Schizophrenia is a serious and debilitating psychotic illness often characterized by delusions: fixed, false beliefs that preoccupy the patient and affect behaviour, and which are resistant to current drug treatments. This project investigates dysfunctions in belief mechanisms that allow delusions to form and be maintained. This will help clinicians design more effective programs of cognitive behavioural therapy for psychosis by allowing more focussed interventions to reduce delusions.
Overcoming Barriers To Improved Physical Health In People With Severe Mental Illness
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$864,658.00
Summary
People with severe mental illness have high rates of cardiometabolic disease and reduced life-expectancy. Public intervention campaigns have had little impact on component risks (obesity, smoking, physical inactivity, poor nutrition). This study will determine factors associated with changes in cardiometabolic profiles in people with severe mental illness; examine impediments to risk modification; and develop targeted interventions for implementation within mental health services.
Roles Of Muscarinic M3 Receptors In Antipsychotic-induced Metabolic Side-effects: Prevention And Treatment Of Antipsychotic-induced Insulin Dysregulation
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$603,825.00
Summary
Antipsychotic drugs are used to treat various mental disorders, such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, dementia and major depression. However, these drugs cause serious metabolic side-effects leading to premature death and huge costs to the Australian health care system. This project aims to reveal the role of muscarinic M3 receptors in antipsychotic-induced insulin dysregulation that precedes diabetes. Understanding these mechanisms will provide new strategies for the prevention and treatment ....Antipsychotic drugs are used to treat various mental disorders, such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, dementia and major depression. However, these drugs cause serious metabolic side-effects leading to premature death and huge costs to the Australian health care system. This project aims to reveal the role of muscarinic M3 receptors in antipsychotic-induced insulin dysregulation that precedes diabetes. Understanding these mechanisms will provide new strategies for the prevention and treatment of these critical adverse effects.Read moreRead less
Improving Physical Health Outcomes For Young People With Psychotic Disorders
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$189,384.00
Summary
Enduring psychotic disorders are associated with a reduced life expectancy by 25 years, which is mainly due to cardiovascular disease. This project will produce a training package that will improve clinician’s skills and knowledge of screening and treatment for physical health risk factors in young people with psychosis. This project will result in the development of an intervention for reducing the prevalence of these cardiovascular risk factors known to contribute to this early mortality.
Cardiometabolic Health Of People With Severe And Persistent Mental Illness
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$187,322.00
Summary
People with schizophrenia have much higher rates of smoking, obesity and diabetes. To date, psycho-social interventions to reduce these physical health risk factors have had limited success. This research aims to conduct clinical trials among people with schizophrenia of 1. a novel diabetes medication to help people lose weight and gain better control of their sugars, and 2. newly developed vaporised nicotine products to help reduce cigarette smoking.
Cognitive Control And Brain Connectivity Disturbances In Schizophrenia And Obsessive-compulsive: Clarifying Their Nature, Specificity, And Consequences
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$498,337.00
Summary
Deficits of behavioural control are chronic and debilitating features of both schizophrenia and OCD. As behavioural control depends on activity within many key regions of the brain, these deficits may result not only from dysfunction within one or more region, but also from abnormal interactions between them. By studying how the activity in one region depends on another, and comparing findings between disorders, a better understanding of brain function in schizophrenia and OCD can be established