Does Obesity Have The Characteristics Of Addiction?
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$430,832.00
Summary
The number of overweight or obese people in Australia has increased dramatically in recent years, increasing disease risk. The brain responds to palatable food in ways similar to the response to drugs of addiction, and this may explain why people find it hard to resist palatable food. Our work will explore whether obesity in rats has the characteristics of addiction by examining bingeing, craving, withdrawal and brain circuits in animals chronically exposed to palatable food.
I am a neuroscientist, studying fundamental mechanisms related to addiction. A major feature of my research is the neuropharmacological characterisation of potential novel therapeutic strategies to combat drug-seeking behaviour
Understanding Cortical Circuitry Underlying Sensory Integration And The Consequence Of Its Developmental Disruption
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$527,395.00
Summary
The mammalian neocortex is organised into six layers with a systematic pattern of wiring that relies on normal development and balanced activity of neurons. This project combines developmental, electrophysiological, optogenetic behavioural, and computational methods to establish how the properties of the precise structure of cortical circuits impact their function and how disruptions in the balanced activity during development affect circuit formation and function in the mature brain.
Mapping The Neural Circuits Involved In Appetite And Feeding Behaviour
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$404,892.00
Summary
My research project involves deconstructing the neural circuitry underlying feeding behaviour using innovative genetically-based methods. I aim to identify and characterise the major projections of the oxytocin-expressing neurons in the paraventricular hypothalamic nucleus, which have recently been identified as critical in the feeding neurocircuitry. This emerging field of research is predicted to transform our understanding and treatment of disorders such as obesity and anorexia nervosa.
Problems in learning, memory and other complex mental processes are common to many brain disorders. This project will study the impact of mutations on a family of genes reported in autism and schizophrenia, on complex cognitive behaviours using novel behavioural technologies. This will not only shed fundamental insights into the specific mental processes regulated by these genes and their role in disease, but importantly provide novel targets for the development of therapies.
Advancing The Evidence-base For Childhood Brain Insult: Diagnosis, Assessment And Intervention
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$575,662.00
Summary
My research has 4 primary objectives, representing major gaps in current knowledge: 1. improve knowledge of recovery and determinants of post-concussive symptoms 2. establish the impact of child brain insult on socio-emotional function and identify contributing factors 3. develop an iPad based tool for socio-emotional function 4. evaluate and disseminate e-heath treatments for child brain insult
Cannabidiol (CBD): A Novel Therapeutic For Alzheimer's Disease.
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$775,005.00
Summary
Current drugs do not stop or reverse the progression of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Also, brains of AD patients show a number of biological changes and effective drugs should target those together. Cannabidiol (CBD) has such abilities when tested in AD cell models. We found that CBD can also prevent and reverse memory deficits in AD mice. We propose to provide convincing preclinical evidence for the benefits of CBD for human AD therapy and to define mechanisms involved.
Discovering Deep Sleep Genes And Determining Their Roles For Preserving Cognitive Functions
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$484,901.00
Summary
Our mental well-being is largely tied to our sleep quality, and most cognitive disorders are also associated with poor sleep processes. Yet, we still do not know how sleep quality safeguards cognitive function. We will uncover genes that play a restorative role during deep sleep, and determine how genetic control of these deep sleep genes modulates selective attention in an animal model. Our results will suggest novel therapies for treating sleep disorders and associated diseases of the brain.
Enhancement Of Newborn Neuron Survival To Promote Repair Following Adult Brain Injury
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$555,780.00
Summary
Following brain damage tissue needs to be rebuilt and newborn nerve cells need to survive. Identification of factors that enhance the numbers and promote the survival and appropriate integration of newborn nerve cells is therefore important and over the last few years we have identified two regulatory factors that are prime candidates to enhance numbers and survival of newborn neurons following injury: the Rho pathway and suppressor of cytokine signalling-2, which we will test for effectiveness ....Following brain damage tissue needs to be rebuilt and newborn nerve cells need to survive. Identification of factors that enhance the numbers and promote the survival and appropriate integration of newborn nerve cells is therefore important and over the last few years we have identified two regulatory factors that are prime candidates to enhance numbers and survival of newborn neurons following injury: the Rho pathway and suppressor of cytokine signalling-2, which we will test for effectiveness following brain injury.Read moreRead less