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
Neourobiology Of Human Epilepsy: Genes, Cellular Mechanisms,network And Whole Brain
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$17,652,824.00
Summary
The team is comprised of neurologists, molecular geneticists, physiologists and brain imaging specialists and leads the world in the discovery of the genetic causes of epilepsy. They will continue to identify genes underlying epilepsy and study how genetic variations result in development of seizures. Advanced brain imaging will be used to understand the effects of genetic variation on brain structure and function. This study may lead to new diagnostic methods and treatments for epilepsy.
LONGITUDINAL STUDY OF BEHAVIOUR AND EMOTIONAL PROBLEMS IN YOUNG PEOPLE WITH INTELLECTUAL DISABILITIES
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$761,790.00
Summary
Families caring for young people with intellectual disabilities face major burdens of care if the young person also has serious behaviour problems. These behaviour problems are also costly for our community. This project is intended to assist young people and their carers by providing new information about the factors contributing to these behaviour problems and how they develop over time. The project makes use of an internationally unique follow up study which has followed a group of young peop ....Families caring for young people with intellectual disabilities face major burdens of care if the young person also has serious behaviour problems. These behaviour problems are also costly for our community. This project is intended to assist young people and their carers by providing new information about the factors contributing to these behaviour problems and how they develop over time. The project makes use of an internationally unique follow up study which has followed a group of young people aged 4-18 for the last eight years. The young people are now entering a critical age band facing many changes in their lives such as the possibility of independent living, work challenges, as well as a search for new social relationships and day activities in the post-school period. Also they face increased risk for mental health problems which most commonly emerge in this age group, particularly psychosis and depression. This project promises to determine how the young people cope with these challenges and what steps our community needs to make to assist them and their families to reach an optimal adjustment.Read moreRead less
A Longitudinal Study Of Psychopathology In People With Intellectual Disability
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$999,803.00
Summary
This project will further develop the research opportunities of an internationally unique 15 year follow up study of the mental health of young Australians with ID. We have shown that this group has 2-3 times the risk of suffering serious emotional and behavioural problems that are an added heavy burden on the individual, their family and carers and the community. These problems often are not recognised but are as common as schizophrenia in the community. The study will continue to use a combina ....This project will further develop the research opportunities of an internationally unique 15 year follow up study of the mental health of young Australians with ID. We have shown that this group has 2-3 times the risk of suffering serious emotional and behavioural problems that are an added heavy burden on the individual, their family and carers and the community. These problems often are not recognised but are as common as schizophrenia in the community. The study will continue to use a combination of questionnaire survey and in depth interviews of the young adults and their families or carers to track the course of their mental health. The study commenced in 1990 with nearly 1000 young people with ID aged 4-18 years and their progress has been reviewed every 2-3 years in over 75% of the original group. During the next 5 years we plan to follow their mental health during the critical stage of young adult life. During this time there is the greatest risk of mental illnesses such as depression and schizophrenia and the stresses of adjusting to new daily occupations, independent living or residential care and social contact away from the family. We will be able to study the specific emotional and behavioural problems faced by young adults with the main known causes of ID such as Down, Fragile X, Prader Willi and William Syndromes, as well as those who have autism. The great benefit of a long term follow up study is that it allows us to study the links between earlier family environmental, psychological and biological factors and subsequent mental health problems. We can also demonstrate the impact that mental illness in a young person with ID has on the family and parental mental health. The findings have implications for better diagnosis, improved care and management, early intervention and prevention of these common severe and under recognized mental health problems in this disadvantaged group of young Australians and their families and carers.Read moreRead less
Mental Health Of Young People With Developmental Disabilities
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$5,622,916.00
Summary
Mental health problems of people with developmental disabilities are a substantial public health problem. A large Australian study shows that the problem begins early and persists without intervention. We will evaluate the Stepping Stones Triple P model of parenting early intervention after adding newly developed modules for specific causes of ID. The effectiveness of the program across three states will be evaluated.
