A Randomised Clinical Trial Of Physical Activity For The Treatment Of Older Adults With Mild Cognitive Impairment
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$280,250.00
Summary
Australia's population is aging rapidly and so is the frequency of age-related diseases. Dementia and depression are the most frequent mental health disorders of older people. They are also the leading causes of years of life lost due to disability in Australia. The results of recent studies have shown that memory difficulties and dementia are associated with potentially modifiable risk factors, such as physical activity. The purpose of this study is to investigate whether a physical activity pr ....Australia's population is aging rapidly and so is the frequency of age-related diseases. Dementia and depression are the most frequent mental health disorders of older people. They are also the leading causes of years of life lost due to disability in Australia. The results of recent studies have shown that memory difficulties and dementia are associated with potentially modifiable risk factors, such as physical activity. The purpose of this study is to investigate whether a physical activity program for older adults decreases cognitive decline and conversion to dementia in a population at risk: mild cognitive impairment (MCI). 168 subjects with MCI will be randomised (by chance, like the flip of a coin) to either the intervention program of physical activity or usual care - their cognitive (such as memory) performance will be compared at the end of 24 months.Read moreRead less
The Femoroacetabular Impingement Rehabilitation STudy (FIRST): A Participant And Assessor-blinded Randomised Controlled Trial Of Physiotherapy For Hip Impingement.
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$255,014.00
Summary
Hip impingement is a common cause of hip and groin pain in adults. It is a risk factor for the development of hip arthritis and hip replacement surgery in later life. People with hip impingement have more pain and poorer quality of life (QoL) compared to population norms. This study will determine if physiotherapy can improve pain/QoL in people with hip impingement.
A Computer-aided Diagnosis System For Gait Analysis
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$333,379.00
Summary
Gait analysis provides detailed information on how a patient walks to help orthopaedic surgeons decide on surgical treatments. However, gait analysis requires long and specific training and expertise in gait analysis is not widely available which restricts its benefits to the community. We will build the first computer-aided diagnosis system from renowned experts from The Royal Children’s Hospital Melbourne to assist clinicians interpreting gait analysis data nationally and internationally.
Multisensory Determinants Of Postural Instability And Falls In Older Adults; Prevention And Rehabilitation
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$387,489.00
Summary
With an increased longevity of the population, age-related health problems, such as falls, are a significant socioeconomic issue to be addressed. Many sensory systems (e.g. vision, hearing, balance) are known to gradually become disrupted as a consequence of ageing. This project will investigate the consequences of declining sensory systems for balance control in older adults and to develop technology to prevents falls in them.
My primary research interest is in the effectiveness of physiotherapy interventions. A second research interest is in the mechanical and architectural properties of human muscles and tendons.
Fatigue, Attention And Sleep Disturbance After Traumatic Brain Injury
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$328,050.00
Summary
Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a major cause of disability in young people. A major obstacle to the rehabilitation of these young people and their return to work or study is their susceptibility to fatigue post-injury. Sleep disturbance is also often reported following TBI and this may accentuate fatigue. Suprisingly, little research has been conducted on the nature, causes or progression of fatigue and sleep disorders following TBI and their possible interrelationships. This study aims to inve ....Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a major cause of disability in young people. A major obstacle to the rehabilitation of these young people and their return to work or study is their susceptibility to fatigue post-injury. Sleep disturbance is also often reported following TBI and this may accentuate fatigue. Suprisingly, little research has been conducted on the nature, causes or progression of fatigue and sleep disorders following TBI and their possible interrelationships. This study aims to investigate the incidence and extent of fatigue in a large group of people who have experienced a TBI compared to a control group, how fatigue changes over time and its impact on daily life. The study will also address whether higher fatigue levels are associated with decreased attention and speed of information processing. Changes in sleep patterns will also be investigated using both subjective measures, such as sleep quality and daytime sleepiness, and objective physiological measures, such as the time of dim light melatonin onset and polysomnography, comparing the head injured group with controls. The interrelationships between fatigue and sleep changes will then be examined and also their association with injury severity, the location of the brain injury, the time since the injury, age, the presence of any cognitive impairments and the incidence of depression. The project has the potential to provide valuable information to healthcare professionals on the diagnosis of fatigue and sleep disorders in head injury patients. The investigation of the nature, causes and impact of fatigue and sleep disorders could also provide a basis for therapy. For example, fatigue and problems with attention and slowed information processing can be minimized by restructuring lifestyle demands and simple and effective treatments are available for many sleep disturbances, such as bright light therapy and-or exogenous melatonin.Read moreRead less
What Is The Burden Of Dementia In Urban Dwelling Indigenous Australians?
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$1,571,527.00
Summary
The main aim of this research project is to determine what proportion of Aboriginal people aged 45 years and older who live in urban areas of NSW, have dementia. We hope to establish what types of dementia occur amongst Aboriginal people, what the causes are, and how we can best measure dementia. We will also focus on what types of problems dementia causes for both people with the condition and their carers. What is the meaning of dementia for Aboriginal people themselves?
Optimising Cognitive Screening In General Practice
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$300,550.00
Summary
Within the next 5 - 10 years it is likely that sophisticated combination pharmacotherapy for Alzheimer's disease will become available. Once intervention agents are available that affect the underlying disease process, it will be critical to accurately identify those patients who are in the earliest stages of cognitive decline. That is, failure to detect cognitive decline at an early stage will reduce the effectiveness of the intervention and be costly to the individual and society. At the same ....Within the next 5 - 10 years it is likely that sophisticated combination pharmacotherapy for Alzheimer's disease will become available. Once intervention agents are available that affect the underlying disease process, it will be critical to accurately identify those patients who are in the earliest stages of cognitive decline. That is, failure to detect cognitive decline at an early stage will reduce the effectiveness of the intervention and be costly to the individual and society. At the same time, the probability of falsely identifying an individual as having Alzheimer's disease needs to be reduced in order to avoid unnecessary testing, anxiety and distress, and expense. A sophisticated and highly flexible testing system to detect the earliest stages of memory impairment will be developed. The test will be administered over the web in a general practitioner's surgery enabling the collection of normative data on the population of greatest interest (elderly patients seeing their doctor). Voice recognition technology will be used in order to insure a user friendly environment. Stringent procedures to protect privacy will be employed. The test will be inexpensive and easy to take and will allow valid retesting so that it can be used as part of the routine health screening for the elderly. This will be a far more sensitive and specific indicator of the cognitive decline found in most neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer's disease, and will enable general practitioners to be more confident in assessing their older patients. It will also reduce costly referrals by more accurately identifying those patients at risk. It is expected that the test will find acceptance amongst patients and their doctors and become a routine part of normal health screening for the elderly.Read moreRead less