Local Microvascular Regulatory Mechanisms In Diabetes: Relevance To Neuropathy
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$212,036.00
Summary
In diabetes mellitus, the excessive levels of sugar in the blood may cause changes in metabolic processes within cells that lead to disturbances in the function of the circulatory and nervous systems. Such disturbances have been shown to occur in the early stages of diabetes and ultimately lead to longterm consequences including poor wound healing (often culminating in limb amputations), increased risk of blindness, kidney disease and heart failure. At present it is not possible to restore norma ....In diabetes mellitus, the excessive levels of sugar in the blood may cause changes in metabolic processes within cells that lead to disturbances in the function of the circulatory and nervous systems. Such disturbances have been shown to occur in the early stages of diabetes and ultimately lead to longterm consequences including poor wound healing (often culminating in limb amputations), increased risk of blindness, kidney disease and heart failure. At present it is not possible to restore normal metabolism, leaving patients at risk of developing complications involving the circulatory and nervous systems. An understanding of the processes involved in the development of such complications would allow alternate treatment strategies to be devised in order to improve the quality of life and life expectancy of diabetic patients. The events leading to abnormalities in the function of the circulatory and nervous systems are uncertain, however, studies have demonstrated that in diabetes there may be an insufficient blood supply to nerves and this would be expected to cause nerve damage. At present, our understanding of the factors involved in regulating blood flow to nerves is limited. The studies described in this proposal are aimed at testing the hypothesis that nerve blood vessels are themselves involved in the regulation of flow through an intrinsic ability to change their diameter in response to tissue demands and that in diabetes alterations in the capacity of nerve blood vessels to constrict or dilate compromises their role in the control of nerve blood flow . Information obtained from these studies will improve our understanding of the early disturbances in the function of circulatory and nervous systems leading to alterations in blood flow which precede the development of overt changes characteristic of the complications associated with diabetes. This will provide insight into developing new treatment strategies for diabetic patients.Read moreRead less
Modulation Of Autonomic Nerve Growth By Guidance Factors
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$393,277.00
Summary
Our goal is to understand how adult nerves are affected by injury so that we can devise therapies to make them regrow better. We will focus on nerves that control the urogenital organs because these are often injured during surgical procedures (e.g. prostatectomy, hysterectomy), with devastating effects on patients' quality of life. In this project we will investigate how naturally-occurring growth-inhibitory molecules affect nerve regrowth after injury in the pelvic nervous system.
The Incidence And Predictors Of Foot Disease Hospitalisation
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$318,768.00
Summary
Foot disease seems to be a much larger cause of hospitalisation than first thought. This research program aims to study for the first ever time the annual incidence of foot disease hospitalisation and develop models to predict which patients with foot disease are likely to be hospitalised or die. We believe this research will help clinicians, researchers and governments from around the world to measure, predict and prevent foot disease hospitalisation in their nations for the first time.
Intramuscular Interstitial Cells Of Cajal; Ion Channels And Their Modulation By Calcium Ions And Neurotransmitters.
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$523,261.00
Summary
Disorders of gut motility manifest themselves in several ways, as either patterns of hyperactivity or patterns of reduced activity. Under normal conditions gut motility reflects a balance between myogenic, neuronal and hormonal factors but as yet how this balance is normally achieved is not understood. This project will examine the properties of a class of cells, whose importance in both myogenic and neural control mechanisms has only been recognized over the last 10 years. The muscular wall of ....Disorders of gut motility manifest themselves in several ways, as either patterns of hyperactivity or patterns of reduced activity. Under normal conditions gut motility reflects a balance between myogenic, neuronal and hormonal factors but as yet how this balance is normally achieved is not understood. This project will examine the properties of a class of cells, whose importance in both myogenic and neural control mechanisms has only been recognized over the last 10 years. The muscular wall of the gut is made up of two distinct types of cells. One group, smooth muscle cells, contains contractile elements and the coordinated behavior of these cells leads to the contractions of the gut wall, so ensuring the controlled passage of gut contents along the gastrointestinal tract. The other group of cells, Interstitial cells of Cajal, lack contractile elements. One set of these cells have recently been found to be the pacemaker cells of the gut responsible for the initiation of myogenic activity. They generate pacemaker waves which ensure that the gut contracts rhythmically. Another set of these cells are densely innervated, they receive messages from the nervous system and translate these messages into signals which alter the activity of the gut. Thus these cells play a key role in the neural control of the gut. In many disease states, the numbers of interstitial cells of Cajal have been found to be reduced. However as yet we know very little about these cells. This project will, for the first time, examine the properties of the interstitial cells involved in neural control and will determine how they carry out these essential functions.Read moreRead less
Catheter Based Renal Denervation To Improve Outcomes In Congestive Heart Failure
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$619,194.00
Summary
In heart failure there is a large increase in sympathetic nerve activity that is detrimental to patient outcome, but the factors causing this increased activity are not well defined. There is evidence that renal nerves play a significant role. A novel catheter based technique allows silencing of these nerves. We will test whether this novel technique has the potential to improve the outcomes for patients with heart failure.