ADHD And Comorbidity: Implications For Clinical Practice And Molecular Genetics
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$284,878.00
Summary
ADHD is emerging as the most common, controversial childhood behavioural problem. Previously we have shown that much of the confusion may lie in the fact that ADHD is inherited as a continuum throughout the entire population, only some people having such a strong genetic potential that they warrant the label ADHD. The threshold to achieve this label is partly a community one, leading to the argument over who should be labelled and treated. This grant goes further in examining the possibility tha ....ADHD is emerging as the most common, controversial childhood behavioural problem. Previously we have shown that much of the confusion may lie in the fact that ADHD is inherited as a continuum throughout the entire population, only some people having such a strong genetic potential that they warrant the label ADHD. The threshold to achieve this label is partly a community one, leading to the argument over who should be labelled and treated. This grant goes further in examining the possibility that there is more than one type of ADHD. Some ADHD children have other behavioural problems such as conduct disorder or learning problems. Some have problems throughout their lives while others grow out of it. In Australia we are unique in having developed the most extensive twin databases world-wide and have already studied aspects of ADHD both in the children and their parents. In this grant we shall explore whether there are distinct genetic types of ADHD, characterised not just by their ADHD symptoms but also by the other behavioural problems they experience and by what happens as they grow-up. Such information is invaluable in developing a treatment program dealing with all aspects of the ADHD and also addresses the question of what will happen as they get older. No other study internationally has such extensive data to address these key questions., vital both to clinicians and families. Given the significant genetic component to ADHD, the next possibility is to find the genes involved in the different types. Knowing what these genes do may help in the development of medications more targeted to specific patterns of problems. Recently genes have been identified which may be involved in specific types of ADHD, as well as genes involved in associated problems such as reading disability and substance abuse. This study offers the potential to clearly identify the role of these genes and so assist in improved diagnosis and treatment interventions.Read moreRead less
Modeling The Two-hit Hypothesis Of Schizophrenia: Combined Neonatal Stress And Postnatal Corticosterone In Rats
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$318,500.00
Summary
Schizophrenia is a severe mental illness defined by a number of symptoms including hallucinations, delusions, social withdrawal and cognitive impairment. Factors very early in development have been suggested to induce an increased vulnerability to this illness. Recently, it was suggested that another major event, later in life, would be needed before vulnerable individuals would develop schizophrenia. The aim of this project is to model this two-hit hypothesis in rats. We will compare the effect ....Schizophrenia is a severe mental illness defined by a number of symptoms including hallucinations, delusions, social withdrawal and cognitive impairment. Factors very early in development have been suggested to induce an increased vulnerability to this illness. Recently, it was suggested that another major event, later in life, would be needed before vulnerable individuals would develop schizophrenia. The aim of this project is to model this two-hit hypothesis in rats. We will compare the effect of various neonatal maternal separation protocols as an early stressful event, followed by chronic treatment with the stress hormone corticosterone at various stages later in life. We will also perform a detailed anatomical study of the hippocampus of these rats. This brain area has been implicated in the development of schizophrenia in humans. We will also investigate if treatment with antipsychotic drugs can prevent or reverse behavioural and neuroanatomical changes seen in the rats. This will be the first comprehensive study to model this two-hit neurodevelopment hypothesis of schizophrenia and will provide an experimental verification of a clinical concept which is very difficult to prove in patients.Read moreRead less
Evaluation Of Cognitive-behaviour Therapy For Alcohol And Other Drug Problems Among People With A Psychotic Illness
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$217,465.00
Summary
Abuse of alcohol and other drugs among people with a major psychiatric illness is a serious public health problem and cost-effective treatments need to be developed and assessed. The aim of this project is to evaluate the effectiveness of a counselling intervention. 180 individuals with a psychotic illness and concurrent alcohol and other drug (AOD) problems will be randomly assigned to counselling or usual treatment and followed up for a period of 12 months. The indicators of interest include: ....Abuse of alcohol and other drugs among people with a major psychiatric illness is a serious public health problem and cost-effective treatments need to be developed and assessed. The aim of this project is to evaluate the effectiveness of a counselling intervention. 180 individuals with a psychotic illness and concurrent alcohol and other drug (AOD) problems will be randomly assigned to counselling or usual treatment and followed up for a period of 12 months. The indicators of interest include: current drug use; psychiatric symptoms; self-harm; social functioning; and use of health services. Findings from the proposed study will assist in the selection of particular treatment strategies and will aid the overall development of services for people with both major mental illness and substance abuse.Read moreRead less
Posttraumatic Mental Health: Enhancing Resilience And Recovery
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$5,043,011.00
Summary
Psychological disorders following exposure to trauma account for a significant proportion of the burden of disease in terms of personal suffering, decreased productivity, occupational and social dysfunction, medical disorders, and demands on health services. The overall goal of this project is to enhance the nation’s capacity in research into the identification of risk factors for posttraumatic mental disorders, study of neurophysiological factors mediating these disorders, and evaluation of tre ....Psychological disorders following exposure to trauma account for a significant proportion of the burden of disease in terms of personal suffering, decreased productivity, occupational and social dysfunction, medical disorders, and demands on health services. The overall goal of this project is to enhance the nation’s capacity in research into the identification of risk factors for posttraumatic mental disorders, study of neurophysiological factors mediating these disorders, and evaluation of treatment strategies to reduce psychological morbidity after trauma. This project will develop a critical mass of Australia’s leading trauma researchers that will ensure that Australia retains its leading edge in posttraumatic research.Read moreRead less
