Motivation For Starvation: Understanding The Neurobiology Of Anorexia Nervosa
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$773,142.00
Summary
Anorexia nervosa is a debilitating psychiatric disorder which is currently untreatable. It is characterised by disrupted reward and cognitive processing. This project, which will ultimately inform treatment strategies, utilises the activity-based anorexia rat model combined with innovative behavioural paradigms and sophisticated techniques to manipulate and record from neural circuits. This will furnish a comprehensive understanding of the neurobiology involved in pathological weight loss.
Uncovering Oxytocin And Vasopressin Release And Functions With Novel Optical Tools
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$631,634.00
Summary
Oytocin and vasopressin are peptides in the brain that act as releasable neuromodulators and the balance of these peptides is implicated in the control of social behaviour and anxiety. We aim to investigate the release and function of these neuropeptides with 3 novel protein-based tools in a stressful learning paradigm and anxious behaviour. The understanding of their function will have important implications in the development of therapeutics for neurological conditions and drug addictions.
Examining The Metabolic And Cognitive Deficits Caused By Insulin Resistance In The Ventral Striatum
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$400,372.00
Summary
Brain insulin resistance is thought to cause metabolic and cognitive deficits, but the underlying neural mechanisms remain elusive. This project addresses this gap in our knowledge by examining how brain insulin resistance disrupts the metabolic regulation of food intake and the cognitive control of actions. The outcomes will provide new insights in disorders characterised by brain insulin resistance such as obesity and dementia.
Neonatal Therapy For Improving Myelination And Long Term Outcome Following Preterm Birth
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$799,883.00
Summary
Preterm birth leads to the early loss of the nurturing uterine environment which supports key developmental processes. This results in behavioural disorders later in life including attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and anxiety. Preterm birth leads to loss of support for the maturation of oligodendrocyte cells and myelination which contributes to these disorders. This work will delineate therapies for preterm neonates that restore myelination and improve long-term behavioural outcomes.
Characterising The Muscarinic Receptor Deficit In Schizophrenia
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$476,543.00
Summary
Post-mortem examination of the brains of schizophrenia patients reveals a substantial loss of muscarinic receptors. This is likely to be clinically very important if it can also be confirmed in living patients. Having developed a new scanning technique that shows muscarinic receptors in the living brain, we will now scan patients with schizophrenia to see if they also show this receptor loss, and see how it affects them. This could open new doors to understanding and treating the disease.
Using A National Level Multi-registry Analysis To Determine Whether Prescribed Anti-platelet Therapies Post-stroke Can Modify The Risk Of Cognitive Decline Or Dementia
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$446,302.00
Summary
Stroke survivors are at risk of dementia. Blood brain barrier damage after stroke may allow drugs in the bloodstream, which can be toxic to brain cells, to enter the brain. Clopidogrel, a drug commonly used after stroke, blocks a receptor essential for brain repair. After stroke, clopidogrel may access the brain and compromise repair processes, increasing the risk of dementia. We will link use of clopidogrel to the risk of dementia after stroke, using national Swedish health registry data.
Intergenerational Impacts Of Paternal Immune Activation On Brain Function And Dysfunction
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$997,690.00
Summary
We recently discovered that infection of male mice with a parasite (Toxoplasma gondii) before conception can change the epigenetic information in the sperm and alter behaviour of the offspring. This is the first evidence that pathogenic infection in males can affect the next generation. We will investigate how infection with other major pathogens, including bacteria and the virus causing COVID-19, may affect sperm epigenetics and offspring health, including their brain function and dysfunction.