The University of Western Australia

Assoc/Prof Flavie Waters

Research Associate Professor (Tues, Wed, Fri)
Graylands Hospital

Contact details

Address

Graylands Hospital
The University of Western Australia (M708)
35 Stirling Highway
CRAWLEY WA 6009
Australia

Phone

9347 6650

Email

flavie.waters@health.wa.gov.au

Qualifications

BSc Lond., MSc Essex, MPsych PhD W.Aust.

Biography

I am a Senior Research Fellow at the Centre for Clinical Research in Neuropsychiatry (CCRN) and School of Psychiatry and Clinical Neurosciences, University of Western Australia, and Research Director of the North Metro Older Adult Mental Health Services. The focus of my research in the past 10 years has been to understand and characterise the brain-behaviour relationship of neuropsychiatric disorders. A common theme underlying my research is the evaluation of quantitatively specific components of schizophrenia using a combination of approaches, including psychopathological assessment, sleep-wake measurements, cognitive, genetic and electrophysiological investigations.

Key research

1. Sleep dysfunctions in people with mental illness. My research aims to provide a better understanding, and to design better models of care and interventions, for sleep dysfunctions in persons with psychiatric problems. Sleep dysfunctions are commonly linked to mental illness, but they remain poorly understood, under-diagnosed and under-treated. I utilize the latest sleep technologies, including portable sleep EEG recording and actigraphy monitoring in research projects involving inpatients and outpatients. My goal is to improve the screening and availability of sleep interventions, so that all persons with mental health and sleep problems can benefit from a better quality of life.

2. Psychopathological symptoms. I am interested in characterising the brain mechanisms underlying auditory hallucinations, first rank passivity symptoms and delusions, using cognitive, electrophysiology and sleep-wake assessments. I am the principal organiser of the International Consortium on Auditory Hallucinations (hallucinationconsortium.org).

3. A related area of interest involves understanding self-recognition mechanisms. At present, my lab uses experimental tools such as the rubber hand illusion to induce body illusions in clinical and non-clinical populations. I am also interested in how body experiences change after the administration of psychoactive substances. Collaborations on these project include Dr Nick Holmes (UK) and Prof Matt Martin-Iverson (UWA).

Publications

Waters, F. (2013). Time perception and discrimination in individuals with auditory hallucinations. The Neuroscience of Hallucinations. Eds R. Jardi, T. Pierre, D. Pines

Albrecht M, Graham K, Martin-Iverson M, Waters F (2013) The rubber-hand illusion: Manipulating our sense of body experience. In Consciousness: States, Mechanisms and Disorders. Eds Gotsiridze-Columbus

Waters F, Naik N, Rock D (in press). Sleep apnea in psychiatric inpatients: A survey. Schizophrenia Research.

Waters F, Faulkner D, Naik N, Rock D (2012) Effects of polypharmacy on sleep in psychiatric inpatients. Schizophrenia Research, 139(1-3) 225-228

Waters F.(2012) Editorial theme introduction: Multidisciplinary approaches to understanding auditory hallucinations in schizophrenia and non-schizophrenia populations (The International Consortium on Hallucination Research). Schizophrenia Bulletin, 38(4):693-4

Waters F, Allen P, Aleman A, Fernyhough C, Woodward T, Badcock J, Barkus E, Johns L, Varese F, Menon M, Vercammen A, Larøi F. (2012) Auditory hallucinations in schizophrenia and non-schizophrenia populations: A review and integrated model of cognitive mechanisms. Schizophrenia Bulletin, 38(4):683-93

Laroi F, Sommer I, Blom J-D, Fernyhough C, ffytch D, Hugdahl K, Johns L, McCarthy-Jones S, Preti A, Raballo A, Slotema C, Stephanie M, Waters F.(2012) The characteristic features of auditory verbal hallucinations in schizophrenia and across clinical disorders: a state-of-the-art overview. Schizophrenia Bulletin, 38(4):724-33

Girschik J, Fritschi L, Heyworth J, Waters F (2012) Validation of a brief usual sleep questionnaire against actigraphy. Journal of Epidemiology, 5;22(5):462-8

Waters F, Manoach D (2012) Sleep dysfunctions in schizophrenia: A practical review. Open Journal of Psychiatry, 2(4A) 384-392

Waters, F, Aleman A, Fernyhough C, Allen P (2011) Report on the inaugural meeting of the International Consortium on Hallucination Research: A clinical and research update, and 16 consensus-set goals for future research. Schizophrenia Bulletin, 38(2) 258-262

Waters F, Woodward T, Allen P, Aleman A, Sommer I (2011) Self-recognition in schizophrenia and auditory hallucinations: a meta-analysis of the literature. Schizophrenia Bulletin, ;38(4):741-50

Mazhari S, Price G, Dragovic M, Waters F, Clissa P, Jablensky A (2011) Revisiting the suitability of antisaccade performance as an endophenotype in schizophrenia. Brain and Cognition,77(2) 223-230

Morar, B., Dragovic, M., Waters, F., Chander, D., Kalaydjieva, L., Jablensky, A. (2011) Neuregulin 3 (NRG3) as a susceptibility gene in a schizophrenia subtype with florid delusions and relatively spared cognition. Molecular Psychiatry.