Psychosocial Predictors Of Developing Breast Cancer In Women From High Risk Breast Cancer Families
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$593,875.00
Summary
Over the past 20 years, studies have highlighted the possible roles of stressful life events and distress, possibly mediated by social support and personality, in causing or speeding up the development of breast cancer. This possibility is of strong concern to consumers. To date, there have been few well designed, prospective studies of this issue. Furthermore, no previous studies have specifically targeted women at increased risk because of their family history. Over the past 7 years, it has be ....Over the past 20 years, studies have highlighted the possible roles of stressful life events and distress, possibly mediated by social support and personality, in causing or speeding up the development of breast cancer. This possibility is of strong concern to consumers. To date, there have been few well designed, prospective studies of this issue. Furthermore, no previous studies have specifically targeted women at increased risk because of their family history. Over the past 7 years, it has become possible to identify 2 breast cancer genes (BRCA1 and BRCA2). Female carriers of mutations in these genes with a strong family history have an estimated lifetime risk of between 35% and 85%. The Kathleen Cuningham Consortium for Research into Familial Breast Cancer (KConFab) was established 7 years ago to coordinate the collection of genetic, epidemiological and clinical data in Australian families with a dominantly inherited predisposition to breast cancer. Due to the high rate of breast cancer diagnoses in this group, and the systematic recruitment of large numbers of high risk women by KConFab, there is a unique and temporary opportunity to conduct a rigorous study to resolve this question, with sufficient numbers involved. The study is a world first, and will provide the best data to date in this area. If the study demonstrates a relationship between psychosocial factors and the development of breast cancer in women from high risk breast cancer families, subsequent identification of vulnerable individuals and the implementation of appropriate interventions may have a real impact on reducing morbidity and mortality in this population. Furthermore, the results may have implications for all women in reducing breast cancer incidence.Read moreRead less
A Randomised Trial Of The Augmentation Of Cognitive Behaviour Therapy With Fluoxetine For Anxious School Refusing Youth
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$539,191.00
Summary
School refusing youth consistently suffer from anxiety and sometimes depression. They become severely emotionally distressed when taken to school and experience social and academic difficulties in the short and long term as well as psychiatric illness in adulthood. Our program investigates whether treatment can be improved by enhancing psychotherapy (cognitive behaviour therapy) which helps over half of anxious school refusing children, with antidepressant-anxiety medication compared to placebo.
Cognitive Behaviour Therapy For Posttraumatic Stress Disorder In Police Officers
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$190,255.00
Summary
Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a significant anxiety disorder that affects many serving police officers. Although cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT) is the treatment of choice to treat PTSD, it has never been validated in police offcers. This project represents the first controlled trial of applying CBT to reduce PTSD in police officers.
Self-help And Guided Self-help For Bulimia Nervosa In Primary Care: A Randomised Control Trial.
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$206,113.00
Summary
Bulimia nervosa (BN) is a major health problem in Australian women with an estimated prevalence of 1.5%. It is frequently invisible, however as women with BN are often self-blaming, ashamed and reluctant to seek specialist help. Therapist led cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) for BN, while effective, is expensive and frequently difficult to access. This research aims to evaluate the effectiveness of two accessible and promising treatments: CBT self-help alone and guided CBT self-help treatment ....Bulimia nervosa (BN) is a major health problem in Australian women with an estimated prevalence of 1.5%. It is frequently invisible, however as women with BN are often self-blaming, ashamed and reluctant to seek specialist help. Therapist led cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) for BN, while effective, is expensive and frequently difficult to access. This research aims to evaluate the effectiveness of two accessible and promising treatments: CBT self-help alone and guided CBT self-help treatment conducted in primary care in which the patient receives regular guidance from a general practitioner (GP). Women with BN from the community will be randomly assigned to one of 3 conditions: self-help alone, guided self-help or delayed treatment control and symptoms assessed before and after treatment. Patient characteristics associated with improvement will be examined. We anticipate patients in guided self-help will show greatest improvement, then those in the self-help alone treatment. This information will be extremely valuable in both Australia and internationally for a number of reasons. It is ethically inappropriate to recommend any treatment before it has been shown to be effective and a careful design such as the one proposed is the best way to determine treatment effectiveness. In addition, a treatment delivered in primary care is likely to be one of the most accessible within Australia?s health care system in which specialist services tend to be centralised. Further, it is essential to know which patients are likely to benefit from less resource intensive interventions. Finally, if GPs have at their disposal an effective, evidence based treatment for BN, they would be in an ideal position for secondary prevention. They are likely under these circumstances to be more alert to the symptoms of eating disorders and confident in their ability to manage them. If successful, this research will result in more widespread treatment of this disturbing disorder.Read moreRead less
Studying The Two Hit Hypothesis Of Psychiatric Illness: Role Of Brain-derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF)
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$469,553.00
Summary
Early environmental factors may play an important role in the development of psychiatric illnesses, such as schizophrenia and depression. We will study an animal model which combines early developmental stress followed by treatment with a stress hormone or chronic cannabis use in adolescence. We will assess behavioural changes and the role of a growth factor in the brain, BDNF. This wil lead to a better understanding of the role of neurodevelopmental stress in psychiatric disease.