Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE170101514
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$372,000.00
Summary
The control of neuroplasticity in the brain. This project aims to determine how neuroplasticity – the brain’s ability to remodel and make new circuits – is controlled in both excitatory and inhibitory neurons. This capacity, vital for all cognitive functions, diminishes as people age. It is imperative to determine neuroplasticity’s mechanisms and how and why they change, but it is not known how both excitatory and inhibitory neurons contribute to neuroplasticity and how these dynamic alterations ....The control of neuroplasticity in the brain. This project aims to determine how neuroplasticity – the brain’s ability to remodel and make new circuits – is controlled in both excitatory and inhibitory neurons. This capacity, vital for all cognitive functions, diminishes as people age. It is imperative to determine neuroplasticity’s mechanisms and how and why they change, but it is not known how both excitatory and inhibitory neurons contribute to neuroplasticity and how these dynamic alterations are controlled. Understanding neuroplasticity is vital for learning, memory and healthy ageing throughout life.Read moreRead less
Neural plasticity in older adult human vision. This project aims to expand our understanding of age related changes in brain function, specifically plasticity. The project will increase knowledge of the role of an inhibitory neurotransmitter GABA in visual plasticity. Expected outcomes include new knowledge regarding the regulation of brain function in adulthood, enabling future research and planning for societal benefit to older Australia.
Multimodal retinal imaging provides "insight" into cerebrovascular ageing. Multimodal retinal imaging provides "insight" into cerebrovascular ageing. This project aims to develop a multi-modal imaging technology platform to simultaneously measure amyloid beta and its neurovascular sequelae to identify novel early biomarkers of ageing in the eye and brain. The growing ageing population is an increasing socioeconomic burden. The central nervous system is particularly susceptible to ageing, which i ....Multimodal retinal imaging provides "insight" into cerebrovascular ageing. Multimodal retinal imaging provides "insight" into cerebrovascular ageing. This project aims to develop a multi-modal imaging technology platform to simultaneously measure amyloid beta and its neurovascular sequelae to identify novel early biomarkers of ageing in the eye and brain. The growing ageing population is an increasing socioeconomic burden. The central nervous system is particularly susceptible to ageing, which is difficult to measure at its onset. Critically, as the eye is an easily accessible extension of the cortex, retinal imaging may be a non-invasive surrogate to assess ageing changes in the brain. Anticipated outcomes are a sensitive detector of neural ageing, improved preventative measures, reducing the socioeconomic burden of ageing, and improved quality of life.Read moreRead less
The role of P2X7 and P2X4 receptor mediated innate phagocytosis in pathogenesis and treatment of neurodegenerative diseases. This project will identify how inherited variation in two proteins of the brain can accelerate the removal of neurones and predispose to a range of neurodegenerative diseases. Knowledge of the biological basis of this finding will allow a search for new compounds which will slow and protect against this form of neurodegeneration.
Harnessing non-invasive brain stimulation to improve language function in healthy and pathological ageing. This project will examine how the ability of the ageing brain to process language can be improved by non-invasive brain stimulation. The findings have the potential to reveal new ways to treat language impairments in ageing-associated brain injury and disease.