INVESTIGATING THE VALIDITY OF PRENATAL INSULTS AS RISK FACTORS FOR SCHIZOPHRENIA.
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$201,100.00
Summary
Schizophrenia is one of the most devastating of human mental disorders affecting about 1% of the population. The cause of this disorder is not known but it seems certain that it will involve genetic and environmental factors. An adverse environmental factor could be a reduced supply of oxygen and nutrients to a baby during pregnancy. In guinea pigs we aim to investigate whether disruption to the normal supply of oxygen and nutrients to the fetus disrupts the normal fine structure and chemical ma ....Schizophrenia is one of the most devastating of human mental disorders affecting about 1% of the population. The cause of this disorder is not known but it seems certain that it will involve genetic and environmental factors. An adverse environmental factor could be a reduced supply of oxygen and nutrients to a baby during pregnancy. In guinea pigs we aim to investigate whether disruption to the normal supply of oxygen and nutrients to the fetus disrupts the normal fine structure and chemical make up of the brain and gives rise to long-lasting structural and neurochemical changes in adolescent animals, which resemble changes found in the brains of patients with schizophrenia. We will also assess whether behavioural responses of compromised animals are altered in tests that parallel disturbances seen in patients with schizophrenia. Such abnormal brain development could create an underlying vulnerability in the brain, predisposing individuals with risk factors such as genetic inheritance to develop the symptoms of schizophrenia in later life perhaps only after the complete formation of nerve pathways involved in higher brain functioning. If guinea pigs that have been subjected to low oxygen levels during pregnancy show sustained changes in the structure and neurochemistry in regions of the brain that are altered in patients with schizophrenia it would suggest that these long lasting disturbances could result from problems during pregnancy. Thus, this would support the idea that abnormal brain development during pregnancy is one of the underlying causes of schizophrenia.Read moreRead less
Adolescent Males' Beliefs And Feelings About The Consequences Of A Partner's Pregnancy: A Survey And Intervention Study
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$170,095.00
Summary
Each year, in Australia, approximately 28,000 adolescents become pregnant. The psychological, social and financial cost of adolescent pregnancy in Australia is substantial, in both the long and short term. An unexpected finding in North American studies is that a substantial number of adolescent pregnancies occur by design. Prevention programs in Australia and elsewhere assume adolescents do not wish to become pregnant and focus on educating adolescents about causes rather than consequences. Res ....Each year, in Australia, approximately 28,000 adolescents become pregnant. The psychological, social and financial cost of adolescent pregnancy in Australia is substantial, in both the long and short term. An unexpected finding in North American studies is that a substantial number of adolescent pregnancies occur by design. Prevention programs in Australia and elsewhere assume adolescents do not wish to become pregnant and focus on educating adolescents about causes rather than consequences. Research conducted by one of us (JAQ) found that over 75% of pregnant teenagers said they had deliberately become pregnant. Another of us (JTC) studied 1,500 Australian adolescents attitudes and beliefs about pregnancy and parenthood. The findings showed high levels of idealisation, especially in males. Males have been largely neglected in adolescent pregnancy research. The first component of this study is a survey of 500 adolescents to investigate their attitudes and beliefs about pregnancy occurring in a sexual partner, and the consequences of that event for them both. The assessment tool is a computer role-play simulation with its starting point the announcement of a pregnancy. The intervention study involves 300 adolescents and comprises viewing and discussing a video in which 4 adolescent males talk about their experiences of the consequences of pregnancy in a sexual partner. The use of 4 groups with different sequences of assessment and intervention will enable us to ascertain the effectiveness of the intervention. Of particular interest is whether the video or the role-play makes any impact on idealised attitudes and beliefs. This research is the first undertaken on adolescent male attitudes and beliefs using a computer role-play. It will provide essential information for the development of effective, male-oriented prevention programs which focus on consequences as well as causes of adolescent pregnancy.Read moreRead less
Longitudinal Brain Changes In First-episode Psychosis: A 10 Year Follow-up MRI Study
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$165,250.00
Summary
