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Mild traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a leading cause of death and disability in Australia, especially in young populations. Although many patients recover uneventfully following mild TBI, complications such as prolonged symptoms, depression and cognitive deterioration may occur. With considerable advancements in neuroimaging and cognitive assessment in recent years, newer techniques may provide a window to directly observe changes that accompany mild TBI.
Mild Traumatic Brain Injury And The Risk Of Long-term Neurodegenerative And Neurobehavioural Disease
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$585,269.00
Summary
Considerable media attention surrounds the potential for long-term problems in individuals with high exposure to head impacts such as seen in sporting, civilian and/or military contexts. This study examines the long-term effects of mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) and helps close the current knowledge gap of the impact of this disorder on individuals. There are no long term trials to answer the critical question of whether mild TBI causes long term problems in the brain.
Genes Important For Early Brain Development Are Also Important For Adult Brain Disease
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$850,346.00
Summary
I committed to understanding of how the brain develops, grows and regenerates. My laboratory is active in finding a cure for brain injury following brain trauma or brain ischemia. I have discovered that the genes that drive neuron migration and wiring in the fetus also function in the adult brain to improve neuron survival and regeneration. Probing the function of these genes will deliver twin benefits in preventing brain disorder in the newborn and treating brain disease in the adult.
Development of normal brain function requires information transfer and integration from outside and within the brain. Normal brain wiring is guided by genetic and environmental cues, whose relative contributions remain controversial. This project investigates the physiological and behavioural consequences of abnormal brain wiring, and the potential for controlled environments and targeted interventions to overcome the deficits. Relevance includes neurotrauma as well as mental illnesses.
Inflammatory lipids are involved in neurotrauma. They are key players in regulating the brain, spinal cord and immune responses to injury and thus in modulating the outcome of central nervous system (CNS) damage. We will investigate how bioactive inflammatory lipids, released during trauma, modulate neural response to injury and regeneration, by assessing their roles on central nervous system responses to injury.
To Understand The Role Of The Plasminogen Activating And Matrix Metalloproteinase Systems In Traumatic Brain Injury
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$499,321.00
Summary
Tissue-type plasminogen activator (t-PA) is known for its role as a clot dissolving protein. It is present in the brain and following traumatic brain injury (TBI), it can worse brain cell damage. We have established a mouse model of TBI . We will compare brain damage in mice that are deficient in or have high amounts of t-PA. We will also determine whether the recovery rate post-TBI can be improved using specific t-PA blockers. This project may provide new therapies for TBI.
Associate Professor Bourne’s research will involve learning how the infant brain has an enhanced capacity to repair its own neocortex following an injury and to translate these findings into the development of brain regenerative therapies.
Targeting Tau Phosphorylation To Treat And Prevent Acquired Epilepsy, Neurodegeneration And Neuropsychiatric Disease Following A Brain Injury
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$524,820.00
Summary
This project will explore a new approach to the prevention and treatment of epilepsy and the associated mental health disorders following a brain injury. This involves inhibiting pathological forms of the Tau protein, which has been implicated in the development of epilepsy and neurodegeneration. The drug that will be tested in this study has already been demonstrated to be safe and well tolerated in humans, meaning that a positive result from these studies could be expediently translated into c ....This project will explore a new approach to the prevention and treatment of epilepsy and the associated mental health disorders following a brain injury. This involves inhibiting pathological forms of the Tau protein, which has been implicated in the development of epilepsy and neurodegeneration. The drug that will be tested in this study has already been demonstrated to be safe and well tolerated in humans, meaning that a positive result from these studies could be expediently translated into clinical studies.Read moreRead less
Identifying The Neural Signature Of Persistent Pain
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$547,094.00
Summary
Chronic pain affects over 20% of Australians. Despite its high prevalence, it is relativly resistant to current treatment regimes and part of the reason behind our inadequate ability to provide satisfactory pain relief is due to our limited understanding of the pathophysiology that underlies this condition. This proposal will develop a novel understanding of the central neuroplastic changes associated with chronic pain and the role that these changes play in the maintenance of these conditions.