Sarah Haigh


PhD Student


Contact Details
Room 4.738
Department of Psychology
University of Essex
Colchester CO4 3SQ
U.K.


Tel: +44 (0)1206 - 874919
Fax: +44 (0)1206 - 874901

username shaigh add @essex.ac.uk for email address

BIOGRAPHY


I completed my BSc in Experimental Psychology at the University of Bristol in 2009 and started my PhD at Essex University the same year.


RESEARCH OVERVIEW


My PhD is in Vision Science, specifically pattern sensitivity and photophobia (also known as Visual Stress) in migraine.  For my thesis, I am conducting studies using near infrared spectroscopy (NIRS), the electroencephalogram (EEG), and an autorefractor (to measure ocular accommodation) to investigate the possible causes of Visual Stress.  In addition, I am also looking at the effect of colour in alleviating the symptoms of Visual Stress.


PRINCIPAL SUPERVISOR Arnold Wilkins


RECENT PUBLICATIONS


Haigh, S. M., Karanovic, O., Wilkinson, F., Cooper, N., & Wilkins, A. J. (September 2012).  Cortical mechanisms of discomfort in migraine.  Perception, 41 (ECVP Abstract Supplement), 152-153.


Haigh, S. M., Karanovic, O., Wilkinson, F. & Wilkins, A. J. (2012).  Aversion to patterns and cortical hyperexcitability in migraine.  Cephalalgia, 32, 236-240.


Haigh, S. M., Allen, P. M., & Wilkins, A. J. (2011).  Accommodation to chromatic gratings.  Perception, 40 (ECVP Abstract Supplement), 80.  Full poster online at: http://posters.f1000.com/P2209.

 

Haigh, S. M. (2011).  Haigh on Purves: Brains: How they seem to work.  Perception, 40 (4), 507-508.


Duensing, S. J., Heard, P. F., Perks, L., Haigh, S., Etchells, P., Leonards, U., (2009).  Eye movements of science centre visitors.  Perception, 38 (ECVP Abstract Supplement), pg167.

 

Presentations


Haigh, S. M., Karanovic, O., Wilkinson, F., Cooper, N., & Wilkins, A. J. (September 2012).  Cortical mechanisms of discomfort in migraine.  Poster presented at the European Conference on Visual Perception in Alghero, Sardinia.

 

Wilkins, A. J., & Haigh, S. M. (May 2012).  Image discomfort: its biological basis and utility.  Poster presented at the Applied Vision Association/British Machine Vision Association meeting in Cambridge, UK.

 

Haigh, S. M., Karanovic, O., Wilkinson, F., Allen, P. M., & Wilkins, A. J. (April 2012).  Visual discomfort and migraine - peripheral vs. cortical mechanisms.  Poster presented at the British Association for Cognitive Neuroscience conference in Newcastle, UK.

 

Haigh, S. M., Tang, P., Barningham, L., Coutts, L., Allen, P. & Wilkins, A. J. (2012, February).  Colour separation and aversion.  Talk presented in an internal seminar at the University of Essex, UK.

 

Haigh, S. M., Tang, P., Barningham, L., Coutts, L., Allen, P. & Wilkins, A. J. (2011, December).  Colour separation and aversion.  Poster accepted for the annual Applied Vision Association conference, York, UK.


Haigh, S. M., Karanovic, O., Wilkinson, F., Allen, P. M., Jaschinski, W., & Wilkins, A. J. (2011, September).  Cortical hyperexcitability in migraine and aversion to patterns. Talk presented at the Smith Kettlewell Eye Research Institute, San Francisco, CA, USA.

 

Haigh, S. M., Karanovic, O., Wilkinson, F., Allen, P. M., Jaschinski, W., & Wilkins, A. J. (2011, September).  Cortical hyperexcitability in migraine and aversion to patterns.  Talk presented at the University of Nevada, Reno, NV, USA.

 

Haigh, S. M., Karanovic, O., Wilkinson, F., Allen, P. M., & Wilkins, A. J. (2011, September).  Cortical hyperexcitability in migraine and aversion to patterns.  Talk presented at the conference for Visual IMage Safety, Las Vegas, NV, USA.

 

Haigh, S. M., Allen, P. M., & Wilkins, A. J. (2011, August).  Accommodation to chromatic gratings.  Poster accepted for the annual European Conference on Visual Perception, Toulouse, France.

 

Haigh, S. M., Karanovic, O., Wilkinson, F., & Wilkins, A. J. (2010, July).  Aversion thresholds to achromatic gratings.  Presented at York University, Toronto, Canada.