Neural Control Of Behavioural State And Cognition - Role Of Nucleus Incertus And Relaxin-3
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$600,771.00
Summary
Dementia and mental illness are significant social and economic burdens worldwide and knowledge of underlying causes and more effective therapies are required. Our research is using preclinical models to characterize a little studied neural network in the control of arousal states, rhythmic brain activity, and learning and memory. Our findings could advance the development of improved treatments for cognitive deficits in degenerative, age-related and psychiatric disorders.
Ascending Control Of Behavioural State And Cognition - Role Of Nucleus Incertus And Relaxin-3 Transmission
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$540,356.00
Summary
Mental illness and dementia are significant social and economic burdens worldwide and knowledge of their underlying causes and more effective therapies are required. Our research aims to use pre-clinical models to characterize a little studied neuronal network implicated in control of brain theta rhythm activity, which could lead to improved treatment of neuropsychiatric diseases such as anxiety and depression, and degenerative cognitive decline.
Exploring DNA Methylation As A Mechanism For Long-term Memory For Fear Extinction
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$415,322.00
Summary
Traumatic experiences are well remembered. In some cases, fear-related memories become debilitating and require therapeutic intervention to diminish the impact of these kinds of memories on daily living. Such therapies engage a process of inhibitory learning called fear extinction. Since anxiety disorders are particularly sensitive to relapse even after extensive exposure therapy, a deeper understanding of the extinction process is crucial if we are to develop more effective treatment protocols ....Traumatic experiences are well remembered. In some cases, fear-related memories become debilitating and require therapeutic intervention to diminish the impact of these kinds of memories on daily living. Such therapies engage a process of inhibitory learning called fear extinction. Since anxiety disorders are particularly sensitive to relapse even after extensive exposure therapy, a deeper understanding of the extinction process is crucial if we are to develop more effective treatment protocols for a variety of anxiety disorders.Read moreRead less
Longitudinal Transcriptome Profiles For People With Dementia
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$475,913.00
Summary
Over the past decade, less than half a percent of drugs trialled for Alzheimer Disease were found to be effective. This highlights the need for new drug targets. This Fellowship aims to study how genes express themselves over time, among people with very high risk of dementia (genetic form of Alzheimer Disease and Huntington Disease). By looking at gene expression in nerve tissue in the nose, fluid around the brain, and blood, I hope to better understand the disease mechanisms causing dementia.
The Role Of Long Noncoding RNAs In Parkinson’s Disease
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$692,699.00
Summary
Parkinson's disease is a complex neurodegenerative disorder. For 90% of patients there is no known cause and for all patients there is no cure. The development of genome studies and transcriptome sequencing has revealed a class of noncoding RNAs whose regulation or dysregulation may lay at the heart of what goes wrong for PD sufferers. Our laboratory focuses on critical PD genes and their regulation by long noncoding RNAs.