SENSORIMOTOR AND AUTONOMIC DYSREGULATION IN HEREDITARY SENSORY AND AUTONOMIC NEUROPATHIES
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$50,406.00
Summary
Specific genetic mutations can lead to widespread changes in the body. Here we are looking at the congenital Hereditary and Sensory Autonomic Neuropathies, the most common of which primarily affects Eastern European Jews. Affected individuals have difficulty walking and controlling their blood pressure, and also have an indifference to pain. This series of experiments aims to increase our understanding of the underlying neurophysiological disturbances.
Comprehensive Clinical Tests Of Vestibular Function To Track Vestibular Compensation And Meniere’s Disease
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$390,625.00
Summary
This Project will apply new, fast, safe, comprehensive, balance tests we have developed to measure the function of the balance receptors of the inner ear. We will track changes in balance function during disease and recovery in the many, and increasing, number of Australian patients with balance disorders. These tests will give us insight into changes in the inner ear associated with severe attacks of vertigo and why some patients recover so poorly after damage to inner ear balance receptors.
Fear Relapse: Neural Substrates Underlying Its Inhibition And Prevention
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$437,476.00
Summary
Exposure-based therapies are effective for anxiety disorders such as post traumatic stress, but two challenges remain: 1) patients that have learned to inhibit their fear are likely to relapse, requiring further therapy; 2) many drop out of therapy since it is aversive and anxiety provoking. We use an animal model to: 1) identify the neural substrates underlying fear inhibition; and 2) determine the conditions that prevent relapse and encourage participation in treatment.
The Effect Of Oxytocin On The Formation, Expression And Inhibition Of Fear Memories
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$390,243.00
Summary
Oxytocin is a hormone peptide which reduces amygdala activation to threatening stimuli and reduces anxiety in people and laboratory rodents. These results suggest that oxytocin could be a valuable pharmacological adjunct to exposure-based therapy for anxiety disorders. However, several questions must be answered before its therapeutic potential can be determined. As such, this project examines the effects of oxytocin on fear-related behaviours in rats, and neural fear circuits in the amygdala.
Studies Of The Effects Of Asymmetric Hearing Loss On The Brain
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$920,076.00
Summary
Hearing loss impairs the normal development and maintenance of auditory pathways. Irreversible pathologies persist when hearing is not restored in a timely manner. While cochlear implantation is the accepted treatment for profound sensorineural hearing loss, there is significant variability in outcomes. Some of this variability is linked to the degree of hearing asymmetry. Thus, we propose to study brain changes in the auditory system that accompany asymmetric hearing impairment.
Epistatic Genetic Effects On Neuroanatomical Subtypes Of Schizophrenia
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$410,141.00
Summary
Schizophrenia represents a number of clinically distinct syndromes, with a complex mode of inheritance. The delineation of biologically valid subtypes of schizophrenia is necessary to advance our understanding of the genetic basis of these syndromes. This project uses pattern classification techniques to determine subtypes of schizophrenia on the basis of structural brain abnormality across multiple regions, and will examine genetic interactions and differential gene expression associated with t ....Schizophrenia represents a number of clinically distinct syndromes, with a complex mode of inheritance. The delineation of biologically valid subtypes of schizophrenia is necessary to advance our understanding of the genetic basis of these syndromes. This project uses pattern classification techniques to determine subtypes of schizophrenia on the basis of structural brain abnormality across multiple regions, and will examine genetic interactions and differential gene expression associated with these biologically-derived subtypes.Read moreRead less
Deciphering The Role Of Atypical DNA Methylation In Neuronal Genome Regulation And Neurological Disorders
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$773,484.00
Summary
This research will use a combination of genomic, biochemical and functional genomics approaches to investigate the role of the atypical mCH form of DNA methylation in neuronal genome regulation and function, and provide new insights into the role of the epigenome in healthy brain function and neural pathologies.
Development Of Iron Complexes For The Treatment Of FriedreichÍs Ataxia & The Role Of Frataxin In Iron Metabolism
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$616,143.00
Summary
Friedreich's ataxia (FA) is a neuro- & cardio-degenerative disease where there is an accumulation of toxic iron (Fe) in the mitochondrion. Work from our current NHMRC grant showed iron plays a significant role in FA pathology In fact, the CIs dissected the mechanisms of mitochondrial iron-loading & have published 8 papers in high impact journals with 3 papers in PNAS USA in the last 2 yrs Understanding of this process has led to the design of rationalised drugs for FA This work in this Renewal c ....Friedreich's ataxia (FA) is a neuro- & cardio-degenerative disease where there is an accumulation of toxic iron (Fe) in the mitochondrion. Work from our current NHMRC grant showed iron plays a significant role in FA pathology In fact, the CIs dissected the mechanisms of mitochondrial iron-loading & have published 8 papers in high impact journals with 3 papers in PNAS USA in the last 2 yrs Understanding of this process has led to the design of rationalised drugs for FA This work in this Renewal could lead to novel therapies for FARead moreRead less
A Dimensional Approach To Mapping The Risk Mechanisms Of Mental Illness
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$1,677,975.00
Summary
There is ongoing debate about whether current definitions of mental disorders are accurate. We will use statistical techniques to identify the core dimensions of liability for mental illness, and map how genes and brain organization drive differences between people along each dimension.
How Does Exercise Ameliorate Programming Of Metabolic Dysfunction In Offspring Of Obese Mothers?
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$524,121.00
Summary
Obesity is a worldwide disease, reflecting an interaction between our environment (diet, physical activity) and genes. We know that a mother's unhealthy diet can predispose offspring to diabetes, and exercise can improve this, but the underlying mechanisms are poorly understood. Here we will examine how exercise can benefit offspring of obese mothers, and test a drug that mimics the effects of exercise. The proposed research will provide insight into ways of reducing the obesity epidemic.