The mechanism for defocus-driven ocular growth. 30 per cent of the Australian young adult population (with much higher percentages in Asia) suffer from myopia, and while we know the retina senses defocus, we do not know how. The knowledge gained through this project will help the development of pharmaceuticals to control myopia and of developmental practices that minimise the chances of children becoming myopic.
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE120102883
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$375,000.00
Summary
Understanding the function of a visual pathway to the limbic cortex. This project will study an area located deep in the brain, about which very little is known. Based on recent studies, it is suspected that this area is important for visual perception. By understanding the patterns of electrical activity of cells in this region, the project aims to decipher its contribution to cognition and emotion.
The processing of sensory information within cortical circuits. This project aims to improve our knowledge of neuronal activity during sensory perception and therefore shed light on overall brain function during behaviour. Understanding how dendrites receive and process this information is crucial to understanding brain function during sensory processing and perception. This proposal aims to characterise dendritic activity during sensory input and discover how this activity contributes to behavi ....The processing of sensory information within cortical circuits. This project aims to improve our knowledge of neuronal activity during sensory perception and therefore shed light on overall brain function during behaviour. Understanding how dendrites receive and process this information is crucial to understanding brain function during sensory processing and perception. This proposal aims to characterise dendritic activity during sensory input and discover how this activity contributes to behavioural tasks. In particular, the project plans to investigate activity of different dendritic domains during sensory perception and sensory-based behaviour. The project seeks to improve our knowledge of the importance of dendrites in transforming information from the sensory environment and highlight the cellular and network mechanisms contributing to behaviour.Read moreRead less
ARC Centre of Excellence - Vision Science. This Centre will generate important new knowledge of the performance, logic and stability of vision and visual behaviour. This knowledge will help reduce the burden of vision impairment in Australia, increasing productivity, promoting healthy ageing and reducing the community costs of visual impairment (ca. $9.85 billion in 2004). The knowledge produced will also make possible world-class innovations in robotics, leading to novel automated vision system ....ARC Centre of Excellence - Vision Science. This Centre will generate important new knowledge of the performance, logic and stability of vision and visual behaviour. This knowledge will help reduce the burden of vision impairment in Australia, increasing productivity, promoting healthy ageing and reducing the community costs of visual impairment (ca. $9.85 billion in 2004). The knowledge produced will also make possible world-class innovations in robotics, leading to novel automated vision systems with applications in industry and national security. Other knowledge will develop novel diagnostic technologies, for application in health delivery.Read moreRead less
Neural plasticity in older adult human vision. This project aims to expand our understanding of age related changes in brain function, specifically plasticity. The project will increase knowledge of the role of an inhibitory neurotransmitter GABA in visual plasticity. Expected outcomes include new knowledge regarding the regulation of brain function in adulthood, enabling future research and planning for societal benefit to older Australia.
Probing norepinephrine transporter (NET) structure-function. More selective drugs are needed to improve the treatment of a range of diseases including pain, depression and anxiety. This project will apply advanced molecular pharmacology approaches to better understand how the norepinephrine transporter functions and where small molecules and conotoxins bind to inhibit its activity.
Chronic pain and functional impairment following traumatic injury: an investigation into the impact of compensation status and experience. This project will enhance understanding of the impact of the psychosocial factors and the compensation process on recovery from traumatic injury. The project will generate new resources (screening and referral guidelines; educational materials) to improve decision making consistency, client experience, and recovery from road trauma.
Resolving multi-sensory conflict as we age: audio-visual integration and the role of normal and abnormal sensory decline. Australia has an ageing population. Even the healthiest older individuals undergo some deterioration of vision and hearing, however, these senses are almost invariably studied in isolation. The real world is multisensory. This project will enhance our knowledge of how ageing impacts on the interpretation of visual and auditory information regarding the timing and location of ....Resolving multi-sensory conflict as we age: audio-visual integration and the role of normal and abnormal sensory decline. Australia has an ageing population. Even the healthiest older individuals undergo some deterioration of vision and hearing, however, these senses are almost invariably studied in isolation. The real world is multisensory. This project will enhance our knowledge of how ageing impacts on the interpretation of visual and auditory information regarding the timing and location of objects; essential precursors to many real world tasks, for example: driving, interpreting speech, and hazard avoidance. This knowledge is essential for the optimisation of audio-visual environments for the elderly, and for the development of tools to improve performance in the presence of sensory decline due to age-related eye disease.Read moreRead less
Understanding the consequences of normal ageing on visual form perception. Australia has an ageing population. Within the elderly, vision is a key sense that contributes significantly to the maintenance of independence, mobility and participation in society. This project will enhance our knowledge of the impact of ageing on vision. The research findings are important to a variety of disciplines involved in planning for our ageing population; for example: the design of living/working spaces for t ....Understanding the consequences of normal ageing on visual form perception. Australia has an ageing population. Within the elderly, vision is a key sense that contributes significantly to the maintenance of independence, mobility and participation in society. This project will enhance our knowledge of the impact of ageing on vision. The research findings are important to a variety of disciplines involved in planning for our ageing population; for example: the design of living/working spaces for the elderly, information technology, and the design of technology to assist with independent living. This project will train students in visual psychophysics, continuing the strong international reputation and output of Australian scientists in this discipline.Read moreRead less
The role of immune cells in controlling blood flow. The project aims to increase our understanding of how neurons in the central nervous system alter blood flow to meet their metabolic needs. Tight control of the retinal vasculature is crucial for maintaining normal vision. Unlike most blood vessels in the body, those in the retina and brain receive no direct neural control. Rather, they rely on support cells to communicate the needs of neurons. This project aims to examine whether resident immu ....The role of immune cells in controlling blood flow. The project aims to increase our understanding of how neurons in the central nervous system alter blood flow to meet their metabolic needs. Tight control of the retinal vasculature is crucial for maintaining normal vision. Unlike most blood vessels in the body, those in the retina and brain receive no direct neural control. Rather, they rely on support cells to communicate the needs of neurons. This project aims to examine whether resident immune cells called microglia regulate blood vessels in response to neural activity. This knowledge would improve our understanding of how blood vessels are controlled in the retina and brain. The results may guide the development of novel ways of examining blood vessel function.Read moreRead less