Reclaiming copyright's lost cultural value for authors and the public. This project aims to develop new empirical understandings of the cultural value lost through current approaches to copyright. Copyright rules that favour one party do necessarily need to imply losses for another. By changing the scope and division of rights it is possible to improve outcomes for multiple stakeholders. The project will result in new understanding of how this can be achieved within the confines of an unamendabl ....Reclaiming copyright's lost cultural value for authors and the public. This project aims to develop new empirical understandings of the cultural value lost through current approaches to copyright. Copyright rules that favour one party do necessarily need to imply losses for another. By changing the scope and division of rights it is possible to improve outcomes for multiple stakeholders. The project will result in new understanding of how this can be achieved within the confines of an unamendable treaty framework by exploring fuller protection of authorship as a mechanism for securing a fairer go for creators, unlocking new opportunities for publishers, generating new sources of arts funding and improving access for the public. The project should provide significant benefit by informing law reform debates at domestic and international levels.Read moreRead less
'The fingers of the powers above do tune the harmony of this peace': Australia and the Harmonisation of Patents. Patent law is central to the key economic aim of encouraging an innovative culture. The harmonisation of patent systems around the world means Australian law will change. There is a significant risk that, without effective lobbying, the reforms will only reflect the needs and interests of the dominant economies, like the US. This project, with its comparative analysis of the patent e ....'The fingers of the powers above do tune the harmony of this peace': Australia and the Harmonisation of Patents. Patent law is central to the key economic aim of encouraging an innovative culture. The harmonisation of patent systems around the world means Australian law will change. There is a significant risk that, without effective lobbying, the reforms will only reflect the needs and interests of the dominant economies, like the US. This project, with its comparative analysis of the patent examination process, will explore the ways in which this integral part of the patent system may be improved. This research will lead to proposals for reform that are in line with the interests of Australia's unique economy.Read moreRead less
Industry Laureate Fellowships - Grant ID: IL230100154
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$2,582,419.00
Summary
Fixing the NDIS: cost, effectiveness and access for psychosocial disability. This project aims to address serious deficits in the operation of the National Disability Insurance Scheme for one of its largest participant groups: people with psychosocial disability. This project expects to develop new data on scheme outcomes, cost-effectiveness and participant experiences to develop an appropriate and implementable program logic to improve supports for this group. Expected outcomes will be scheme r ....Fixing the NDIS: cost, effectiveness and access for psychosocial disability. This project aims to address serious deficits in the operation of the National Disability Insurance Scheme for one of its largest participant groups: people with psychosocial disability. This project expects to develop new data on scheme outcomes, cost-effectiveness and participant experiences to develop an appropriate and implementable program logic to improve supports for this group. Expected outcomes will be scheme reform by implementing a new framework of supports for psychosocial disability and data to improve the operation of national policy for this group more broadly. This should provide significant benefits for the cost-effective operation of the National Disability Insurance Scheme and build research capacity in disability policy.Read moreRead less
...and by opposing, end them: A Comparative Examination of Opposition Processes in Patent Law. Patent law is central to the key Australian economic aim of encouraging an innovative culture. One aspect of patent law, the opposition process, is directly linked to two important issues currently facing our patent system: improving patent quality, and minimising predatory behaviour by powerful firms. This project will assess the operation of the opposition process here, and the practice of equivalent .......and by opposing, end them: A Comparative Examination of Opposition Processes in Patent Law. Patent law is central to the key Australian economic aim of encouraging an innovative culture. One aspect of patent law, the opposition process, is directly linked to two important issues currently facing our patent system: improving patent quality, and minimising predatory behaviour by powerful firms. This project will assess the operation of the opposition process here, and the practice of equivalent international procedures in other jurisdictions, in order to inform Australian policy in current and ongoing negotiations towards global harmonisation. Material from this project will lead directly to proposals for improving the Australian patent system, and ensuring that it promotes, and does not retard, innovation. Read moreRead less
'Nothing Can Be Created Out of Nothing': Workers, Their Know-How and the Employment Relationships that Support Them. The importance of innovation, either in the form of intellectual property or know-how, to the Australian economy cannot be over-stated. Unlike statutory intellectual property schemes, worker-created know-how is both 'incentivised' and controlled through the contractual provisions of the worker-employer relationship. This project, through its empirical focus, will explore if (and h ....'Nothing Can Be Created Out of Nothing': Workers, Their Know-How and the Employment Relationships that Support Them. The importance of innovation, either in the form of intellectual property or know-how, to the Australian economy cannot be over-stated. Unlike statutory intellectual property schemes, worker-created know-how is both 'incentivised' and controlled through the contractual provisions of the worker-employer relationship. This project, through its empirical focus, will explore if (and how) the law, as it relates to know-how, promotes innovation in the workplace. Through the development of guidelines for best practice and reform proposals to fill gaps in the law, this research will increase the potential for innovation in all worker-employer relationships which will, in turn, maximise this country's creative and technological capability. Read moreRead less