The Validation Of A Culturally-specific Measure To Identify Depression In Aboriginal And Torres Strait Islander People With Or Without Chronic Disease
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$658,971.00
Summary
The project aims to determine whether a short, free-to-use, questionnaire about depression that has been adapted for use with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, accurately identifies depression in this population. Specifically we aim to test whether this measure is suitable for use in primary care settings with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people with or without chronic disease.
Predictors Of Response To Antidepressants: Utility Of Behavioural, Neuroimaging And Genetics Data
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$310,071.00
Summary
Major depressive disorder (MDD) is projected to cause the second greatest global burden of disease by 2020, highlighting the urgent need for valid predictors of effective treatment response. Currently, there are no accurate predictors of response to antidepressants in MDD, and successful treatment relies greatly on 'trial and error'. This process is demanding on health resources, and may be a factor in the high suicide rates in depressed patients. Previous research on treatment response has been ....Major depressive disorder (MDD) is projected to cause the second greatest global burden of disease by 2020, highlighting the urgent need for valid predictors of effective treatment response. Currently, there are no accurate predictors of response to antidepressants in MDD, and successful treatment relies greatly on 'trial and error'. This process is demanding on health resources, and may be a factor in the high suicide rates in depressed patients. Previous research on treatment response has been limited by recruitment of small, heterogeneous patient samples, lack of placebo control, and a failure to examine task related activity in brain imaging studies. Perhaps one of the more troubling aspects of research that aims to predict treatment response to antidepressant medications is the use of commonly used outcome measures such as the Hamilton Rating Depression Scale (HAM-D), which were developed long before current classification systems of depression came into use. The US Federal Drug Administration has recently identified what they call a translational gap such that behavioural and biological measures are the most robust for detection of disorders such as depression, yet these measures remain to be translated into clinical tools that can be used to evaluate treatment. The aim of the current study therefore is to determine whether genetic variability is related to treatment outcome as defined by a more objective outcome measure (facial expression perception) using a randomised controlled design. The study will also determine whether brain measures (fMRI, EEG) enhance the prediction of SSRI response to both clinical and behavioural measures, over and above the genetic contribution.Read moreRead less
Rapidly giving intravenous fluid to prevent or treat shock (fluid resuscitation) is one of the commonest treatments given to critically ill patients. Current guidelines recommend crystalloid solutions but it is unknown whether any particular crystalloid is better than others. This trial will determine whether the use of one of two crystalloid fluids, saline or PlasmaLyte, reduces the risk of organ injuries, such as kidney failure, and improves patients chances of surviving critically illness.
Improving The Cardiometabolic Health Of People With Psychosis: The Physical Health Nurse Consultant Service
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$667,021.00
Summary
People with psychosis have high rates of chronic disease that reduces lifespan by 25 years. The health system struggles to provide adequate care. We developed the Physical Health Nurse Consultant service that provides physical health care coordination and will evaluate whether it improves physical health, consumer experience and cost-effectiveness. Outcomes will directly address policy initiatives to improve physical health service delivery in mental health services.
Selective Estrogen Receptor Modulators (SERMs) - A Potential New Treatment For Women Of Child-bearing Age With Psychotic Symptoms Of Schizophrenia
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$210,480.00
Summary
Schizophrenia is a devastating illness urgently requiring a new treatment approach. We have discovered that estrogen is an effective treatment for women with schizophrenia and are currently trialling a safer Selective Estrogen Receptor Modulator (SERM) known as brain estrogen� in postmenopausal women with schizophrenia. Regulatory permission is now available to trial the SERM in younger women, and we seek to extend our current SERM study into child bearing age women with schizophrenia.
Improving The Mental Health Outcomes Of People With Intellectual Disability
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$1,189,979.00
Summary
Australians with intellectual disability (ID) have very high rates of mental illness but experience very poor access to mental health services. Our research will develop a sound evidence base on the profile of mental ill health, service use, pathways to care and mental health policy for people with intellectual disability. Together with consumers and support persons we will examine ways to improve mental health services for people with intellectual disability.
From Brain Maps To Mechanisms: Modeling The Pathophysiology Of Schizophrenia
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$320,891.00
Summary
My Fellowship will develop a framework that integrates brain imaging data with mathematical models of the brain to help understand the mechanisms responsible for schizophrenia. By linking functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) measurements to models of their underlying causes, the work may lead to new treatments that target the specific dysfunction in individuals with this debilitating brain disorder.
A Supervised Exercise Programme Following Hospitalisation For Heart Failure: Does It Add To Disease Management?
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$730,966.00
Summary
Congestive heart failure (CHF) is a common, disabling condition. Outcomes are improved by a post-hospital disease management programme (DMP) including education, support and followup from a team of nurses, doctors and other health professionals. This study looks at whether adding a supervised exercise programme to a DMP can reduce death rates and hospital stays, and improve physical function and depression in patients with a recent hospital stay for CHF.
A Randomised Control Trial Of Non-specific Clinical Management Versus CBT In Chronic Anorexia Nervosa
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$555,843.00
Summary
Anorexia nervosa (AN) is a serious mental illness that usually starts in adolescence and often runs a chronic course. With an estimated prevalence rate between 0.5% and 3.7% of women, and up to 50% remaining chronically ill, the illness poses a disproportionate burden on health and social services. AN has inpatient costs alone that exceed that for schizophrenia. Chronic AN has the highest mortality rate of any mental illness. Chronic AN patients are known for their ambivalence about engaging in ....Anorexia nervosa (AN) is a serious mental illness that usually starts in adolescence and often runs a chronic course. With an estimated prevalence rate between 0.5% and 3.7% of women, and up to 50% remaining chronically ill, the illness poses a disproportionate burden on health and social services. AN has inpatient costs alone that exceed that for schizophrenia. Chronic AN has the highest mortality rate of any mental illness. Chronic AN patients are known for their ambivalence about engaging in treatment and poor motivation to change their eating disorder behaviours. They often fail to respond to traditional treatments and develop a history of negative treatment experiences and repeated treatment failures. A new approach is needed to reduce both the personal suffering and the burden of the illness on social and medical services. To date, there has been little scientific investigation into the development of specific treatment for those patients with chronic AN. This study will trial a recently manualised therapy - non-specific supportive clinical management - which initial evidence suggests may hold promise for chronic AN because it offers a more indirect, motivationally-matched approach. This treatment will be compared to the establishment therapy Cognitive Behavioural Therapy. Patients will be randomly allocated to one of the two treatment conditions and will receive 40 sessions over 12 months. They will be thoroughly assessed prior to during and after they have completed treatment and followed up for 6 months. This is the worlds first trial of a psychological treatment for chronic AN; it is hoped the study will establish an effective treatment for this debilitating and expensive illness. Further, as the project aims to explore the core, but often over-looked, feature of AN - poor motivation for recovery - it will also be in a position to shed light on the deep psychological processes that maintain this illness.Read moreRead less