Theoretically Guided Improvement In The Treatment Of Social Phobia: A Randomised Controlled Trial.
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$302,830.00
Summary
Social phobia is a serious mental disorder that affects up to 13% of the population across their lifetime and causes marked life interference and costs to the community. Treatments for social phobia have been improving over the past decades and currently, there is good outcome with standard treatment packages. However, several authors have pointed out that treatment outcomes, while good, are far from perfect. We have recently developed a model of social anxiety that points out how people with so ....Social phobia is a serious mental disorder that affects up to 13% of the population across their lifetime and causes marked life interference and costs to the community. Treatments for social phobia have been improving over the past decades and currently, there is good outcome with standard treatment packages. However, several authors have pointed out that treatment outcomes, while good, are far from perfect. We have recently developed a model of social anxiety that points out how people with social phobia may be different to the average. Based on this model, we can make several predictions for potential improvements to current treatment packages. The current grant seeks to test these improvements. The proposal is to compare people with social phobia who receive a standard treatment package with those who receive this packaged plus the newly predicted components. It is predicted that the addition of these extra components will results in considerably greater improvements in both the short and long terms.Read moreRead less
Excitatory Synaptic Circuitry And Plasticity In The Amygdala.
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$405,750.00
Summary
The amygdala is a key structure in the neuronal circuitry that underlies the analysis of emotional information. In particular this structure plays a major role in the processing of fear-related information. Disorders of the processing and storage of such information are thought to be the major underlying cause of mental disorders such as panic attacks, anxiety and post traumatic stress disorder. Understanding the physiology of this structure and the ways in which this can change in response to v ....The amygdala is a key structure in the neuronal circuitry that underlies the analysis of emotional information. In particular this structure plays a major role in the processing of fear-related information. Disorders of the processing and storage of such information are thought to be the major underlying cause of mental disorders such as panic attacks, anxiety and post traumatic stress disorder. Understanding the physiology of this structure and the ways in which this can change in response to various stimuli is necessary for the development of rational therapies that target the amygdala.Read moreRead less
Modulation Of Calcium Signalling By Acetylcholine In The Basolateral Amygdala
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$266,748.00
Summary
The amygdala is an area of the brain involved in assigning emotional significance to sensory stimuli. This grant examines the cellular processes involved in making these associations. Specifically, it studies the relationship between two signalling molecules implicated in association learning, acetylcholine and calcium. This research will test hypotheses of memory formation and provide insight into disorders linked to detrimental emotional associations, such as anxiety and addiction.
Modulation And Trafficking Of SK Channels In The Lateral Amygdala
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$260,980.00
Summary
The amygdala is a brain structure that underlies emotional processing. Malfunctions in emotional processing are thought to be the cause of anxiety disorders. Understanding amygdala physiology is thus vital for developing therapies to treat these disorders. We have recently found a novel role for an ion channel in controlling amygdala excitability. In this grant we will investigate how this ion channel is modulated, which will elucidate a novel way in which activity in the amygdala is regulated.