Dr Nahian Chowdhury

Conjoint Lecturer

Doctor of Philosophy (October 2020)

Master of Clinical Psychology

AHPRA Registered Psychologist

Medicine & Health

School of Biomedical Sciences

Dr Nahian Chowdhury is a research fellow at Neuroscience Research Australia, Conjoint Lecturer at UNSW and Head of Neurostimulation at the NeuroRecovery Research Hub, School of Psychology UNSW. Dr Chowdhury’s work involves the use of non-invasive brain stimulation to understand the neural mechanisms for, and to treat pain. Dr Chowdhury is passionate about translating research into clinical practice, with the aim of finding brain biomarkers for pain that will be used diagnostically or be used as targets for therapies such as repetitive brain stimulation.

E-mail

n.chowdhury@neura.edu.au

Book Chapters | 2014

Chattopadhyay A; Majumder S; Chandak C; Chowdhury N, 2014, 'Constructive Reversible Logic Synthesis for Boolean Functions with Special Properties', in Reversible Computation, Springer International Publishing, pp. 95 - 110, http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-08494-7_8
Journal articles | 2025

Chowdhury NS; Bi C; Furman AJ; Chiang AKI; Skippen P; Si E; Millard SK; Margerison SM; Spies D; Keaser ML; Da Silva JT; Chen S; Schabrun SM; Seminowicz DA, 2025, 'Predicting Individual Pain Sensitivity Using a Novel Cortical Biomarker Signature', JAMA Neurology, 82, pp. 237 - 246, http://dx.doi.org/10.1001/jamaneurol.2024.4857

Journal articles | 2025

Chowdhury NS; Chang W-J; Cheng D; Manivasagan N; Seminowicz DA; Schabrun SM, 2025, 'The effect of prolonged elbow pain and rTMS on TMS-evoked potentials: A TMS-EEG study', Imaging Neuroscience, http://dx.doi.org/10.1162/imag.a.7

Journal articles | 2025

Wasinger VC; Bustamante S; Najib N; Diwan A; Jayasena T; Chowdhury NS; Beretov J; Schabrun S, 2025, 'Enzymes Drive Glutathione Shunt to Explain Oxidative State Using an In-Parallel Multi-Omic Method', International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 26, http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/ijms26083632

Journal articles | 2024

Chowdhury NS; Chang WJ; Cavaleri R; Chiang AKI; Schabrun SM, 2024, 'The reliability and validity of rapid transcranial magnetic stimulation mapping for muscles under active contraction', BMC Neuroscience, 25, http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/s12868-024-00885-w

Journal articles | 2024

Chowdhury NS; Millard SK; De Martino E; Larsen DB; Seminowicz DA; Schabrun SM; De Andrade DC; Graven-Nielsen T, 2024, 'Posterior-superior insula repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation reduces experimental tonic pain and pain-related cortical inhibition in humans', Pain, http://dx.doi.org/10.1097/j.pain.0000000000003488

Journal articles | 2024

Chowdhury NS; Taseen KJ; Chiang AKI; Chang WJ; Millard SK; Seminowicz DA; Schabrun SM, 2024, 'A 5-day course of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation before pain onset ameliorates future pain and increases sensorimotor peak alpha frequency', Pain, http://dx.doi.org/10.1097/j.pain.0000000000003484

Journal articles | 2024

McNally KR; Summers S; Stanton TR; McAuley J; Chang WJ; Chowdhury N; Cavaleri R, 2024, 'Exploring whether home-based neuromodulation can boost the analgesic effects of exercise in people with knee osteoarthritis: protocol for a double-blinded, pilot randomised controlled trial', BMJ Open, 14, http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2024-090523

Journal articles | 2024

Tran DMD; Chowdhury NS; Harris JA; Livesey EJ, 2024, 'The effect of staircase stopping accuracy and testing environment on stop-signal reaction time', Behavior Research Methods, 56, pp. 500 - 509, http://dx.doi.org/10.3758/s13428-022-02058-1

Journal articles | 2023

Chowdhury NS; Chiang AKI; Millard SK; Skippen P; Chang W-J; Seminowicz DA; Schabrun SM, 2023, 'Combined transcranial magnetic stimulation and electroencephalography reveals alterations in cortical excitability during pain', eLife, 12, http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/elife.88567.3

