Providing Evidence For The Primary Prevention Of The High-prevalence Mental Disorders In Men: The Role Of Diet In The Aetiology Of Depression, Anxiety, And Psychological Distress
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$300,862.00
Summary
Depression is predicted to become the second-most common cause of disability in the world by 2020, despite the increased energy devoted to recognition and treatment. This study will examine the association between diet quality and depressive and anxiety disorders in men, to identify to what extent diet quality is related to the risk for and/or course of these illnesses.
Pubertal Timing, Brain Development And Mental Health In Adolescence
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$786,976.00
Summary
Early timing of puberty is known to be associated with future mental health problems. This study aims to investigate whether children who go through adrenarche (an earlier phase of maturation) early are at risk for poor mental health during adolescence, and whether abnormal brain development is responsible for linking early adrenarche and mental health outcomes. The results of this research will have implications for the early detection of children at risk for mental health problems.
Interactions Between The Serotonin Transporter And Sympathetic Nervous Activation In Patients With Major Depressive Disorder - Understanding The Link Between The Brain And The Heart
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$527,109.00
Summary
There is evidence that patients with major depressive disorder (MDD) are at increased risk of developing heart disease. While the mechanisms responsible remain unknown we have previously demonstrated that cardiac sympathetic nervous activity in patients with MDD follows a bimodal distribution, with values in some patients being extraordinarily high. In this project we will determine the physiological consequences of sympathetic activation in patients with MDD.
Deep Brain Stimulation In The Treatment Of Severe Depression
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$1,008,087.00
Summary
Some patients with depression fail to respond to a variety of standard treatments and in this group, deep brain stimulation (DBS) is being evaluated as an alternative treatment option. This study will investigate the use of DBS applied to a novel brain target site in patients with highly treatment refractory depression.
Diet As A Therapeutic Target In Depression: A Randomised Controlled Trial
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$498,564.00
Summary
Depression is predicted to become the second-most common cause of disability in the world by 2020. While there is now compelling new evidence to suggest that diet plays an important role in the risk for and the genesis of depression, there are no existing data regarding the impact of dietary improvement on existing depressive illness. The aim of the proposed study is to answer the critically important and frequently asked question "If I improve my diet, will my mental health improve?"
Neural Predictors Of Treatment Response In Youth Depression
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$519,596.00
Summary
Depression is the single greatest cause of disability and morbidity in young people. In order to reduce its substantial burden on individuals and society, there is a need to optimise the early provision of existing treatments. In this study, we will use cutting-edge neuroimaging technology to identify “biomarkers” in the brain that will help to more accurately determine which available treatments are likely to be most effective and safe for an individual patient.
Advancing Novel Brain Stimulation Treatment For Severe Depression
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$575,662.00
Summary
The aim of the proposed research is to substantially escalate the development of a range of novel brain stimulation treatments for patients with severe treatment resistant depression (TRD). For example, to expand a substantive research program aimed at further developing methods for the application of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) in patients with depression.
Inflammatory Cytokines As Risk Factors For The Development Of Both Depression And Osteoporosis In Men
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$381,091.00
Summary
Both depression and osteoporosis impose a substantial public health burden on society and there is now research to suggest that these conditions are related. This study will examine a potential common mechanism, systemic inflammation, which may underlie both diseases. It will focus on markers of systemic inflammation, examine their association to both depression and bone fragility and determine what role they play in explaining the relationship between the disorders.
Motor Functioning In Autism And Asperger's Disorder: Furthering Current Neurobehavioural And Clinical Definitions
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$354,932.00
Summary
While it is well known that autism and Asperger's disorder are associated with social, communicative, and behavioural symptoms, it is less well known that affected individuals also have considerable movement and coordination difficulties. For example, these children often have problems with hand writing, walking, hopping, skipping, catching, and running. These skills are very important for success at school; for example, if children are unable to participate in school sports they often feel isol ....While it is well known that autism and Asperger's disorder are associated with social, communicative, and behavioural symptoms, it is less well known that affected individuals also have considerable movement and coordination difficulties. For example, these children often have problems with hand writing, walking, hopping, skipping, catching, and running. These skills are very important for success at school; for example, if children are unable to participate in school sports they often feel isolated and rejected from the peer group. Also, hand writing problems have a significant impact on children's academic performance. Our previous research has suggested that there may be particular patterns of motor problems that characterise individuals with autism and Asperger's disorder. Our proposed research aims to use the kinds of 3D motion analysis technology used in the movie industry to capture exactly how people affected by these conditions move and respond to the environment. This study will enable us to highlight particular parts of the brain-motor circuitry that are affected by these disorders and will also enable us to more clearly distinguish how autism is different from Asperger's disorder. Ultimately, it is hoped that our motor investigations will lead to improved assessment and interventions for these disorders.Read moreRead less
Life Course Trajectories And Neuropsychiatric Outcomes In An E-cohort Of High Risk Children Of Mothers With Psychosis
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$796,484.00
Summary
This study investigates how genetic and environment factors operate over the life course to increase risk of adverse outcomes for children of women with severe mental illness. We examine the clustering of neuropsychiatric outcomes in families and individuals, the role of developmental adverse life events in the risk for these outcomes, and the children's physical morbidity and offending profiles. This is an electronic cohort (e-cohort), constructed by record linkage across many databases.