A Role For The Pulvinar Nucleus In Visual Cortical Development And Plasticity
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$844,435.00
Summary
This project will investigate a part of the brain responsible for processing visual information, the pulvinar. This area has received little attention but has more recently been associated with the capacity for infants to recover vision following injuries such as stroke, as well as in mental health conditions such as schizophrenia. We will take a cell-to-system approach to uncover how this area develops and modulates the processing of visual information.
A Novel Treatment For Ischemic Stroke: Preclinical Assessment In The Nonhuman Primate
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$762,246.00
Summary
A major source of repair inhibition after brain injury is debris from dying cells, which contains proteins that hinder repair. This project will examine the expression of these proteins in a clinically-relevant model of ischemic stroke and determine if blocking the effect of these proteins neutralises their repair-inhibiting properties. If successful, there is likelihood that this drug, and method of delivery, could be translated into the human for treatment following an ischemic stroke.
A DENDRITIC SUBSTRATE FOR THE CHOLINERGIC CONTROL OF NEOCORTICAL OUTPUT
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$898,340.00
Summary
The forebrain cholinergic system controls neocortical activity and cognitive function. This project will investigate the mechanisms by which the cholinergic system controls neocortical circuit activity in rodent models using advanced optical and electrical recording methods. The results will provide a foundation for the understanding of how dysfunction of the cholinergic system results in cognitive decline in humans, and identify new targets for improved treatment of human cognitive impairment.
Role Of Dendritic Information Processing In Visual Circuit Computations
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$895,244.00
Summary
Vision is the primary sensory modality in man, and its disturbance carries an enormous socio-economic burden. The dynamic operations of the neuronal assemblies that underlie vision are poorly understood, partly because of an incomplete description of the computational properties of visual neuronal circuits. The aims of the application are to mechanistically dissect defined computational operations of visual neural circuits using advanced electrophysiological and optical recording techniques.
Functional Neurogenesis In The Injured Neocortex Of The Nonhuman Primate
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$966,048.00
Summary
Research over the past couple of decades has revolutionised our understanding of the capacity of the brain to generate new cells, especially following an injury. However, what does remain controversial is whether this phenomenon occurs in all areas of the brain, especially following a severe traumatic brain injury or stroke. This project will examine whether the outer surface of the brain has the potential to generate new cells following a brain injury and whether they become functional.
Targeting Autism With Macrocephaly Using Mechanism Based Therapeutics
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$831,652.00
Summary
Autism affects a large number of children in our community and currently there is a lack of any medication to treat its core pathology. In this grant we will study the underlying biochemical changes in the brain that result in autism through the development of a new mouse model of the disorder. This mouse model will then be used test drugs to identify therapeutic targets for the treatment of autism.
Pharmacological Development Of A Stable Cytochrome P450-mediated Omega-3 Fatty Acid Epoxide Analogue As A Novel Anti-metastatic Agent
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$599,847.00
Summary
Dietary ?-3 fatty acids decrease the risk of cancer metastasis. We have found that a certain ?-3 fatty acid metabolite inhibits tumour cell migration but is too unstable to be a useful drug. We have now prepared a stable version of this metabolite for in vivo use as a potential anti-metastatic drug. In this project we will define the mechanism of action of this novel agent and evaluate how it may be best used in patient treatments by testing in a range of in vivo animal models of metastasis.
Understanding The Embryonic Origins Of Cortical Malformations
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$815,228.00
Summary
Cortical malformation leads to mental retardation and epilepsy. Identification of the aberrant developmental processes contributing to these devastating syndromes is essential for accurate clinical assessment and development of novel therapeutics. Here we investigate a developmentally important receptor, Neogenin, which when mutated, leads to cortical malformations. Determining how Neogenin functions is expected to uncover new signaling pathways contributing to these malformations.
DEVELOPMENT OF FOLDING IN THE FETAL CEREBRAL CORTEX – IDENTIFYING FUNDAMENTAL MECHANISMS AND THEIR SUSCEPTIBILITY TO DISRUPTION IN NORMAL AND ABNORMAL PREGNANCY
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$607,742.00
Summary
During pregnancy, the surface of the fetal brain gradually develops the ridges, valleys, and folds that are the characteristic feature of our highly developed brain. However, this process can be disturbed if birth occurs prematurely, the unborn baby suffers oxygen starvation in the uterus, or the mother consumes alcohol. In this project we are determining how cell migration results in the development of brain surface folding, and how hypoxia and maternal alcohol consumption affect these importan ....During pregnancy, the surface of the fetal brain gradually develops the ridges, valleys, and folds that are the characteristic feature of our highly developed brain. However, this process can be disturbed if birth occurs prematurely, the unborn baby suffers oxygen starvation in the uterus, or the mother consumes alcohol. In this project we are determining how cell migration results in the development of brain surface folding, and how hypoxia and maternal alcohol consumption affect these important processes.Read moreRead less
Context Is Everything – Understanding How Spatial, Temporal And Behavioural Context Affect Sensory Processing
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$512,382.00
Summary
A possum in a tree is cute to see on a bushwalk, but scary to hear when we are trying to sleep. This illustrates that how we perceive a “target” is affected by “modulators” that are close in space or time to the target, or by the task at hand. Deficits in contextual modulation are apparent in many neurological conditions. This project will investigate the neural circuitry that mediates spatial, temporal and task-related contextual modulation.