fazalbhoy A; Birznieks I; Macefield VG, 2014, 'Consistent interindividual increases or decreases in muscle sympathetic nerve activity during experimental muscle pain', Experimental Brain Research, 232, pp. 1309 - 1315, http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00221-014-3847-7

Fazalbhoy A; Macefield VG; Birznieks I, 2013, 'Tonic muscle pain does not increase fusimotor drive to human leg muscles: Implications for chronic muscle pain', Experimental Physiology, 98, pp. 1125 - 1132, http://dx.doi.org/10.1113/expphysiol.2012.071670

Birznieks I; Logina I; Wasner G, 2012, 'Somatotopic mismatch following stroke: a pathophysiological condition escaping detection.', BMJ case reports, 2012

Hall S; Fazalbhoy A; Birznieks I; Macefield VG, 2012, 'Biphasic effects of tonic stimulation of muscle nociceptors on skin sympathetic nerve activity in human subjects.', Experimental Brain Research, 221, pp. 107 - 114, http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00221-012-3156-y

Fazalbhoy A; Birznieks I; Macefield VG, 2012, 'Individual differences in the cardiovascular responses to tonic muscle pain: parallel increases or decreases in muscle sympathetic nerve activity, blood pressure and heart rate.', Experimental Physiology, 97, pp. 1084 - 1092, http://dx.doi.org/10.1113/expphysiol.2012.066191

Birznieks I; Boonstra TW; Macefield VG, 2012, 'Modulation of human muscle spindle discharge by arterial pulsations - functional effects and consequences', PLoS One, 7, pp. Article number e35091, http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0035091

Birznieks I; Logina I; Wasner G, 2012, 'Somatotopic mismatch following stroke: a pathophysiological condition escaping detection', BMJ Case Reports, pp. 1 - 4, http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/bcr-2012-006304

Chan GSH; Fazalbhoy A; Birznieks I; Macefield VG; Middleton PM; Lovell NH, 2012, 'Spontaneous fluctuations in the peripheral photoplethysmographic waveform: Roles of arterial pressure and muscle sympathetic nerve activity', American Journal of Physiology - Heart and Circulatory Physiology, 302, pp. H826 - H836, http://dx.doi.org/10.1152/ajpheart.00970.2011

McIntyre S; Holcombe AO; Birznieks I; Seizova-Cajic T, 2012, 'Tactile motion adaptation reduces perceived speed but shows no evidence of direction sensitivity.', PLoS One, 7, pp. Article numbere 45438, http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0045438

Birznieks I; Wheat HE; Redmond SJ; Salo LM; Lovell NH; Goodwin AW, 2010, 'Encoding of tangential torque in responses of tactile afferent fibres innervating the monkey's fingerpad', Journal of Physiology: London, 588, pp. 1057 - 1072

Rajaratnam SMW; Polymeropoulos MH; Fisher DM; Roth T; Scott C; Birznieks G; Klerman EB, 2009, 'Melatonin agonist tasimelteon (VEC-162) for transient insomnia after sleep-time shift: two randomised controlled multicentre trials', LANCET, 373, pp. 482 - 491, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(08)61812-7

Birznieks I; Burton A; Macefield V, 2009, 'Does muscle pain increase muscle stiffness?', Physiology News, pp. 21 - 22, http://dx.doi.org/10.36866/pn.73.21

Burton AR; Birznieks I; Spaak J; Henderson LA; Macefield VG, 2009, '2. Human Physiology', Autonomic Neuroscience, 149, pp. 73 - 74, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.autneu.2009.05.130

Burton AR; Birznieks I; Bolton PS; Henderson L; Macefield VG, 2009, 'Effects of deep and superficial experimentally induced acute pain on muscle sympathetic nerve activity in human subjects', The Journal of Physiology, 587, pp. 183 - 193

Burton AR; Birznieks I; Spaak J; Henderson L; Macefield VG, 2009, 'Effects of deep and superficial experimentally induced acute pain on skin sympathetic nerve activity in human subjects', Experimental Brain Research, 195, pp. 317 - 324

Birznieks I; Macefield VG; Westling G; Johansson RS, 2009, 'Slowly adapting mechanoreceptors in the borders of the human fingernail encode fingertip forces', Journal of Neuroscience, 29, pp. 9370 - 9379

Birznieks I; Burton AR; Macefield VG, 2008, 'The effects of experimental muscle and skin pain on the static stretch sensitivity of human muscle spindles in relaxed leg muscles', The Journal of Physiology, 586, pp. 2713 - 2723, http://dx.doi.org/10.1113/jphysiol.2008.151746

Johansson RS; Birznieks I, 2004, 'First spikes in ensembles of human tactile afferents code complex spatial fingertip events', Nature Neuroscience, 7, pp. 170 - 177, http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/nn1177

Back to profile page