Optimising Speech Assessment And Treatment In Frontotemporal Dementia
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$722,210.00
Summary
Frontotemporal dementia has a devastating impact on our ability to speak and understand others. This proposal aims to improve our understanding of how to best assess, diagnose and treat these debilitating impairments. By bringing together an international consortium of clinics, these findings will lead to significant advances in our understanding of disease progression and patient care.
A Longitudinal Neuroimaging Study Investigating Reorganisation Of Cerebellar-cerebral Networks In Friedreich Ataxia
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$816,908.00
Summary
Friedreich ataxia (FRDA) causes debilitating motor and cognitive deficits. We propose a longitudinal multi-modal magnetic resonance (MR) imaging study to measure different types of tissue in the brain in this disease. We seek to understand how the brain reorganises itself due to cell loss in the spinal cord, cerebellum and cerebral cortex. This study will establish sensitivity of a range of MR imaging measures as potential biomarkers for use in large multi-centre drug trials in this disease.
Circuit Class Therapy For Rehabilitation Clients. A Pragmatic Randomized Controlled Trial Of Therapy Intensity (CIRCIT).
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$526,361.00
Summary
Loss of independence is common after stroke, and may lead to reduced quality of life and admission to nursing home care. We will investigate if an increased amount of rehabilitation following stroke leads to improved mobility. Two ways of delivering more intense rehabilitation will be compared with usual care to find out which leads to improved physical mobility, and how they compare economically. This will allow health service providers to optimise services and will benefit people with stroke.
Functional Electrical Stimulation Assisted Cycling (eStimCycle):A Novel Intervention To Improve Outcomes In The Critically Ill
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$868,811.00
Summary
The legacy of critical illness leaves millions of survivors worldwide with long lasting deficits in physical and brain function as well as anxiety, depression and post-traumatic stress disorder. Early rehabilitation may prevent or minimise these effects. This study evaluates the effectiveness of functional electrical stimulation of muscles with assisted in-bed cycling (eStimCycle) on muscle bulk, strength, physical and brain function at hospital discharge, 6 and 12 months.
A Network Of Sites And ‘up-skilled’ Therapists To Deliver Best Practice Stroke Rehabilitation Of The Upper Limb.
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$955,910.00
Summary
We aim, through our partnership, to bring better therapy to more stroke survivors. Effective therapies are available to improve hand function but survivors are not currently receiving these. We will systematically address this evidence-practice gap using knowledge-transfer methods to up-skill therapists and change practice behaviours. A network of sites and up-skilled therapists will deliver this therapy and sustain change. A template will guide future translational activities.
An Examination Of Motor Functioning In Autism And Asperger's Disorder: An Analysis Of Gait & Cortical Brain Activity.
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$120,220.00
Summary
Autism is a developmental disorder characterised by a triad of deficits: delayed and atypical language development, impaired development of social skills, and ritualistic and stereotypic behaviour. Although not part of the standard diagnosis, movement disorders and gait abnormalities have been clinically observed in autism similar to those seen in Parkinson's disease. In addition, individuals with Asperger's disorder may appear more clumsy, have a stiff or awkward way of walking, and exhibit poo ....Autism is a developmental disorder characterised by a triad of deficits: delayed and atypical language development, impaired development of social skills, and ritualistic and stereotypic behaviour. Although not part of the standard diagnosis, movement disorders and gait abnormalities have been clinically observed in autism similar to those seen in Parkinson's disease. In addition, individuals with Asperger's disorder may appear more clumsy, have a stiff or awkward way of walking, and exhibit poor coordination in posture and gesture. It has been suggested that there is disruption within the basal-ganglia-thalamocortical circuitry (the region connecting the frontal and sub-cortical structures), which may cause the motor dysfunction seen in autism and Asperger's disorder. Few studies have attempted to isolate particular stages of motor functioning which may account for the coordination and motor delay observed clinically in autism and Asperger's disorder. A recent study of ours found evidence to suggest that motor planning deficiencies may account for the 'clumsy' movement patterns frequently reported in the autism - Asperger's disorder literature. Therefore, the aim of this research is to provide a comprehensive neurobehavioural and neurophysiological analysis of motor functioning in young people with autism and Asperger's disorder to further examine the exact stages of motor processing which are deficient in these disorder groups. Recent retrospective studies have shown that even as infants children with autism exhibit clear features of motor disturbance, which, if detected and clearly defined, could advance early diagnosis. In addition to advancing the clinical definition of autism and Asperger's disorder, a careful examination of motor disturbance may also illuminate the neurobiological underpinnings of these disorders.Read moreRead less
