A New Therapeutic Target For Stress-related Relapse
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$685,266.00
Summary
Relapse and hazardous drinking represent the most difficult clinical problems in treating patients with alcohol use disorders. We have identified a novel system in the brain for the regulation of stress-induced relapse. Successful completion of this project will indicate improved pharmacotherapeutic strategies for the treatment of alcoholism and drug abuse. Given the scale and costs of substance abuse disorders, improved therapeutic approaches will have immediate and sustained impact.
The Pharmacology And Toxicity Of Synthetic Cannabinoids
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$744,808.00
Summary
Synthetic cannabinoids (SCs) have been recently linked to many deaths and hospitalizations but there is limited data available that addresses these issues. We have identified SCs which display unprecedented cannabinoid receptor function, unusual selectivity, and SCs with high activity at cannabinoid receptors. This project will define the role of CB receptors in the actions of SCs, and provide an evidence-based rationale for treating SC overdoses.
Salt (sodium) is an essential electrolyte. Our convincing and complementary findings provide compelling evidence for a link between evolutionarily ancient “instincts” and substance abuse. This proposal is translational, including studies in opiate dependent humans. Our studies will establish how and where in the brain endogenous opioids are implicated in the gratification of salt appetite, how salt appetite is altered in opiate dependency and if salt appetite recovers following opiate withdrawal
The Cost Effectiveness Of Improving Health And Reducing Offending Among Recently Released Prisoners In Australia
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$328,750.00
Summary
Ex-prisoners face high risk of poor health and social outcomes in the community, and Indigenous people are over-represented in prison population by a factor of 15. The ‘Passports to Advantage’ intervention aims to improve the capacity of ex-prisoners, to use health care and community support services. Nationwide adoption of the intervention will be costly, but can change health service use and health outcomes among ex-prisoners. There is currently no evidence to address the policy decision of wh ....Ex-prisoners face high risk of poor health and social outcomes in the community, and Indigenous people are over-represented in prison population by a factor of 15. The ‘Passports to Advantage’ intervention aims to improve the capacity of ex-prisoners, to use health care and community support services. Nationwide adoption of the intervention will be costly, but can change health service use and health outcomes among ex-prisoners. There is currently no evidence to address the policy decision of whether the intervention should be widely adopted.Read moreRead less
Improving The Health Of Indigenous And Non-Indigenous Ex-prisoners: A Multi-jurisdictional, Mixed-methods Study
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$1,447,978.00
Summary
More than 50,000 people are released from prison in Australia each year. Ex-prisoners experience high rates of mental illness, chronic disease, social disadvantage, drug dependence and premature death, yet we know almost nothing about how to improve their health outcomes. This project will identify key health issues for Indigenous and non-Indigenous ex-prisoners and generate evidence-based responses, simultaneously improving health and reducing reoffending among this highly marginalised group.
A Memory Retrieval - Extinction Procedure To Prevent Relapse To Drug Seeking
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$387,929.00
Summary
This project shows how relapse to drug seeking can be modulated, and possibly prevented, by novel approaches that manipulate the stability of drug related memories.
In pilot studies, we have found that specific genes are modulated by long-term alcohol intake in a discrete part of the brain that drives habitual behaviours. We will now repeat these studies in post-mortem brain tissue from human alcoholics and age-matched controls. In addition, we will further characterise the functional consequences of long-term alcohol intake within this specific brain region and test new approaches to reduce the urge to consume alcohol.
Phenotypic Characterization Of Chloroquine Resistance In Plasmodia
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$585,473.00
Summary
In the Asia-Pacific region, vivax malaria is becoming the dominant species of infection. The emergence and spread of chloroquine resistant strains of P. vivax threatens malaria control and elimination efforts. This project aims to elucidate fundamental aspects of chloroquine resistance in non-falciparum malaria and identify novel therapeutic options. We will develop novel tests that will help national malaria control programs to monitor declining activity of standard anti-malarial drugs.
A New, Low-cost E-health Treatment For Alcohol Use Disorder Using Mental Imagery
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$895,032.00
Summary
This project offers the first large-scale test of phone-based Functional Imagery Training (FIT), a new, low-cost way to help people change behaviours using mental imagery, regardless of where they live. The trial addresses Alcohol Use Disorder—a common problem with substantial health and social impacts, comparing FIT with verbal motivational treatments, and testing effects on alcohol use and quality of life over 12 months. Cost-effectiveness and predictions of outcome are also examined.
Substance abuse is a significant social and economic burden upon Australian societies and on societies around the world. Treatment remains problematic due to the multi-layer nature of the disease, difficulties with treatment compliance and less than ideal treatment regimes. The present study aims to improve treatments for alcohol and drug abuse using pre-clinical models to identify and characterize a new brain system implicated in drug-seeking.