Journal articles | 2023

Chowdhury NS; Chiang AKI; Millard SK; Skippen P; Chang WJ; Seminowicz DA; Schabrun SM, 2023, 'Combined transcranial magnetic stimulation and electroencephalography reveals alterations in cortical excitability during pain', eLife, 12, http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.88567

Journal articles | 2023

Chowdhury NS; Skippen P; Si E; Chiang AKI; Millard SK; Furman AJ; Chen S; Schabrun SM; Seminowicz DA, 2023, 'The reliability of two prospective cortical biomarkers for pain: EEG peak alpha frequency and TMS corticomotor excitability', Journal of Neuroscience Methods, 385, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jneumeth.2022.109766

Journal articles | 2023

Loomes M; Tran DMD; Chowdhury NS; Birney DP; Harris JA; Livesey EJ, 2023, 'Is cortical inhibition in primary motor cortex related to executive control?', Cortex, 160, pp. 100 - 114, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.cortex.2022.12.013

Journal articles | 2023

Schabrun SM; Si E; Millard SK; Chiang AKI; Chen S; Chowdhury NS; Seminowicz DA, 2023, 'Intramuscular injection of nerve growth factor as a model of temporomandibular disorder: nature, time-course, and sex differences characterising the pain experience', Neurobiology of Pain, 13, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ynpai.2023.100117

Journal articles | 2022

Chang WJ; Adie S; Naylor JM; Chowdhury N; Finn H; Rizzo RRN; O'Hagan E; Schabrun SM, 2022, 'Feasibility and safety of combining repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation and quadriceps strengthening exercise for chronic pain in knee osteoarthritis: A study protocol for a pilot randomised controlled trial', BMJ Open, 12, pp. e062577, http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2022-062577

Journal articles | 2022

Chowdhury NS; Chang WJ; Millard SK; Skippen P; Bilska K; Seminowicz DA; Schabrun SM, 2022, 'The Effect of Acute and Sustained Pain on Corticomotor Excitability: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Group and Individual Level Data', Journal of Pain, 23, pp. 1680 - 1696, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jpain.2022.04.012

Journal articles | 2022

Chowdhury NS; Rogasch NC; Chiang AKI; Millard SK; Skippen P; Chang WJ; Bilska K; Si E; Seminowicz DA; Schabrun SM, 2022, 'The influence of sensory potentials on transcranial magnetic stimulation – Electroencephalography recordings', Clinical Neurophysiology, 140, pp. 98 - 109, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.clinph.2022.05.015

Journal articles | 2022

He JL; Hirst RJ; Puri R; Coxon J; Byblow W; Hinder M; Skippen P; Matzke D; Heathcote A; Wadsley CG; Silk T; Hyde C; Parmar D; Pedapati E; Gilbert DL; Huddleston DA; Mostofsky S; Leunissen I; MacDonald HJ; Chowdhury NS; Gretton M; Nikitenko T; Zandbelt B; Strickland L; Puts NAJ, 2022, 'OSARI, an Open-Source Anticipated Response Inhibition Task', Behavior Research Methods, 54, pp. 1530 - 1540, http://dx.doi.org/10.3758/s13428-021-01680-9

Journal articles | 2021

Chowdhury N, 2021, 'SY1.7. Rewiring pain through non-invasive brain stimulation', Clinical Neurophysiology, 132, pp. e40 - e40, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.clinph.2021.02.026

Journal articles | 2021

Chowdhury NS; Livesey EJ; Blaszczynski A; Harris JA, 2021, 'Motor cortex dysfunction in problem gamblers', Addiction Biology, 26, http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/adb.12871

Journal articles | 2021

Chowdhury NS; Luu W; Palmisano S; Ujike H; Kim J, 2021, 'Spatial presence depends on ‘coupling’ between body sway and visual motion presented on head-mounted displays (HMDs)', Applied Ergonomics, 92, pp. 103355, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.apergo.2021.103355

Journal articles | 2020

Chowdhury NS; Livesey EJ; Harris JA, 2020, 'Stop signal task training strengthens gaba-mediated neurotransmission within the primary motor cortex', Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience, 32, pp. 1984 - 2000, http://dx.doi.org/10.1162/jocn_a_01597

Journal articles | 2020

Nikitenko T; Chowdhury N; Puri R; He JL, 2020, 'Response inhibition in humans: a whistle stop review', Journal of neurophysiology, 123, pp. 861 - 864, http://dx.doi.org/10.1152/jn.00572.2019

