Danger Ideation Reduction Therapy For Obsessive-Compulsive Checkers: A Randomised Controlled Trial
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$156,447.00
Summary
Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a psychiatric disorder that affects up to 3% of the general population. People with the disorder experience unpleasant intrusive thoughts that they find distressing and have a strong urge to perform particular behaviours. Fears about fire and burglary are common and excessive checking of electrical appliances and locks can take many hours a day. Checkers represent one of the largest OCD sub-groups. Because of the time-consuming nature of the condition, soci ....Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a psychiatric disorder that affects up to 3% of the general population. People with the disorder experience unpleasant intrusive thoughts that they find distressing and have a strong urge to perform particular behaviours. Fears about fire and burglary are common and excessive checking of electrical appliances and locks can take many hours a day. Checkers represent one of the largest OCD sub-groups. Because of the time-consuming nature of the condition, social and occupational functioning is often severely restricted. Many sufferers will also experience extreme social isolation and depression. The World Health Organisation ranks this disorder as 20th among all causes of burden of disease. The development of effective interventions could substantially reduce the economic and social burden of this disabling anxiety disorder. The aim of this project is: (1) to compare the therapeutic efficacy of a new treatment approach (Danger Ideation Reduction Therapy) with that of Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP); It is hypothesised that: (1) subjects who receive 12 sessions of DIRT will show greater post-treatment and follow-up reductions in symptomatology than subjects who receive ERP.Read moreRead less
Influences Of Oestrogen On Neurodegeneration And Behaviours
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$620,352.00
Summary
More women develop Alzheimer's disease whereas more men develop Parkinson's disease. This study will try to understand whether sex hormones play a part in the devlopment of these diseases. This study will also try to answer how the female sex hormone, oestrogen, influences behaviour and or development of mental health problems such as depression and obsessive-compulsive disorder.
The Relative Impact Of Threat Estimation, Heightened Responsibility And Intolerance Of Uncertainty On Self-report And Behavioural Indices During A Sorting Task For Children With Obsessive-compulsive Disorder (OCD) And Controls
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$58,951.00
Summary
I am a provisional psychologist completing my studies at the University of Sydney. My research focus is to better understand the thinking styles that affect children with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), and ultimately assist the development of empirically supported treatment strategies. I intend to achieve this by conducting an experiment that aims to identify and examine key thinking patterns in the production of anxiety and compulsive behaviours in children suffering from OCD.
The Role Of The Orbitofrontal Cortex In Disorders Of Response Inhibition
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$515,488.00
Summary
We will investigate the role of the orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) in decision-making, particularly the effect of hyperactivity in the medial vs. ventrolateral orbitofrontal cortex on decision-making. Hyperactivity in these structures has been linked to obsessive compulsive disorder and, in line with the distinct functions of the different regions of OFC, we develop and test a novel hypothesis as to the psychological and neural bases of the obsessions and compulsions distinctive to that disorder.
Improving Outcomes Of Evidence-based Behaviour Therapy For Paediatric Obsessive-compulsive Disorder: A Translational Efficacy Trial Of D-cycloserine Augmented Intensive Behaviour Therapy
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$292,915.00
Summary
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is a debilitating mental health condition in childhood, and sadly, only about 50% of children are diagnosis-free following our best treatments. This study will test an innovate and safe treatment alternative, involving combining evidence-based psychological treatment with a small dose of anti-tuberculosis drug, d-Cycloserine.
Unravelling The Behavioural And Brain Mechanisms Of Compulsive Disorders, And New Ways To Treat Them
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$635,076.00
Summary
Disorders of compulsion, such as obsessive-compulsive disorder and substance use disorder, are chronic, debilitating, and present a significant cost to the individual and to society. Together, these disorders affect more than 10% of the population. Moreover, 40-60% of these individuals are resistant to current treatment. The current project is aimed at improving the preclinical research underlying our understanding the behavioural and brain mechanisms of such disorders and how to treat them.
Pathophysiological Decision-making In Children With Obsessive-compulsive Disorder And Tic Disorders: Action-selection And Imaging Correlates
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$124,676.00
Summary
Why is it that a person with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) has trouble deciding whether or not to wash their hands? We scanned the brains of teenagers with OCD while they made decisions and found that they had difficulty using cues in their environment to direct choices. This may be an early vulnerability for the development of the disorder that could guide prevention. We plan to check if that difficulty is present in younger children with OCD and their family members.