The Role Of The Zinc Finger Transcriptional Repressor Znf238 During Nerve Cell Maturation
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$394,264.00
Summary
Proper foetal brain assembly is critical for brain function, but the underlying genetic mechanisms remain poorly defined. In this study, I will investigate a family of proteins that “turn on” neural gene expression in combination with another protein that “turns off” their expression during nerve cell development. Understanding this novel on/off mechanism for controlling gene expression in newborn nerve cells will further our understanding of how the brain is assembled.
Know thyself: Development of metacognition in childhood and adolescence. This project aims to advance our understanding of the development of children and adolescents’ insight into their own thoughts and behaviours, or metacognition. Individual differences in metacognition impact learning and contribute to the educational achievement gap observed in many countries, including Australia. By combining analysis of existing international cohort data and state-of-the art developmentally appropriate ne ....Know thyself: Development of metacognition in childhood and adolescence. This project aims to advance our understanding of the development of children and adolescents’ insight into their own thoughts and behaviours, or metacognition. Individual differences in metacognition impact learning and contribute to the educational achievement gap observed in many countries, including Australia. By combining analysis of existing international cohort data and state-of-the art developmentally appropriate neuroimaging methodology, the project is expected to create new basic research knowledge. An intended benefit is the development and evaluation of an evidence-based intervention to enhance the metacognitive skills of primary and secondary school pupils and improve their achievement in mathematics.Read moreRead less
The impact of circadian and sleep factors on neurodevelopment. This project aims to longitudinally examine the contributions of multiple circadian and sleep factors on the development of the teen brain. Adolescence is associated with a change in the internal body clock, leading to later bed and wake times and loss of sleep. It is also a time when the teenage brain is rapidly maturing to support learning. Despite the known importance of sleep in adolescence we know little about how the circadian ....The impact of circadian and sleep factors on neurodevelopment. This project aims to longitudinally examine the contributions of multiple circadian and sleep factors on the development of the teen brain. Adolescence is associated with a change in the internal body clock, leading to later bed and wake times and loss of sleep. It is also a time when the teenage brain is rapidly maturing to support learning. Despite the known importance of sleep in adolescence we know little about how the circadian clock and sleep impacts the developing brain. Our project expects to advance understanding of the importance of sleep and circadian timing for healthy brain and cognitive development. This knowledge will inform policy and prevention/intervention programs to benefit individuals, parents and the community.Read moreRead less
Non-invasive Detection Of Hypoglycaemia In People With Diabetes Using Brain Wave Activity
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$330,447.00
Summary
Hypoglycaemia remains a major cause of morbidity and mortality in people with both type 1 diabetes and type 2 diabetes who require insulin therapy. Current treatments for nocturnal hypoglycaemia are usually ineffective. Combining brain wave recording and artificial intelligence, we will identify the changes that precipitate an episode of hypoglycaemia allowing the development of a non-invasive device to prevent or alleviate these fearful and potentially life-threatening events.
Social buffering of fear inhibition in adolescent rats. Adolescence is an important time when individuals learn to manage stress-related emotions like fear. Peers can help, or hinder, individuals to regulate fear. This project aims to understand how, when, and for whom social buffering of fear regulation occurs during adolescence. It uses a behavioural, pharmacological, and neural approach to explore these issues. The project aims to close the gap in understanding of how social companions affect ....Social buffering of fear inhibition in adolescent rats. Adolescence is an important time when individuals learn to manage stress-related emotions like fear. Peers can help, or hinder, individuals to regulate fear. This project aims to understand how, when, and for whom social buffering of fear regulation occurs during adolescence. It uses a behavioural, pharmacological, and neural approach to explore these issues. The project aims to close the gap in understanding of how social companions affect basic learning and memory processes in an understudied population of adolescents. The expected outcomes of this project include a richer knowledge of how peers shape emotional regulation during development, which will ultimately inform social-based approaches for improving emotion regulation in youth.
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A Systematic Evaluation Of The Neurosurgical Application Of Peri-operative And Intra-operative MR Tractography In Different Paediatric Disease States
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$130,910.00
Summary
My research investigates changes in brain nerve fibre tracts/white matter in paediatric disease states and changes related to surgery by using nerve fibre tract imaging before, during and after surgery. It will also generate an imaging atlas to help understand white matter pathway development. It then serves as normative comparison to better understand aberrations in diseased neural pathways. The outcome will aid understanding in brain development, recovery and plasticity, and helps improve whit ....My research investigates changes in brain nerve fibre tracts/white matter in paediatric disease states and changes related to surgery by using nerve fibre tract imaging before, during and after surgery. It will also generate an imaging atlas to help understand white matter pathway development. It then serves as normative comparison to better understand aberrations in diseased neural pathways. The outcome will aid understanding in brain development, recovery and plasticity, and helps improve white matter lesion localisation.Read moreRead less
Efficacy Of Prism Adaptation For Recovery Of Brain Function In Unilateral Spatial Neglect
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$531,690.00
Summary
Damage to the brain’s attention network causes profound impairments of visual and sensory perception. These deficits are frequently long-lasting, and are a major factor in preventing patients from regaining functional independence. This project will use a combination of behavioural and brain imaging techniques to determine whether a promising new treatment involving visual retraining can improve function and reduce perceptual impairments after unilateral brain lesions.
Efficacy Of A 3-month Aerobic Exercise Regime For Restoring 'brain Health' In Heavy Cannabis Users
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$1,209,221.00
Summary
Over a ten-year period, we, and others have documented the brain and psychological harms associated with regular cannabis use. We have now shown that these harms are not permanent, but can be restored. However, the recovery process takes a long time. This study will build on our extensive work to date and, for the first time, investigate whether a specific form of exercise will cause accelerated and beneficial changes in i) the brain and ii) the daily lives of heavy cannabis users.