Pathologies Of Action Control: Amygdala-striatal Interactions And The Development Of Habits.
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$431,867.00
Summary
Changes in basal ganglia function, whether produced by neurodegenerative disorders, stroke, injury or disease, can produce pathological changes in action control. This proposal will assess the role of amygdala afferents on basal ganglia structures, most notably the dorsal striatum, in this process. Using an animal model we will compare the role of central and basolateral amygdala inputs to striatum in decision-making, choice and the transition of actions to reflexive, habitual responses.
Motor Passivity Symptoms In Schizophrenia And Mental Representations Of The Body
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$220,180.00
Summary
Individuals with schizophrenia who report passivity symptoms feel that they are no longer in control of their movements and believe that their actions may be willed by some other power. This research aims to examine a set of mental processes which determine how the body is 'represented' in the brain and which, if disrupted, can lead to disorders of body experiences. The outcome of the study will lead to a greater understanding of passivity symptoms and can be used to plan interventions.
Taking A Break For Brain Health: Interacting Effects Of Exercise Bouts With Breaks In Sitting Time On Cognitive And Cerebrovascular Function In Overweight Adults
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$775,055.00
Summary
Whether people do or do not exercise or not, there are serious health consequences – including adult-onset diabetes and heart disease – arising from the 7 to 10 hours of sitting that most Australian adults do each day. Exercise helps to delay Alzheimer's disease and other declines in brain function with ageing. This study will test whether, among overweight adults, combining exercise with breaking up prolonged sitting time can improve markers of brain health and mental functioning.
Do Ongoing Cognitive Demands Affect The Efficacy Of Transcranial Electrical Brain Stimulation In Young And Older Healthy Adults?
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$627,857.00
Summary
Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) of the brain is widely used to enhance cognitive and motor function in healthy individuals and people with neurological disorders. Unfortunately, the efficacy of tDCS is highly variable between individuals. This project tests the hypothesis that ongoing cognitive processes – particularly attention – play an important role in regulating the effect of tDCS on brain function. The knowledge gained will help refine tDCS as a clinical and research tool.
A Novel, Technology-based Program Targeting Physical, Cognitive And Mental Well-being To Maximise Fall Prevention In Older People: An Evidence-based Multifactorial Approach
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$1,475,781.00
Summary
Accidental falling among older people is a significant public health challenge worldwide. This study addresses a key gap in the translation of available evidence to prevent falls in older people more effectively. The proposed trial will provide the first-ever evidence about the cost and effectiveness of a tailored multifactorial fall prevention program using technology and self-management principles.
Gene-environment Interactions Modulating Cortical And Cognitive Dysfunction
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$618,300.00
Summary
A feature of many major brain disorders, including schizophrenia and dementia, is disruption of cognition. A key brain area impacted in such cognitive disorders is the prefrontal cortex. This project will use clinically translatable touchscreen to understand how this aspect of brain dysfunction causes abnormal cognition. We will investigate the mechanisms involved, using highly innovative approaches, which will contribute to the development of new treatments for such cognitive disorders.
Are Healthcare Interventions Exacerbating Alzheimer's Disease (AHEAD)
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$709,803.00
Summary
The AHEAD Study will assess the impact of anaesthesia and surgery on cognitive function in patients with Mild Cognitive Impairment or mild Alzheimer's Disease. Such effects have not been established. With an ageing population being increasingly exposed to healthcare procedures requiring anaesthesia or sedation, any negative impact needs to be identified so that therapeutic decisions may be informed and future research appropriately targeted.
Enhancing The Treatment Of Anxiety: The Role Of Mental Imagery
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$246,491.00
Summary
This proposal will conduct the first pre-clinical study augmenting the effectiveness of cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT) in the treatment of anxiety disorders using mental imagery. There is an urgent need to develop means to increase the success rate of CBT. This study will utilise recent developments in cognitive neuroscience to show that mental imagery plays an important role in the mechanisms of CBT.
Release The Sterile Males: A New Direction For Mosquito Population Control Technologies
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$1,110,112.00
Summary
With over 40% of humans at risk from mosquito-borne disease, new environmentally friendly mosquito control tools are required. We’ve developed a novel sterile male population suppression technology – using neither radiation nor genetic modification – to produce sterile adult male mosquitoes from both male and female larvae. We will show that exposing mosquito larvae to specific RNA molecules can produce fit sterile males adult mosquitoes that can crash mosquito populations in large cage trials
The Healthy Brain Project: A Prospective Cohort Study To Examine How Later-life University Education May Affect The Trajectory Of Ageing-related Cognitive Decline
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$1,085,742.00
Summary
Previous research has indicated that higher levels of education in early adulthood are associated with lower risk for dementia in older adults. This world-first project will examine if older adults who undertake university education have reduced rates of age-related cognitive decline than older adults who do not undertake further education. This would support the notion that boosting cognitive reserve in later life is protective against age- and disease-related neurodegenerative change.