Journal articles | 2020

Seminowicz D; Bilska K; Chowdhury N; Skippen P; Millard S; Chiang AKI; Chen S; Furman A; Schabrun S, 2020, 'A novel cortical biomarker signature for predicting pain sensitivity: protocol for the PREDICT longitudinal analytical validation study', , http://dx.doi.org/10.1101/2020.02.18.20024695

Journal articles | 2020

Seminowicz DA; Bilska K; Chowdhury NS; Skippen P; Millard SK; Chiang AKI; Chen S; Furman AJ; Schabrun SM, 2020, 'A novel cortical biomarker signature for predicting pain sensitivity: Protocol for the PREDICT longitudinal analytical validation study', Pain Reports, 5, http://dx.doi.org/10.1097/PR9.0000000000000833

Journal articles | 2020

Tran DMD; Chowdhury NS; McNair NA; Harris JA; Livesey EJ, 2020, 'Linking cortical and behavioural inhibition: Testing the parameter specificity of a transcranial magnetic stimulation protocol', Brain Stimulation, 13, pp. 1381 - 1383, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.brs.2020.07.010

Journal articles | 2019

Chowdhury N; Livesey E; Harris J, 2019, 'Erratum to the abstract, “The relationship between short interval intra-cortical inhibition and stopping ability” (Brain Stimulation (2019) 12(2) (445), (S1935861X18308623), (10.1016/j.brs.2018.12.443))', Brain Stimulation, 12, pp. 832, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.brs.2019.02.024

Journal articles | 2019

Chowdhury N; Livesey E; Harris J, 2019, 'The relationship between short interval intra-cortical inhibition and stopping ability', Brain Stimulation, 12, pp. 445 - 445, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.brs.2018.12.443

Journal articles | 2019

Chowdhury NS; Livesey EJ; Harris JA, 2019, 'Contralateral and Ipsilateral Relationships between Intracortical Inhibition and Stopping Efficiency', Neuroscience, 415, pp. 10 - 17, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.neuroscience.2019.07.013

Journal articles | 2019

Chowdhury NS; Livesey EJ; Harris JA, 2019, 'Individual differences in intracortical inhibition during behavioural inhibition', Neuropsychologia, 124, pp. 55 - 65, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2019.01.008

Journal articles | 2019

He J; Fuelscher I; Coxon J; Teo W; Barhoun P; Enticott P; Chowdhury N; Hyde C, 2019, 'Interindividual differences in both resting-state intracortical and interhemispheric inhibition predicts individual differences in relevant motor performance', Brain Stimulation, 12, pp. 477 - 477, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.brs.2018.12.555

Journal articles | 2019

He JL; Fuelscher I; Coxon J; Chowdhury N; Teo WP; Barhoun P; Enticott P; Hyde C, 2019, 'Individual differences in intracortical inhibition predict motor-inhibitory performance', Experimental Brain Research, 237, pp. 2715 - 2727, http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00221-019-05622-y

Journal articles | 2018

Chowdhury NS; Livesey EJ; Blaszczynski A; Harris JA, 2018, 'Variations in response control within at-risk gamblers and non-gambling controls explained by GABAergic inhibition in the motor cortex', Cortex, 103, pp. 153 - 163, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.cortex.2018.03.004

Journal articles | 2017

Chowdhury NS; Livesey EJ; Blaszczynski A; Harris JA, 2017, 'Pathological Gambling and Motor Impulsivity: A Systematic Review with Meta-Analysis', Journal of Gambling Studies, 33, pp. 1213 - 1239, http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10899-017-9683-5

Journal articles | 2017

Chowdhury NS; Marlow PJ; Kim J, 2017, 'Translucency and the perception of shape', Journal of Vision, 17, pp. 17 - 17, http://dx.doi.org/10.1167/17.3.17

Journal articles | 2016

Kim J; Tan K; Chowdhury NS, 2016, 'Image statistics and the fine lines of material perception', i-Perception, 7, pp. 1 - 11, http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/2041669516658047

Journal articles | 2016

Tan K, 2016, 'Corrigendum to: Image statistics and the fine lines of material perception [i-Perception, 7, 4, (2016) (1-11)] DOI: 10.1177/2041669516658047', i-Perception, 7, http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/2041669516686457
Preprints | 2025

