Ascending Neural Networks And Behavioural State Control
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$727,758.00
Summary
Our research aims to describe and understand newly identified nerve pathways or 'networks' in brain that control physiological homeostasis or balance and complex behaviours, including levels of arousal and motivation, sleep/wake patterns, learning and memory, and emotions such as fear and anxiety
An Investigation Of The Potential Association Between Sports Concussion And Neurodegenerative Disease In Collision Sports Athletes
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$318,768.00
Summary
Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is increasingly recognised as a risk factor for dementia. Sports concussion is the mildest form of TBI, but occurs frequently in contact sports, with some players sustaining multiple concussions during their career. Despite the increased attention on this topic, it is not known whether repeated concussions during an athlete’s career lead to a greater vulnerability or a greater risk for dementia later in life. This research program aims to investigate these concerns.
We propose to establish the Australian Mouse Brain Mapping Consortium which is a national network of facilities allowing Australian researchers to better characterise mouse models of neurological diseases such as Alzheimer's Disease and stroke. Just as accurate maps were key to the voyages of geographic discovery in the 17th and 18th century, improved methods of mapping structural and functional changes in the brain of mouse models of neurological disease will be key to discovery in the neurosci ....We propose to establish the Australian Mouse Brain Mapping Consortium which is a national network of facilities allowing Australian researchers to better characterise mouse models of neurological diseases such as Alzheimer's Disease and stroke. Just as accurate maps were key to the voyages of geographic discovery in the 17th and 18th century, improved methods of mapping structural and functional changes in the brain of mouse models of neurological disease will be key to discovery in the neurosciences in the 21st century . For the Consortium the cartographic tools will be magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), microscopy and sophisticated computational methods of mapping brain structure and function. Participants in the Consortium are internationally recognised leaders in brain imaging based at Monash University, the Howard Florey Institute, the Prince of Wales Medical Research Institute and the Centre for Magnetic Resonance and the Queensland Brain Institute, University of Queensland.Read moreRead less
Epigenetic mechanisms regulating sex differences in fear-related learning and memory. Anxiety disorders represent an enormous burden on society and are associated with premature aging and infertility in men and women. Evidence also indicates that parental anxiety affects child development. Given that fear-related learning has an important influence on emotional health which, in turn, affects lifestyle and the aging process, an understanding of the neural mechanisms mediating sex differences in ....Epigenetic mechanisms regulating sex differences in fear-related learning and memory. Anxiety disorders represent an enormous burden on society and are associated with premature aging and infertility in men and women. Evidence also indicates that parental anxiety affects child development. Given that fear-related learning has an important influence on emotional health which, in turn, affects lifestyle and the aging process, an understanding of the neural mechanisms mediating sex differences in fear learning will enhance our ability to develop better therapeutic approaches for treating anxiety and preventing relapse, potentially through a gender-specific approach. The studies outlined in this proposal will have implications for promoting and maintaining good health.Read moreRead less
The Retina As A Chemogenetic Target For The Treatment Of Depression
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$408,768.00
Summary
Treatments for depression are often poor because they lack selectivity. By inserting receptors that respond to an inert drug, Designer Receptors Exclusively Activated by Designer Drugs (DREADDs) can turn on-or-off very specific classes of cells, providing an exciting treatment direction for depression and other neuropsychiatric diseases. The long term goal of this project is to create a highly effective DREADD-based treatment for depression, which is activated by either eye drops or a pill.
Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation Treatment Of Auditory Hallucinations In Psychotic Disorders: A Clinical And Neurobiological Investigation
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$314,644.00
Summary
This research will investigate a novel treatment, repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation treatment, for auditory hallucinations of psychosis (e.g. schizophrenia). This work is novel as it will utilise an innovative and sophisticated method to optimise treatment at the individual level. Additionally, by identifying features of patients that predict response to treatment, this research will make major contributions to personalised treatment selection guidelines.
The mammalian cerebral cortex is an area of the brain responsible for all higher order cognitive processes. I investigate how connections from between the two cerebral hemispheres during embryonic and foetal development, thus enabling the brain to coordinate information from the two sides of the body. Malformations of these connections cause mental retardation and sensory and motor deficits. I want to understand how these brain defects occur and how best to treat them.
Understanding the mechanisms of GABA type-A receptor activation and drug modulation. There is currently little understanding of how sedative and anxiolytic drugs, including valium, interact with their receptors in the brain. This project will dramatically increase our understanding of how these receptors work and how drugs affect their activity. This will provide new insights into drug discovery and design.
"Evidence based" evaluation of treatment in ADHD. Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is marked by limitations in diagnostic accuracy, psychobiological characterisation and assessment of treatment efficacy. A national consortium of scientists and clinicians is planning to address these issues using an assessment protocol recently developed by the Brain Resource Company Ltd, which involves integrated neuroscientific and psychometric measurement that taps many of the brain's informati ...."Evidence based" evaluation of treatment in ADHD. Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is marked by limitations in diagnostic accuracy, psychobiological characterisation and assessment of treatment efficacy. A national consortium of scientists and clinicians is planning to address these issues using an assessment protocol recently developed by the Brain Resource Company Ltd, which involves integrated neuroscientific and psychometric measurement that taps many of the brain's information processing networks. Specifically, the aims of the project are to identify biological and cognitive markers that reflect ADHD in its untreated form, and markers that discriminate treatment effects relative to the pre treatment profile. The results from this study will be translated into a product that uses the protocol to provide a service able to profile ADHD more accurately and evaluate the effects of treatment.Read moreRead less
The impact of female sex hormones on neurodevelopment. This project aims to characterise the contribution of sex hormones to the development of emotional brain circuits in female adolescents. Puberty is associated with profound changes in emotional behaviours in females, but we know little about the underlying brain mechanisms. In particular, research has neglected to consider the role of the sex hormones for which changes are a defining feature of female puberty (eg, oestradiol). This work will ....The impact of female sex hormones on neurodevelopment. This project aims to characterise the contribution of sex hormones to the development of emotional brain circuits in female adolescents. Puberty is associated with profound changes in emotional behaviours in females, but we know little about the underlying brain mechanisms. In particular, research has neglected to consider the role of the sex hormones for which changes are a defining feature of female puberty (eg, oestradiol). This work will be the first to comprehensively advance our understanding of the unique role of sex hormones in shaping the adolescent female brain. It will provide critical understanding of how individual differences in hormonal factors increase risk for emotional problems in females, and inform treatment strategies.Read moreRead less