Waters F., Bucks R. (2011) Neuropsychological impact of sleep loss on cognition: Implication for Neuropsychologists. Journal of International Neuropsychological Society, 17(4), 571-586

Albrecht M, Martin-Iverson M, Price G, Lee J, Iyyalol R, Waters, F (2011). Effects of dexamphetamine on the rubber-hand illusion test. Psychopharmacology 217(1):39-50.

Restifo S, Lemon V, Waters F (2011) Pharmacological treatment of behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia in psychogeriatric inpatient units. Australasian Psychiatry, 19(1), 59-63

Waters F, Rock D, Dragovic M, Jablensky, A. (2011) ‘Social dysmetria’ in first-episode psychosis. Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica 123(6), 475–4841

Mazhari S, Price G, Waters F, Dragovic M, Jablensky A (2011) Evidence of abnormalities in mid-latency auditory evoked responses (MLAER) in cognitive subtypes of patients with schizophrenia. Psychiatry Research, 187(3) 317–323, 2011

Waters F, Sinclair C, Jablensky A, Wulff K, Foster R (2011) Daily fluctuations in sleep-wake patterns: association with psychotic symptoms. Psychiatry Research, 187(1-2), 304–306.

Waters, F (2010) Auditory hallucinations in psychosis. Psychiatric Times, Vol. 27 No. 3

Waters, F., Almeida, O. (2010) Schizophrenia, psychosis and dementia. Eds D. Ames, A. Burns, J. O'Brien. 4th edition. Dementia.

Waters, F, Badcock, J. (2010) First-rank symptoms in schizophrenia: Re-examining mechanisms of self-recognition. Schizophrenia Bulletin, 36(3):510-517

Mazhari, S, Badcock J, Waters, F, Dragovic, M, Jablensky, A.(2010) Impaired spatial working memory maintenance in schizophrenia involves both spatial coordinates and spatial reference frames. Psychiatric Research

Waters, F, Badcock, J. (2009) Memory for speech and voice identity in schizophrenia. Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease, 12; 887-891

Waters, F, Price, G, Dragovic M, Jablensky, A. (2009) Electrophysiological brain activity and antisaccade performance in schizophrenia patients with first-rank (passivity) symptoms. Psychiatry Research 170: 140-149.

Waters, F, Badcock, J, Dragovic, M, Jablensky, A. (2009) Neuropsychological functioning in schizophrenia patients with first-rank (passivity) symptoms. Psychopathology, 42:47-

Waters, F, Jablensky, A. (2010) Time discrimination deficits in schizophrenia patients with first-rank (passivity) symptoms. Psychiatry Research 167: 12–20

Dragovic, M, & Waters, F., Jablensky, A. (2008) Estimating premorbid intelligence in schizophrenia patients: A demographically-based approach. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry, 42: 814-818

Waters, F. (2007) Cognitive impairments in schizophrenia: Review of recent developments. Eds H.C. Sentowski. Cognitive Disorders Research Trends. Nova Publishing, Chapt 4, pp. 117-139

Waters, F. (2007) Cognitive impairments in schizophrenia: Review of recent developments. Eds William P. Briscoe. Focus on Cognitive Disorders Research. Nova Publishing, Chapt 2, pp. 41-64

Waters, F., Badcock, J. Maybery, M (2007) Hearing voices: what are they telling us? Eds J.Pletson. Psychology and Schizophrenia. Nova Publishing. Chapt 8, pp.201-224

Badcock, J., Waters, F., and Maybery, M. (2007) On keeping (intrusive) thoughts to one’s self: testing a cognitive model of auditory hallucinations in obsessive-compulsive disorder. Cognitive Neuropsychiatry, 12(1), 78–89

Waters, F, Badcock, J., Michie, P. and Maybery, M. (2006) Auditory hallucinations in schizophrenia: intrusive thoughts and forgotten memories. Cognitive Neuropsychiatry, 11(1), 65-83

Waters, F., Badcock, J. and Maybery, M. (2006) Selective attention for negative information and inhibitory processing in schizophrenia. Psychological Medicine, 36 (4), 455-464