It is now widely accepted that schizophrenia is associated with changes in the structure of the brain. Until recently these structural changes were considered to predate the onset of illness and to remain static. However, our own work has suggested an alternative model, which relates schizophrenia to brain changes at specific life stages. In order to demonstrate this, we intend to acquire repeat brain images on 100 patients who were initially scanned 10 years ago at the start of their psychotic ....It is now widely accepted that schizophrenia is associated with changes in the structure of the brain. Until recently these structural changes were considered to predate the onset of illness and to remain static. However, our own work has suggested an alternative model, which relates schizophrenia to brain changes at specific life stages. In order to demonstrate this, we intend to acquire repeat brain images on 100 patients who were initially scanned 10 years ago at the start of their psychotic illness. This would be the largest follow-up study of first episode psychosis in the world, with the longest interval between the first and second brain scan. Further, for a proportion of patients we will have 3 MRI scans, at illness onset, 2-4 years post-onset, followed by a third scan at 10 years, thereby providing unique follow-up brain imaging data. Based on our own and other research, we intend to explore the relationship between progressive brain change over a ten year period and: (i) the diagnosis of the patient (schizophrenia or other disorder), (ii) the clinical and functional outcome of the patient (still chronically ill or with no further episode of psychosis), and (iii) the cognitive state of the patient (their ability to perform well on tests of memory, planning and so on). We are able to conduct this study because of the existence of an infrastructure developed to follow-up patients, with a recontact rate of 70% of those patients admitted in 1992 and 1993. In this study we seek to implement these strategies for the patients identified after 1994. The results of this study will test our ideas derived from our model of the major psychotic illnesses and may identify the structural brain changes which are associated with the development of chronic schizophrenia and other psychoses. A further novel outcome will be the inclusion of patients who have remained well and identiifying the structural correlates of a good prognosis.Read moreRead less
A Parent Education And Skills Training Intervention For Young Adolescents With Autism
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$436,500.00
Summary
Autism is a most severe and prevalent lifelong developmental disorder affecting approximately one in every thousand children and their families. Autism is associated with personal suffering and is a significant burden and stress for parents, families and carers and cost to the community. In earlier work we have demonstrated that providing a structured program of parent education and guidance to families with preschool children with autism leads to improved parental adjustment and mental health. ....Autism is a most severe and prevalent lifelong developmental disorder affecting approximately one in every thousand children and their families. Autism is associated with personal suffering and is a significant burden and stress for parents, families and carers and cost to the community. In earlier work we have demonstrated that providing a structured program of parent education and guidance to families with preschool children with autism leads to improved parental adjustment and mental health. The program also led to behavioural and developmental benefits for the child. The early secondary school years bring further stress and difficulty to adolescents with autism and their families. This project aims to assess the effectiveness of a parent education and training program for parents with autistic adolescents aged 12-14 years. If shown to be effective, this manual based intervention can be readily used by professionals to promote parent mental health, family adjustment and improve the wellbeing and outcome for adolescents with autism. As a result, family stress and the necessity of out of home care may be reduced and school participation improved.Read moreRead less
Children Of Parents With Mental Illness: A Population-based Study
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$774,715.00
Summary
Schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and major depression account for about 16% of the global burden of disease, according to estimates by the World Health Organization and the World Bank. These disorders tend to run a chronic or recurrent course, with devastating impact on sufferers and their families. We know today that part of their causes are genetic and may be transmitted to the next generation. However, another part of the causation is likely to be environmental, involving maternal pregnancy co ....Schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and major depression account for about 16% of the global burden of disease, according to estimates by the World Health Organization and the World Bank. These disorders tend to run a chronic or recurrent course, with devastating impact on sufferers and their families. We know today that part of their causes are genetic and may be transmitted to the next generation. However, another part of the causation is likely to be environmental, involving maternal pregnancy complications, as well as psychosocial adversity and stressful events impacting children who happen to carry a genetic susceptibility to such disorders. To disentangle and understand better such effects, our research is focusing on families where genetic risk to the offspring is present, due to a mother suffering from one of these disorders. By linking data available on population databases in WA, we aim to follow up the childhood development and young adult health outcomes of all children born to women with schizophrenia, bipolar disorder or depression. Few studies of this kind have been done worldwide, and we expect that the WA study will answer many unresolved questions, leading to preventative and treatment interventions that would reduce adverse outcomes and improve the quality of life of families at risk.Read moreRead less