Training To Enhance Lower Limb Motor Control In Hemiplegic Cerebral Palsy.
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$107,204.00
Summary
Currently very few evidence based methods that can improve control in muscles affected by cerebral palsy (CP) exist. This project will investigate whether it is possible to increase strength and co-ordination in legs muscles affected by CP through targeted training. The project will also determine if non-invasive brain stimulation during training may enhance motor learning and if positive gains in strength and co-ordination might enhance the ability to do tasks like walking or climbing stairs.
Implementing Neuroprotective Strategies For Fetal Growth Restriction
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$782,370.00
Summary
Fetal growth restriction (FGR) is a serious and common complication of pregnancy that is a principal cause of injury to the developing fetal brain. In turn, damage to the developing brain during pregnancy may cause cerebral palsy and other cognitive and behavioural deficits. This proposal builds on my work to date characterising the mechanisms that contribute to neuropathology in FGR infants, by implementing targeted strategies to protect or repair the FGR brain.
Injury to the developing brain, whether sustained during pregnancy or at birth, is the underlying cause of many cognitive and motor disabilities, including cerebral palsy. This project will identify the cellular pathways that cause developmental brain injury in preterm and term infants, and then administer umbilical cord blood stem cells at different timepoints to assess their efficacy at reducing brain injury. This project will inform treatment with cord blood stem cells in high risk infants.
COMBIT: Randomised Controlled Trial Of Novel Upper Neurorehabilitation For Congenital Hemiplegia
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$486,588.00
Summary
Cerebral palsy is the most common disability in children - there are over one million children with the hemiplegic form in the industrialised world. Rehabilitation to improve hand use impacts on daily care, access to education and vocational aspirations, and consumes a great deal of time and money. Our team wishes to test a novel COMbined Constraint and BImanual Training study (COMBIT) in a randomized controlled trial investigating upper limb function, participation and mechanisms of action of t ....Cerebral palsy is the most common disability in children - there are over one million children with the hemiplegic form in the industrialised world. Rehabilitation to improve hand use impacts on daily care, access to education and vocational aspirations, and consumes a great deal of time and money. Our team wishes to test a novel COMbined Constraint and BImanual Training study (COMBIT) in a randomized controlled trial investigating upper limb function, participation and mechanisms of action of the intervention.Read moreRead less
A Genomic Basis For Cerebral Palsy - Studies On A Large Australian Cohort
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$518,305.00
Summary
Cerebral Palsy (CP) is the commonest neurological disability in children, affecting 1 in every 500 children. This research will investigate genetic causes of CP by testing families with and without CP for a range of genetic alterations that change fetal protection to inflammation with resultant brain damage and CP. Research in to the causes of CP will allow prevention strategies to be developed, to ultimately reduce social and financial costs of CP for the patient, their family and the community ....Cerebral Palsy (CP) is the commonest neurological disability in children, affecting 1 in every 500 children. This research will investigate genetic causes of CP by testing families with and without CP for a range of genetic alterations that change fetal protection to inflammation with resultant brain damage and CP. Research in to the causes of CP will allow prevention strategies to be developed, to ultimately reduce social and financial costs of CP for the patient, their family and the community.Read moreRead less
Repeated Prenatal Corticosteroids: Effects On Childhood Development, Behaviour, Growth And Health
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$718,055.00
Summary
Infants born preterm are at high risk of needing help with their breathing to survive. Corticosteroids given to the mother prior to preterm birth can substantially reduce these risks, although the beneficial effects of these drugs only seem to last seven days. Because of this there has been a tendancy to repeat the dose of prenatal steroids after seven days in women who remain at continued risk of very preterm birth. There has been no formal assessment of whether or not repeating the dose of pre ....Infants born preterm are at high risk of needing help with their breathing to survive. Corticosteroids given to the mother prior to preterm birth can substantially reduce these risks, although the beneficial effects of these drugs only seem to last seven days. Because of this there has been a tendancy to repeat the dose of prenatal steroids after seven days in women who remain at continued risk of very preterm birth. There has been no formal assessment of whether or not repeating the dose of prenatal corticosteroids is beneficial or harmful. In this clinical trial we will test what effect, if any, repeat doses of corticosteroids given to women who remain at risk of pretermbirth, have on children at the age of two years Women are eligible for the trial if at of less than 32 weeks of pregnancy, they have received corticosteroids seven or more days ago, and they are considered to be at continued risk of preterm birth. Women are randomised to one of the two treatment groups. Half the women will receive a weekly intramuscular injection of corticosteroids up to the time of birth or 32 weeks gestation, whichever is earlier, whilst the risk of very preterm birth remains. The other half of the women will receive a saline placebo injection. Chance will decide which treatment the women receives. In this study all children who survive to 2 years corrected age will be assessed to see if they have any problems with their health, growth and development. In particular we will assess how well they can walk, talk, understand, see and hear. The trial will be able to assess whether repeat doses of prenatal corticosteroids are helpful or not for infants at risk of being born very preterm by comparing the short term effects on infant health after birth and whilst in hospital with the effects on the child's later health, growth and development. An economic assessment of repeat doses of prenatal corticosteroids will be made in these children.Read moreRead less
I am a clinical biomechanical engineer investigating the causes of locomotor dysfunction in children with cerebral palsy and the effects of surgical and neurological interventions for these.
Promoting Physical Activity Participation Among Adolescents With Cerebral Palsy - A Randomised Clinical Trial.
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$44,276.00
Summary
Adolescents with cerebral palsy (CP) are amongst the least active members of society. These decreased activity levels places them at high risk of additional disability and disease. This program of study focuses on (i) validation of an objective community based measure of Habitual Physical Activity (HPA) and (ii) a community based randomised clinical trial comparing a novel approach “motivational training” with a standard care intervention to enhance HPA in adolescents with CP.