Chowdhury N; Chang W-J; Shariati NH; Quide Y; Cunha PHMD; Lapa JDDS; Kubota GT; Santos KDAD; Coelho DN; de Andrade DC; Gustin S, 2025, The cortical mechanisms underlying the analgesic effects of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation: Protocol for a Systematic Review and Meta-analysis, http://dx.doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-5567805/v1

Preprints | 2025

Millard SK; Chiang AKI; Humburg P; Chowdhury N; Rehan R; Furman AJ; Mazaheri A; Schabrun SM; Seminowicz DA, 2025, Effects of nicotine compared to placebo gum on sensitivity to pain and mediating effects of peak alpha frequency, http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/elife.91933.2

Preprints | 2024

Chowdhury N; Millard S; de Martino E; Larsen DB; Seminowicz D; Schabrun S; Andrade DCD; Graven-Nielsen T, 2024, POSTERIOR-SUPERIOR INSULA REPETITIVE TRANSCRANIAL MAGNETIC STIMULATION REDUCES EXPERIMENTAL TONIC PAIN AND PAIN-RELATED CORTICAL INHIBITION IN HUMANS, http://dx.doi.org/10.1101/2024.05.14.594260

Preprints | 2024

Chowdhury NS; Bi C; Furman AJ; Chiang AK; Skippen P; Si E; Millard SK; Margerison SM; Spies D; Keaser ML; Da Silva JT; Chen S; Schabrun SM; Seminowicz DA, 2024, A novel cortical biomarker signature predicts individual pain sensitivity., http://dx.doi.org/10.1101/2024.06.16.24309005

Preprints | 2024

Chowdhury NS; Chang W-J; Cheng D; Manivasagan N; Seminowicz DA; Schabrun SM, 2024, The effect of prolonged elbow pain and rTMS on cortical inhibition: A TMS-EEG study., http://dx.doi.org/10.1101/2024.11.26.625334

Preprints | 2024

Chowdhury NS; Taseen K; Chiang A; Chang W-J; Millard SK; Seminowicz DA; Schabrun SM, 2024, A 5-day course of rTMS before pain onset ameliorates future pain and increases sensorimotor peak alpha frequency., http://dx.doi.org/10.1101/2024.06.11.598596

Preprints | 2024

Millard S; Chiang AKI; Chowdhury N; Chang W-J; Furman A; De Martino E; Graven-Nielsen T; Schabrun S; Seminowicz D, 2024, Peak alpha frequency is not significantly altered by five days of experimental pain and repetitive transcranial stimulation of the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, http://dx.doi.org/10.1101/2024.06.14.599003

Preprints | 2023

Chowdhury NS; Chiang AK; Millard SK; Skippen P; Chang W-J; Seminowicz DA; Schabrun SM, 2023, Alterations in cortical excitability during pain: A combined TMS-EEG Study., http://dx.doi.org/10.1101/2023.04.20.537735

Preprints | 2023

Chowdhury NS; Chiang AKI; Millard SK; Skippen P; Chang W-J; Seminowicz DA; Schabrun SM, 2023, Alterations in cortical excitability during pain: A combined TMS-EEG Study, http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/elife.88567.2

Preprints | 2023

Millard S; Chiang A; Humburg P; Chowdhury N; Rehan R; Furman A; Mazaheri A; Schabrun S; Seminowicz D, 2023, Effects of nicotine compared to placebo gum on sensitivity to pain and mediating effects of peak alpha frequency, http://dx.doi.org/10.1101/2023.08.11.552723

Preprints | 2023

Millard SK; Chiang AKI; Humburg P; Chowdhury N; Rehan R; Furman AJ; Mazaheri A; Schabrun SM; Seminowicz DA, 2023, Effects of nicotine compared to placebo gum on sensitivity to pain and mediating effects of peak alpha frequency, http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/elife.91933

Preprints | 2023

Millard SK; Chiang AKI; Humburg P; Chowdhury N; Rehan R; Furman AJ; Mazaheri A; Schabrun SM; Seminowicz DA, 2023, Effects of nicotine compared to placebo gum on sensitivity to pain and mediating effects of peak alpha frequency, http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/elife.91933.1

Preprints | 2022

Chowdhury N; Skippen P; Si E; Chiang A; Millard S; Furman A; Chen S; Seminowicz D; Schabrun S, 2022, The reliability of two prospective cortical biomarkers for pain: EEG peak alpha frequency and TMS corticomotor excitability, http://dx.doi.org/10.1101/2022.03.06.22271797

