Regulation Of Cortical Excitability By GABAB Receptors
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$340,976.00
Summary
In the brain electrical activity either excites or inhibits nerve cells. Excitation is balanced by inhibition. If these two processes become unbalanced we can become unconscious or go into seizure. These extreme conditions emphasize the importance of the balance between excitation and inhibition in the brain. While there has been much work on the role of excitation, less is known about inhibition. In this project proposal we will investigate how inhibition regulates excitation in the cortex.
M-Health: Efficacy And Cost-effectiveness Of A Smartphone App To Reduce Unmet Needs And Distress In People With Cancer (ACE): A Randomized Controlled Trial
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$394,294.00
Summary
Patients experience significant levels of both psychological distress and unmet needs during cancer treatment. This study will trial an innovative approach to streamlining best practice in cancer management through the use of Smartphone technology. Given the reach of Smartphones, should this trial prove successful, it will provide the basis for additional modules supporting specific areas of care such as management of chemotherapy side effects and treatment compliance.
The Structural Basis Of Direction Selectivity In The Retina
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$401,705.00
Summary
The retina is part of the central nervous system and there are almost one hundred types of retinal neurons which process visual information before it is passed up the optic nerve to the brain. This project examines how some of these neurons are wired together to form a simple neuronal circuit that detects the direction of a moving object. The elucidation of the cellular mechanisms of direction selectivity will provide an important paradigm of complex processing by simple neuronal circuits, with ....The retina is part of the central nervous system and there are almost one hundred types of retinal neurons which process visual information before it is passed up the optic nerve to the brain. This project examines how some of these neurons are wired together to form a simple neuronal circuit that detects the direction of a moving object. The elucidation of the cellular mechanisms of direction selectivity will provide an important paradigm of complex processing by simple neuronal circuits, with direct relevance to information processing in other parts of the central nervous system. In particular, the project may provide strong evidence for two neuronal strategies that may be of general significance. First, information may be processed at a very local level, which would greatly increase the computational power of a single neuron. Second, neurons may make selective contact with only some processes of an input neuron, which would require novel mechanisms for producing the necessary specificity.Read moreRead less
The DietAdvice Website A New Innovation For Dietitians In Clinical Practice.
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$140,975.00
Summary
Due to the growing incidence of obesity within Australia, use of computer technology may be a method of targeting these people by increasing access to dietary services. Currently available dietary software in the Australian context only allows analysis of nutrient information. Thus when a dietitian sees a patient they must manually translate food intake to nutrient information, a largely time consuming exercise. DietAdvice is a website that was developed for people to enter in their own food int ....Due to the growing incidence of obesity within Australia, use of computer technology may be a method of targeting these people by increasing access to dietary services. Currently available dietary software in the Australian context only allows analysis of nutrient information. Thus when a dietitian sees a patient they must manually translate food intake to nutrient information, a largely time consuming exercise. DietAdvice is a website that was developed for people to enter in their own food intakes. The food information is sent to a dietitian who develops individualised dietary advice for them. A pilot study of the website has already found it to be feasible in the primary healthcare setting. Tested for 12 months the website was used by 224 patients from GP practices in the Illawarra region of NSW. Approximately 73% of patients were overweight and patients with a high BMI were 1.88 times more likely to use the website in the comfort of their home. Further research about the website however was needed. The research to follow on from the pilot study will aim to refine the DietAdvice website, leading towards its commercialisation for dietitians in clinical practice. The research will be broken into 3 phases. Phase 1 will involve a usability test of the website, assessing the underlying algorithms and testing it with dietitians in private practice. Phase 2 will see volunteers using the website on multiple occasions after being given pre-weighed amounts of food to eat. This will determine how reliable and accurate the information is; and phase 3 will evaluate whether the website is cost effective and if it increases accessibility of health services especially in rural areas. By confirming these attributes there will be a sound basis to commercialise the product.Read moreRead less
Functional And Structural Imaging Of Auditory Infomation Processing Deficits In Recent-onset And Chronic Schizophrenia
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$376,000.00
Summary
