The Burden Of Late Preterm Birth On Brain Development And 2 Year Outcomes – A Prospective, Longitudinal Cohort Study
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$838,690.00
Summary
80% of preterm babies are born from 32-36 weeks’ gestation, and are late preterm (LPT). LPT children have more learning problems, but why this occurs is unknown. This study aims to understand the effect of LPT birth on brain development. We will do brain scans at term and assess development at 2 years of age of 200 LPT and 200 full-term children. We expect LPT babies will have subtle alterations in brain development compared with term controls which will be associated with delayed development.
Motor problems, ranging from clumsiness to cerebral palsy, are one of the most common adverse outcomes in children born early. This study will investigate the motor development of children born <30 weeks’ gestation compared with peers born at term from birth to 5 years. We will determine whether early clinical evaluations or neuroimaging in the newborn period can predict later motor impairment at 5 years to be able to identify those who will benefit most from early intervention.
Is Placental Aging The Key To Understanding, Predicting And Preventing Stillbirth?
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$473,861.00
Summary
Stillbirth occurs in 35 times as many pregnancies as sudden infant death but the causes are unknown. This project will help to develop tests that can predict the risk of stillbirth so that the obstetrician can deliver the baby before it dies. The investigators hypothesise that stillbirth is due to aging of the placenta and that markers of the aging placenta can be detected in the mother’s blood. The project brings together experts in the placenta, aging and obstetric care of high risk pregnancy.
The Older Australian Twins Study (OATS) Of Healthy Brain Ageing And Age-related Neurocognitive Disorders
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$940,960.00
Summary
Ageing is associated with cognitive decline and dementia. It is still not completely understood what relative contributions genes and environment play in these. This project is an extension of the Older Australian Twins Study to examine genetic and environmental factors associated with late life brain changes and dementia, and will establish an internationally significant cohort for novel discovery.
Fall Prevention And Physical Activity Promotion For Older Adults: Cluster Trial Of Effectiveness And Cost-effectiveness
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$1,291,950.00
Summary
This cluster randomised controlled trial will establish the impact on physical activity and falls of an intervention program that targets both physical activity and falls using assessment, advice and health coaching. The trial will involve 60 established groups of older people, recruited from local chapters of community organisations including Probus, the Older Women’s Network, registered clubs and church groups (estimated average group size of 10; total n = 600).
Pharmaceutical Opioids For Chronic Non-cancer Pain: Evaluating Health Outcomes And Economic Impact Over Five Years
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$775,922.00
Summary
Chronic non-cancer pain (CNCP) is a major contributor to disability. Increased opioid prescribing for CNCP has produced concern about dependence and overdose in the absence on data on its long-term effectiveness. Novel statistical methods will test causal relationships over 5 years between treatment, outcomes, and costs on 1,514 CNCP patients prescribed opioids. We will answer critical questions on 5-year outcomes, and whether, and for whom, opioids and other clinical interventions reduce costs.
Australian Longitudinal Study Of Heroin Dependence: An 18-20yr Prospective Cohort Study Of Mortality, Abstinence, And Psychiatric And Physical Health Comorbidity
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$1,210,319.00
Summary
The burden associated with heroin dependence is undeniable. But little is known about the natural history and long-term course of heroin dependence; knowledge that is critical for informing the development of new treatment interventions, health care planning and service delivery. We propose to extend our study of 615 Australians with heroin dependence, recruited in 2001-2002, to 18-20 years follow-up to answer critical questions about the long-term impact of this condition.
Information Encoding By Temporal Structure Of Afferent Spike Trains
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$231,175.00
Summary
Our ability to sense, discriminate and interpret touch stimuli underpins some of the most crucial functions of the human hand that relate to object exploration and manipulation. The fundamental mechanism of how nerve impulses generated by tactile receptors are interpreted by the nervous system is not understood. Only by discovering the underlying neural encoding mechanisms can we appreciate the functional impairments in patients and learn to identify them before they become widespread and irreve ....Our ability to sense, discriminate and interpret touch stimuli underpins some of the most crucial functions of the human hand that relate to object exploration and manipulation. The fundamental mechanism of how nerve impulses generated by tactile receptors are interpreted by the nervous system is not understood. Only by discovering the underlying neural encoding mechanisms can we appreciate the functional impairments in patients and learn to identify them before they become widespread and irreversible.Read moreRead less
Identifying New Targets For Primary School Mental Health Interventions Using Population Data
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$798,882.00
Summary
This project assesses the mental health and well-being of ~87,000 children aged 10 years in New South Wales, and links this information (anonymously) with data on school-based mental health interventions, and data on health, education, and welfare collected from birth. We will identify factors that promote mental health and reduce ill-health. We hope to improve child health by developing new ways to detect early vulnerability for ill-health, and by identifying new health promotion opportunities.
Defining The Molecular Effectors Of Gene/environment Interaction On Mouse Heart Development
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$749,271.00
Summary
One third of all birth defects involve the heart, and are the most common cause of infant death. Some defects are due to genetic factors, but others arise when the pregnant mother is exposed to environmental stress. We will examine how one stress (low oxygen levels) causes abnormal heart formation in the embryo, look at what causes this at a molecular level, and explore if such stress increases the risk of heart defects in families with a history of such abnormalities