Function And Physiological Role Of Inhibitory Circuits In The Amygdala
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$741,518.00
Summary
The amygdala is part of the brain that assigns emotional content to our sensory world and dysfunction of the amygdala is responsible for many anxiety-related disorders. Many anxiolytics, like valium, act on receptors in the amygdala. In this project we will study circuits in the amygdala that are modulated by anxiolytics. These studies will provide essential information in the understanding of anxiety disorders and help in developing drugs to treat these disorders.
Dendritic Activity And Neuronal Output During Sensory Perception
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$832,748.00
Summary
A fundamental goal of neuroscience is to understand how sensory experiences arise from activity in the brain. This is no easy feat and is the basis of the research in this proposal. Here, using cutting edge recording techniques, the activity of brain cells within the cortex will be measured during sensory-based behavioural tasks. This research will provide insight into therapeutic approaches to numerous brain diseases where sensory processing is compromised.
Persistent Firing In Cortical Interneurons: Mechanisms And Potential Anticonvulsant Role
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$520,552.00
Summary
The normal brain treads a fine line between too much electrical activity (epilepsy) and too little (sedation). We have discovered a class of brain cell that seems to behave like a sentinel, monitoring brain activity for signs of epilepsy. If a seizure occurs, this cell switches on an electrical brake that dampens excess activity. In this project we will study how this brake works and whether it really can inhibit seizures. Our research may lead to better treatments for epilepsy.
The Final Common Channel: Measurement Of Nerve Excitability In Epilepsy.
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$301,376.00
Summary
Epilepsy may be due to either one single genetic mutation or a combination of several gene-environment interactions, affecting how ion channels function. It is not possible to directly interrogate channels in the living human brain but, because similar channels are found in peripheral nerve, much may be learned about aberrant channel function from peripheral nerve. This project aims to measure peripheral nerve excitability in epilepsy patients, using it as a marker of the final common pathway of ....Epilepsy may be due to either one single genetic mutation or a combination of several gene-environment interactions, affecting how ion channels function. It is not possible to directly interrogate channels in the living human brain but, because similar channels are found in peripheral nerve, much may be learned about aberrant channel function from peripheral nerve. This project aims to measure peripheral nerve excitability in epilepsy patients, using it as a marker of the final common pathway of channel dysfunction.Read moreRead less
STRUCTURE, FUNCTION AND REGULATION OF F-TYPE ATP SYNTHASES
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$544,660.00
Summary
ATP synthase is the molecular machinery that converts energy derived from nutrients or photosynthesis into the universal biological energy carrier ATP (adenosine triphosphate). This is one of the most fundamental processes of life and is conserved from bacteria to plants to humans. Understanding how bacterial and mitochondrial ATP synthases work in molecular detail will have wide-ranging implications for both medicine (in understanding metabolic disorders, controlled cell death and aging) and th ....ATP synthase is the molecular machinery that converts energy derived from nutrients or photosynthesis into the universal biological energy carrier ATP (adenosine triphosphate). This is one of the most fundamental processes of life and is conserved from bacteria to plants to humans. Understanding how bacterial and mitochondrial ATP synthases work in molecular detail will have wide-ranging implications for both medicine (in understanding metabolic disorders, controlled cell death and aging) and the design of new antibacterial agents.Read moreRead less
Understanding Uterine Contractility: What Can We Learn From Obesity?
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$600,792.00
Summary
The incidence of failure to progress in labour has increased in recent years, being linked to the rise in obesity. The result is a significant escalation in the rate of delivery by Caesarean Section (CS) which increases the risk of serious complications during subsequent pregnancies. We have identified five dysfunctional systems associated with poor uterine contraction. We now aim to determine the mechanisms underlying these dysfunctional systems, particularly those mechanisms in common.
Development Of Peripheral Sensory Pathways In Humans
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$477,504.00
Summary
To receive the appropriate information about the state of our muscles, joints, organs, and skin we need a properly 'connected' sensory system. Recent evidence suggests traumatic events during early development can alter sensory connections within the spinal cord. This can lead to debilitating movement disorders, digestive diseases, and increased pain. In this study we will examine how peripheral sensory fibres connect with the appropriate nerve cells in the human spinal cord during development.
Genome-wide Association Studies To Identify Major Genetic Determinants Of 5 Blinding Eye Diseases Using Pooled DNA
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$562,193.00
Summary
This project aims to find important genes for 5 diseases that can lead to blindness. We will use a cost-effective approach where samples from a large number of individuals with a given disorder are pooled (mixed together) and then compared on gene chips covering the whole genome to a pool of people who do not have the disease. Differences identified between the groups will point to genes causing that disease. We will identify any major genes for the 5 diseases being studied.
The Functional Organisation And Signals Of Motion Sensitive Neurons In The Middle-temporal Area Of Visual Cortex
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$405,337.00
Summary
Some nerve cells in the cerebral cortex are very sensitive to visual motion. These neurons direct eye movements and provide motion perception, but the "neuronal code" they carry is poorly understood. We will address this basic question in experimental studies of the primate visual system. This project will help us understand visual performance; poor motion vision is an early indicator of many neurological disorders and this knowledge can help develop methods for their detection and diagnosis.
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.