A Selective Prevention Trial Using Novel Pharmacotherapies In An Older Age Cohort At Risk For Depression
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$975,259.00
Summary
The study will examine whether omega-3 fatty acids or antidepressants prevent the onset of depression in a group of older community participants who have previously been identified as being "at risk" of depression. The study will incorporate sophisticated brain scanning methods, as well as tests of brain functioning to determine acute brain changes, reduction in cognitive decline and prevention of depression over a one-year period.
A Randomised Controlled Trial Of Low-dose Ketamine In Youth With Severe Depression And Elevated Suicide Risk
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$2,232,757.00
Summary
Recent research has shown that a single injection of low-dose ketamine has powerful, though short-lived, antidepressant effects. Effective treatments are urgently needed for young people with severe depression. This will be the first controlled study to test whether repeated doses of ketamine, given over 4 weeks, is effective for young patients.
The Burden Of Late Preterm Birth On Brain Development And 2 Year Outcomes – A Prospective, Longitudinal Cohort Study
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$838,690.00
Summary
80% of preterm babies are born from 32-36 weeks’ gestation, and are late preterm (LPT). LPT children have more learning problems, but why this occurs is unknown. This study aims to understand the effect of LPT birth on brain development. We will do brain scans at term and assess development at 2 years of age of 200 LPT and 200 full-term children. We expect LPT babies will have subtle alterations in brain development compared with term controls which will be associated with delayed development.
An MRI Study Of Emotional Processing Deficits In Childhood
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$578,985.00
Summary
The ability to recognise and process emotions in other people is fundamental to healthy social interactions. Conduct disordered children with callous and unemotional traits have difficulty recognizing fearful expressions, possibly due to lack of attention to cues such as facial expressions that healthy people naturally attend to. This study will use neuroimaging to determine if brain activity changes to look more like typically developing children if their gaze is redirected to facial cues of em ....The ability to recognise and process emotions in other people is fundamental to healthy social interactions. Conduct disordered children with callous and unemotional traits have difficulty recognizing fearful expressions, possibly due to lack of attention to cues such as facial expressions that healthy people naturally attend to. This study will use neuroimaging to determine if brain activity changes to look more like typically developing children if their gaze is redirected to facial cues of emotion.Read moreRead less
A Dimensional Approach To Mapping The Risk Mechanisms Of Mental Illness
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$1,677,975.00
Summary
There is ongoing debate about whether current definitions of mental disorders are accurate. We will use statistical techniques to identify the core dimensions of liability for mental illness, and map how genes and brain organization drive differences between people along each dimension.
The Unique Nature Of Gamma Delta T Cell Recognition Resolved Through Interaction With H2-Q10
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$699,031.00
Summary
The liver is important for both digestion and immunity. Given these opposing functions, the liver must exert control points that prevent the immune system from recognising food products. We have now identified a new molecular target that controls the development of immune cells in the liver.
Application Of Intelligent Conducting Polymers For Treating Schizophrenia And Allied Disorders Focusing On Neuronal Outgrowth, Myelination And Synaptogenesis
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$698,314.00
Summary
This project involves cross-disciplinary collaboration between researchers at the forefront of materials engineering, nanotechnology, neural pathology, human stem cell biology and mental health disciplines. We will use a nanodevice to apply electrical stimuli and growth factors to improve brain function in schizophrenia and allied disorders.