Waters, F., Badcock, J. and Maybery, M. (2006) The who and when of context memory: different patterns of association with auditory hallucinations, Schizophrenia Research, 82(2-3), 271-273

Badcock, J., Dragović, M., Waters, F, Jablensky, A. (2005). Dimensions of intelligence in schizophrenia: evidence from patients with preserved, deteriorated and compromised intellect. Journal of Psychiatric Research, 39(1), 11-19

Badcock, J., Waters, F, Maybery, M. (2005) Auditory Hallucinations: failure to inhibit irrelevant memories. Cognitive Neuropsychiatry, 10(2), 125-136

Waters, F, Badcock, J., Maybery, M., Michie, P. (2004) Context memory and binding in schizophrenia. Schizophrenia Research, 68 (2-3), 119-125

Waters, F., Badcock, J., Maybery, M., Michie, P. (2003) Inhibition in schizophrenia: Association with auditory hallucinations. Schizophrenia Research, 62, 275-280

Waters, F., Badcock, J., Maybery, M. (2003) Revision of the factor structure of the Launay-Slade Hallucination Scale (LSHS-R). Personality and Individual Differences, 35, 1351-1357

Sanders G. & Waters, F. (2001) Fingerprint asymmetry predicts within sex differences in the performance of sexually dimorphic tasks. Personality and Individual Differences, 31, 1181-1191

Roles, responsibilities and expertise

Jeremy Downie (Hons, 2012) Effect of dexamphetamine administration on self-body perception in health volunteers (M. Martin-Iverson, F. Waters)
Russell Piper (Hons, 2012) Effect of repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (rTMS) on self-body perception in health volunteers (M. Martin-Iverson, G. Price, F. Waters)
Katrin Hanken (Masters project, 2012). Sleep-disordered breathing in schizophrenia (F.Waters)
Devon Spaaten (Masters’ degree, 2011-2013) ‘Emotion regulation and sleep disturbances in the general community’ (F. Waters R. Bucks)
Michelle Hodge (PhD, 2011) Sleep disturbances and the Behavioural and Psychiatry Symptoms of Dementia’ (F. Waters, R. Bucks)
Kyran Graham (PhD 2009-2013) Body perception in schizophrenia’ (PhD) (F. Waters, Martin-Iverson)
Alix Mellor (PhD 2009-2013) Neuropsychiatric symptoms in older adults: impact of sleep disturbances on cognition and functional characteristics’ (PhD) (F. Waters, R. Bucks, H. McGowan)
Shahrzad Mazhari (PhD 2006-2009) Cortical inhibitory deficits as a core deficit in schizophrenia’ (PhD) (A. Jablensky, G. Price, F. Waters, M. Dragovic)

Funding received

North Metro Area Mental Health. Equipment grant "ApneaLink with Oximetry"($17,000) F. Waters

North Metro Area Mental Health 2010. Equipment grant "Portable Somte PSG" ($8,000) F. Waters

NHMRC Project Grant 2010 "Body representation deficits in schizophrenia patients with motor passivity symptoms ($264,000.00). F. Waters, A. Jablensky, N. Holmes, M. Dragovic, J. Badcock.

NHMRC Equipment Grant 2010 ($25,000)Measurement of sleep patterns with actigraphy. J. Heyworth, L.Fritschi, F.Bull, B. Giles-Corti, F. Waters, T. Boyle, J.Girschik

North Metro Area Mental Health - Equipment grant 2009 for actigraphy monitoring devices($15,000) F. Waters, D. Rock

Ada Bartholomew Research Grant 2009
“Sleep-wake disturbances in individuals with schizophrenia and their relatives ($30,000, 2009-2010) F. Waters, D. Rock, A. Jablensky, R. Foster, K. Wulff

North Metro Area Mental Health - Western Australia. Seeding grant for the development of a 'Older Adult Clinical Research Unit' ($146,720, 2009-2012) F. Waters

NHMRC Research Training Fellowship
“A neurocognitive and electrophysiological investigation of first-rank symptoms in schizophrenia” ($134,000, 2006-2009) F. Waters

Honours and awards

2012 Excellence in Teaching Award (Research Supervision Award) Winner, UWA
Team Award for Contributions that Enhance Learning, UWA (PSYC1101 Psychology: Mind and Brain) (2011)
Excellence in Supervision Award Nomination (2010), University of Western Australia
Early Career Research Scholar Award (2007) from the Australasian Society for Psychiatric Research (ASPR)
Best Oral Presentation (Scientific Merit) at the 2001 Psychology Conference, UWA, 2001.

Research profile

Research profile and publications