Preprints | 2022

Schabrun SM; Si E; Millard SK; Chiang AKI; Chen S; Chowdhury NS; Seminowicz DA, 2022, Intramuscular injection of nerve growth factor as a model of temporomandibular disorder: nature, time-course, and sex differences characterising the pain experience, http://dx.doi.org/10.1101/2022.12.13.520244

Preprints | 2021

Chowdhury N; Rogasch N; Chiang A; Millard S; Skippen P; Chang W-J; Bilska K; Si E; Seminowicz D; Schabrun S, 2021, The influence of somatosensory and auditory evoked potentials on concurrent transcranial-magnetic stimulation – electroencephalography recordings, http://dx.doi.org/10.1101/2021.11.17.469035

Preprints | 2021

He J; Hirst R; Puri R; Coxon JP; Byblow WD; Hinder MR; Skippen P; Matzke D; Heathcote A; Wadsley C; Silk T; Hyde C; Parmar D; Pedapati E; Gilbert D; Huddleston D; Mostofsky SH; Leunissen I; MacDonald H; Chowdhury N; Gretton MB; Nikitenko T; Zandbelt B; Strickland LJG; Puts N, 2021, OSARI, an Open-Source Anticipated Response Inhibition task, http://dx.doi.org/10.31234/osf.io/fzdp2

Preprints | 2020

Chowdhury N; Chang W-J; Millard S; Skippen P; Bilska K; Seminowicz D; Schabrun S, 2020, The Influence of Experimental Pain on Primary Motor Cortex Function: Protocol for a Systematic Review and Meta-analysis, http://dx.doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-33009/v1

2025. Chowdhury, N.S. Optimising Brain Stimulation Protocols for Treatment of Neuropathic Pain Following Spinal Cord Injury. June and Doris Cather Postdoctoral Award. 30000 AUD
2025 – 2028 - Schabrun, S.M., Seminowicz, D.A., Chowdhury, N.S. & Espin Garcia, O. Unravelling the mechanistic architecture of motor behaviour in pain. Canadian Institutes of Health Research Project Grant, 570000 AUD
2025 – 2028 - Schabrun, S.M., Seminowicz, D.A., Chowdhury, N.S. & Espin Garcia, O. Unravelling the mechanistic architecture of motor behaviour in pain. Research Excellence Award. University of Western Ontario. 87000 AUD
2024 - Cavaleri, R., Summers, S., Chang, W.J., Chowdhury N.S. Efficacy of home-based transcranial direct current stimulation on knee osteoarthritis. Arthritis Australia Project Grant. 20000 AUD
2024 - Chowdhury, N.S. Alterations in cortical excitability during acute pain. Brainbox Research Challenge Award. BrainBox Initiative. Lab equipment loan.

2025 - June and Doris Cather Postdoctoral Award

2024 - IASP Travel Award

2022 - Brainbox Research Challenge Award

2021 - Faculty of Science Prize for Outstanding Thesis (Psychology), University of Sydney

2021 - Tasman Lovell Medallion for Best Thesis in Psychology, University of Sydney

2020 – Australiasian Cognitive Neuroscience Society Emerging Researcher Award

2019 – Sydney University Publication Prize

2018- International Graduate Accommodation award for the 3rd International Meeting of the Psychonomic Society

2017 – Travel award for Australasian Cognitive Neuroscience Society (ACNS) Conference

2017 – Sydney University PsychFEST Best Presentation

2016 – Sydney Postgraduate Psychology Conference Best Presentation

2015 – The University Medal

1. Understanding Neuroplastic processes underlying Neuropathic Pain after a spinal cord injury

2. Determining the underlying mechanism behind the analgesic effects of rTMS treatments for chronic pain

3. Optimisation of home-based brain stimulation treatments for chronic pain

4. Validation of a home based EEG neurofeedback device for treatment of chronic pain

5. Enigma chronic pain (currently a co chair for the EEG arm) - a world wide initiative to understand the neural correlates of chronic pain

My Research Supervision

1 Honours Student (validation of an EEG device used for neurofeedback therapy for chronic pain)

2 PhD Students (1 running an RCT for chronic pain and the other optimising combined TMS EEG methodologies)

My Teaching

Statistics in R

Psychological Interventions

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