Abnormalities in the auditory system have long been suspected to be present among people who suffer from schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders, due in part to the high prevalence of auditory hallucinations amongst these patients. Over the last decade, a group of Australian researchers have identified an index of auditory information processing, recorded from scalp electrodes, that is abnormal in patients with schizophrenia, and their biological relatives. The present project will examine t ....Abnormalities in the auditory system have long been suspected to be present among people who suffer from schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders, due in part to the high prevalence of auditory hallucinations amongst these patients. Over the last decade, a group of Australian researchers have identified an index of auditory information processing, recorded from scalp electrodes, that is abnormal in patients with schizophrenia, and their biological relatives. The present project will examine the relationship between these electrophysiological findings, and a new non-invasive technique of functional brain imaging, looking at changes in blood flow, that can identify the specific brain regions that are active during auditory information processing, and link these to the sources of the scalp recorded measures. Both of these functional measures will be examined in relation to the volumes of brain tissue, measured from magnetic resonance imaging scans using new analysis tools, that enable the identification of subtle changes in brain anatomy. By examining patients who have recently developed schizophrenia, those who have suffered from the illness for longer periods of time, and their close relatives, this study will provide the opportunity to identify biological markers of increased vulnerability for the development of schizophrenia.Read moreRead less
The Role Of Action Potentials In Local Calcium Signalling And Induction Of Different Forms Of LTP
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$330,691.00
Summary
Our understanding of how the brain learns and remembers things is still limited. There is good evidence that changing the strength of the connections (synapses) between brain cells (neurons) can allow information to be stored. One type of synaptic change is called long-term potentiaton (LTP), which is a long-lasting increase in the efficacy of communication between neurons. Recently, I have described 3 different forms of LTP in a region of the brain that is known to be important for learning and ....Our understanding of how the brain learns and remembers things is still limited. There is good evidence that changing the strength of the connections (synapses) between brain cells (neurons) can allow information to be stored. One type of synaptic change is called long-term potentiaton (LTP), which is a long-lasting increase in the efficacy of communication between neurons. Recently, I have described 3 different forms of LTP in a region of the brain that is known to be important for learning and memory. These forms of LTP have different persistence characteristics - LTP 1 is relatively short-lasting, LTP 2 is of intermediate duration, and LTP 3 is very long-lasting and perhaps even permanent. Each form of LTP is selectively triggered by an increase in calcium in a different part of the neuron. In the present study, I will investigate the relationships between electrical activity in different parts of the neuron in order to define the 'rules' for triggering each form of LTP. This information is important for future studies into the specific role played by each form of LTP in learning and memory processing in the brain. A better understanding of the relationship between LTP and learning and memory will assist in developing effective treatment strategies for disorders of memory, including Alzheimer s disease, addictive bahaviour, and learning disorders.Read moreRead less
Brain Plasticity Following Changes In Sensory Input
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$312,576.00
Summary
The research proposed here will investigate the mechanisms our brains use to adapt to changes in sensory input, as occurs following blindness, deafness, nerve damage or loss of a limb. The information gathered will help develop treatments for diseases associated with sensory loss, as well as those associated with deficits in our ability to learn and remember, such as Alzheimer's disease.
Sleep Disordered Breathing And Neurocognitive Function In Children Post-adenotonsillectomy: Three Year Follow-up
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$266,536.00
Summary
Snoring is very common and affects at least 10% of children, or an estimated 0.25 million children in Australia. It is associated with deficits in a wide range of neurocognitive areas including intelligence, memory, reasoning, learning and behaviour. We have recently studied a group of 53 snoring children both before and six months after removal of their tonsils and adenoids, to treat suspected upper airway obstruction associated with their snoring. We found that prior to surgery, intelligence, ....Snoring is very common and affects at least 10% of children, or an estimated 0.25 million children in Australia. It is associated with deficits in a wide range of neurocognitive areas including intelligence, memory, reasoning, learning and behaviour. We have recently studied a group of 53 snoring children both before and six months after removal of their tonsils and adenoids, to treat suspected upper airway obstruction associated with their snoring. We found that prior to surgery, intelligence, memory, reasoning, language and behaviour were significantly reduced, by up to 10% compared to 53 non-snoring control children matched by age, gender, social class and area of residence. To our great surprise, at six months after surgery we found that although sleep and behaviour improves, intelligence, memory, reasoning and language development do not. We now wish to study these same children at 3 years after tonsils and adenoids removal, as we believe that if the deficits that we described at 6 months are still present, they are likely now to be permanent. Given the degree of deficit that we have found in snoring compared to non-snoring children, even 6 months after the snoring group of children have been treated, if still present at 3 years post-surgery then it is likely that these deficits will affect the children's future learning potential and academic success. In turn, this would suggest that early identification and treatment of sleep-related upper airway obstruction is critical in preventing long-term deficits in children's daytime functioning and behaviour.Read moreRead less
Personally Controlled Electronic Health Records For Young Adults With Communication Disabilities: Charting The Course For Successful Child To Adult Health Service Transition.
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$400,665.00
Summary
Adolescents and young adults with chronic health conditions and communication disabilities struggle to communicate their health information with service providers. This causes problems in care when moving from child to adult health services. This study will investigate their use of the Personally Controlled Electronic Health Record as a means to support timely and effective information exchange to improve healthcare for these vulnerable young adults.