Neural Control Of Behavioural State And Cognition - Role Of Nucleus Incertus And Relaxin-3
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$600,771.00
Summary
Dementia and mental illness are significant social and economic burdens worldwide and knowledge of underlying causes and more effective therapies are required. Our research is using preclinical models to characterize a little studied neural network in the control of arousal states, rhythmic brain activity, and learning and memory. Our findings could advance the development of improved treatments for cognitive deficits in degenerative, age-related and psychiatric disorders.
Ascending Control Of Behavioural State And Cognition - Role Of Nucleus Incertus And Relaxin-3 Transmission
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$540,356.00
Summary
Mental illness and dementia are significant social and economic burdens worldwide and knowledge of their underlying causes and more effective therapies are required. Our research aims to use pre-clinical models to characterize a little studied neuronal network implicated in control of brain theta rhythm activity, which could lead to improved treatment of neuropsychiatric diseases such as anxiety and depression, and degenerative cognitive decline.
Obesity: The Role Of Neuropeptide Y, Melanocortin And Serotonin Systems In Development And Prevention
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$258,000.00
Summary
This project is about the study of central regulation of energy balance contributing to protection or development of chronic high-energy diet-induced obesity. Obesity is a major predisposing factor for a variety of life threatening diseases such as type II diabetes, hypertension, and coronary heart disease with their enormous costs both socially and financially. Development of human obesity and its related metabolic disorders is a long term process generally develops over a long period and event ....This project is about the study of central regulation of energy balance contributing to protection or development of chronic high-energy diet-induced obesity. Obesity is a major predisposing factor for a variety of life threatening diseases such as type II diabetes, hypertension, and coronary heart disease with their enormous costs both socially and financially. Development of human obesity and its related metabolic disorders is a long term process generally develops over a long period and eventually becomes a chronic condition. Generally, chronic consumption of high-energy food in excess of expenditure leads to excessive fat accumulation and promotes the development of obesity. However, studies on both humans and experimental animals have revealed that not all individuals become obese on a high-energy diet; thus, individual susceptibility is an important phenomenon allowing us to search for the genes contributing to the individuals' susceptibility or resistance to diet-induced obesity and to identify for effective targets for both prevention and treatment of obesity. Using the animal models developed in our laboratory, the proposed research aims to demonstrate the differences in the central regulation between the mice resistant or susceptible to the development of chronic high-energy diet-induced obesity. Outcomes of this project will provide us with: 1) better targets for the prevention of diet-induced obesity; (2) more effective treatments for the late stage of obesity and its related metabolic disorders; and (3) a better understanding of the individual susceptibility to diet-induced obesity.Read moreRead less