INVESTIGATING THE VALIDITY OF PRENATAL INSULTS AS RISK FACTORS FOR SCHIZOPHRENIA.
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$201,100.00
Summary
Schizophrenia is one of the most devastating of human mental disorders affecting about 1% of the population. The cause of this disorder is not known but it seems certain that it will involve genetic and environmental factors. An adverse environmental factor could be a reduced supply of oxygen and nutrients to a baby during pregnancy. In guinea pigs we aim to investigate whether disruption to the normal supply of oxygen and nutrients to the fetus disrupts the normal fine structure and chemical ma ....Schizophrenia is one of the most devastating of human mental disorders affecting about 1% of the population. The cause of this disorder is not known but it seems certain that it will involve genetic and environmental factors. An adverse environmental factor could be a reduced supply of oxygen and nutrients to a baby during pregnancy. In guinea pigs we aim to investigate whether disruption to the normal supply of oxygen and nutrients to the fetus disrupts the normal fine structure and chemical make up of the brain and gives rise to long-lasting structural and neurochemical changes in adolescent animals, which resemble changes found in the brains of patients with schizophrenia. We will also assess whether behavioural responses of compromised animals are altered in tests that parallel disturbances seen in patients with schizophrenia. Such abnormal brain development could create an underlying vulnerability in the brain, predisposing individuals with risk factors such as genetic inheritance to develop the symptoms of schizophrenia in later life perhaps only after the complete formation of nerve pathways involved in higher brain functioning. If guinea pigs that have been subjected to low oxygen levels during pregnancy show sustained changes in the structure and neurochemistry in regions of the brain that are altered in patients with schizophrenia it would suggest that these long lasting disturbances could result from problems during pregnancy. Thus, this would support the idea that abnormal brain development during pregnancy is one of the underlying causes of schizophrenia.Read moreRead less
Congenital Cytomegalovirus: Understanding The Long-term Outcomes And Identifying Opportunities For Secondary Prevention
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$318,768.00
Summary
Cytomegalovirus is a herpesvirus that can be transmitted from mother to baby during pregnancy. Congenital cytomegalovirus (cCMV) can cause damage to the developing central nervous system leading to long-term disabilities including cerebral palsy and hearing loss. This epidemiological research program seeks to investigate cCMV risk factors and burden, opportunities for early detection of neuro-developmental disabilities and to study the effects of postnatal antiviral therapies in this population.
This study will follow up a birth cohort for 25 years with the aim of looking at critical periods for bone development including the role of in utero exposures, early infancy, age 8 and age 16.
The Neurophysiology Of Abnormal Motor Development In Preterm Children
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$479,967.00
Summary
Better neonatal care has improved survival of prematurely born children. While most of these children will have no obvious brain lesion and attend mainstream schools, many will experience motor and cognitive difficulties and problems with social adjustment. However, the physiological mechanisms underlying this dysfunction are unknown. We will study preterm and term born children to elucidate the physiological mechanisms underlying motor and cognitive dysfunction associated with prematurity.
Understanding The Mechanisms Of PTEN Transfer Into Glial Cells Using Exosomes
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$567,253.00
Summary
This application will develop a new way of treating brain cancer which currently affects 1500 adults in Australia per year with no lasting cures. The average patient with a malignant brain tumour do not survive for more than 12 months. We have discovered a method of restoring a cancer suppressor substance that is lost from brain tumours. If successful, this treatment has the potential to limit or reverse the progression of brain tumours.
An Integrated “omic” Approach To Neurodevelopmental Disorders Using Disease-discordant Monozygotic Twins
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$84,800.00
Summary
This project targets neurodevelopment disorders such as autism spectrum disorder, cerebral palsy and epilepsy and focuses on studying the environmental factors (epigenetics) affecting the disease mechanisms in these disorders. The study will be performed on twin samples and will help in the diagnosis of the disease risk at an earlier stage. It will also help to understand the causes of these important neurological diseases.
Association Between Birthweight And The Metabolic Syndrome - A Study In Twins.
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$95,880.00
Summary
The Metabolic Syndrome is a shorthand term for a collection of disorders in the same individual; including Diabetes, high cholesterol levels, hypertension, atherosclerosis and obesity. These conditions have previously been assumed to occur because of genetic influences, acting in combination with the individual's lifestyle. However, another factor may also be important in causing the metabolic syndrome. A recent theory suggests that adverse events occurring during fetal development may result in ....The Metabolic Syndrome is a shorthand term for a collection of disorders in the same individual; including Diabetes, high cholesterol levels, hypertension, atherosclerosis and obesity. These conditions have previously been assumed to occur because of genetic influences, acting in combination with the individual's lifestyle. However, another factor may also be important in causing the metabolic syndrome. A recent theory suggests that adverse events occurring during fetal development may result in low birth weight and lead to metabolic changes which cause the metabolic syndrome in adulthood. This theory, if true, would have profound implications for the prevention of these common problems; which are the leading cause of death in developed countries. The validity of the Fetal Origins Hypothesis is curently uncertain. Confounding genetic and environmental factors make it difficult to separate the role of genetic, fetal and environmental influences. Studies of twins have the potential to sort out this important question. We will study the association between birthweight and the metabolic syndrome in sets of identical twins who have identical genes and similar environmental backgrounds. We will use a set of metabolic and hormone tests to define the characteristics of each twin. We will also employ a novel non-invasive method of measuring cell metabolism using magnetic resonance spectroscopy. If we find that the twin with lower birthweight usually has more adverse features of the metabolic syndrome, this will point to an important cause of cardiovascular disease. This study will provide very important insights into the influence of early life on subsequent health and may lead to a dramatic changes in our approach to the prevention of common diseases. Improving the health and well-being of pregnant mothers and their babies may turn out to be one of the most important public health issues that we can address.Read moreRead less