A Multicentre Randomised Clinical Trial Of Physical Activity For The Treatment Of Patients With Alzheimers Disease
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$773,752.00
Summary
The number of older adults living with Alzheimer's disease (AD) will increase from 26.6 million to 106.2 million by 2050. In the absence of curative treatment options it is important to focus on non-pharmacological interventions such as physical activity. We propose to investigate whether a home-based physical activity program of 24 weeks for patients with AD can successfully decrease the rate of cognitive and functional declince and improve quality of life and psychological well-being.
Development Of Quality Indicators For The Frail Elderly In Acute Care
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$372,311.00
Summary
Frail older people are particularly vulnerable to a range of mishaps while in hospital. Good care can reduce the frequency and extent of these problems. Quality indicators (QIs) assist hospitals, and clinical service units within them, to appraise their performance, and to compare it to other hospitals. QIs for the measurement of outcomes for the frail aged in the acute care setting do not exist in Australia or overseas. We aim to develop these indicators during this study.
Reliability Of An Online Geriatric Assessment Procedure
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$343,822.00
Summary
This study will examine the reliability, safety and cost of a novel new method of providing geriatrician assessment to older people in hospital. Nurses consult with the patient and enter their findings on a web-based software system that enables the geriatrician to review, report and make recommendations over the internet.
RISK AND PROTECTION FACTORS FOR NORMAL AND ABNORMAL BRAIN AGEING: A LONGITUDINAL EPIDEMIOLOGICAL MRI STUDY
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$153,020.00
Summary
Brain is considered the last frontier of medicine, and ageing the major challenge to health care in the 21st century. In this proposal, we bring these two challenges together in a major new longitudinal study of ageing in Canberra that has recently been initiated. This is a longitudinal study of a random community sample covering 3 age groups - 20-24 years, 40-44 years and 60-64 years, with at least 2000 participants in each age group - who are being assessed in 1999-2001, and will be followed u ....Brain is considered the last frontier of medicine, and ageing the major challenge to health care in the 21st century. In this proposal, we bring these two challenges together in a major new longitudinal study of ageing in Canberra that has recently been initiated. This is a longitudinal study of a random community sample covering 3 age groups - 20-24 years, 40-44 years and 60-64 years, with at least 2000 participants in each age group - who are being assessed in 1999-2001, and will be followed up at 4-yearly intervals for 20 years. The focus of the study is on neuropsychiatric disorders (anxiety, depression, substance use and cognitive disorders). In this application, we propose to perform MRI scans and blood tests on a quarter (n-500) of the 60-64 sample to obtain an epidemiological sample for brain morphology. Not only will we be able to study changes in brain morphology over time, and relate it with cognitive function and psychiatric disorder, we will also be able to assess the role of risk and protection factors. We are particularly interested in brain reserve, dietary factors (anti-oxidants, omega 3, wine and folate) and drugs (anti-inflammatory drugs, hormone replacement and vitamin supplements) as protection factors, and hypertension, homocysteine levels, white matter lesions on MRI and low hippocampal volumes as risk factors for cognitive impairment and dementia. We also want to study the brain morphological correlates of Depression in a community sample. The study will enhance our understanding of the ageing brain, both in health and disease, and identify factors that increase or decrease the risk of cognitive impairment and psychiatric disorder in old age.Read moreRead less
The Nutritional Geometry Of Ageing In A Rodent Model
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$979,269.00
Summary
A central belief in ageing research is that eating fewer calories prolongs life, and that the source of calories (carbohydrate, fat or protein) is irrelevant. However, a critical assessment indicates that this conclusion is premature. We will use recent techniques in nutrition to define for the first time in mammals the relationship between diet and ageing in a normal and a prematurely ageing strain of mice. The project will provide a novel nutritional approach for promoting healthy ageing.
Aspirin For The Prevention Of Cognitive Decline In The Elderly: A Neuro-Vascular Imaging Study (ENVIS-ion) From ASPREE
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$1,341,232.00
Summary
The ENVIS-ion trial will examine whether Aspirin is effective in delaying the onset of worsening of thinking and memory abilities in healthy older adults. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of brain structure will detect markers of early worsening of thinking and memory abilities. Blood vessels in the back of the eye (retina) share many features with vessels in the brain. We will compare whether aspirin lessens changes over time of features shown with brain MRI and retinal photography.