Developing a framework for effective oyster reef restoration. This project aims to investigate ecological barriers to the recovery of functionally extinct Sydney Rock Oyster reefs on Australia’s east coast, and restoration methods to reinstate their key ecosystem services. This project expects to create new knowledge for designing functional reefs by integrating physiology, population, community and landscape ecology. Expected outcomes are an ecological decision framework for effective oyster re ....Developing a framework for effective oyster reef restoration. This project aims to investigate ecological barriers to the recovery of functionally extinct Sydney Rock Oyster reefs on Australia’s east coast, and restoration methods to reinstate their key ecosystem services. This project expects to create new knowledge for designing functional reefs by integrating physiology, population, community and landscape ecology. Expected outcomes are an ecological decision framework for effective oyster reef restoration that can be integrated into management and policy. This project should provide significant benefits, such as the development of key strategic alliances to enhance management of estuaries, and reestablish the environmental, economic and social benefits of oyster reefs.Read moreRead less
Optimising seed sourcing for effective ecological restoration. This project aims to address the sourcing of native seed for ecological restoration under global change. The great demand for native seed to deliver ecological restoration provides a clear need and responsibility to use this seed as efficiently as possible. This project expects to develop detailed new knowledge that links plant and environmental genomics, plant physiology, seed and soil biology in embedded experiments at post-mining ....Optimising seed sourcing for effective ecological restoration. This project aims to address the sourcing of native seed for ecological restoration under global change. The great demand for native seed to deliver ecological restoration provides a clear need and responsibility to use this seed as efficiently as possible. This project expects to develop detailed new knowledge that links plant and environmental genomics, plant physiology, seed and soil biology in embedded experiments at post-mining rehabilitation sites. Expected outcomes include clear industry guidelines that refine seed sourcing strategies for ecological restoration for current and future climates. This should provide significant benefits for improved ecological restoration outcomes when using native seed today and into the future.Read moreRead less
Catchment restoration: generating prescriptions for evidence-based best practice in the future, from experience of the past. Catchment management programs, supported by substantial government finances, have been leading landscape rehabilitation measures across Australia for more than a decade. Few, if any, projects assessed the outcomes of the measures in terms of action success, plant survivability, landscape stabilisation and water resource benefit. This project will audit the proposed and act ....Catchment restoration: generating prescriptions for evidence-based best practice in the future, from experience of the past. Catchment management programs, supported by substantial government finances, have been leading landscape rehabilitation measures across Australia for more than a decade. Few, if any, projects assessed the outcomes of the measures in terms of action success, plant survivability, landscape stabilisation and water resource benefit. This project will audit the proposed and actual rehabilitation measures undertaken in five catchments and assess the modern condition of plantations, catchments and waterways. Lessons from this audit will generate prescriptions that will be integrated into a web decision support system optimising the outcomes from future catchment management in terms of biodiversity, landscape stability and stream condition.Read moreRead less
Testing the importance of large-scale climate factors to plant community assembly following land-use change. This project will examine the native plant species and functional diversity of Australia's rain forest communities to create a predictive framework of how plant communities recover following deforestation. Such a framework is key to focusing conservation efforts in degraded and multi-use landscapes.