Diversion And Misuse Of Stimulant Medication For ADHD Among Illicit Psychostimulant Users
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$152,534.00
Summary
The practices of diversion and misuse of pharmaceutical stimulants give serious cause for concern due to their potential to increase the risk of drug toxicity, dependence, and serious adverse health consequences. These practices may be particularly harmful among illicit psychostimulant users. This will be the first to study the nature of diversion and misuse of pharmaceutical stimulants among illicit psychostimulant users and the first to examine the associated correlates and consequences.
Reducing The Use Of Sedative Medication In Aged Care Facilities (Implementation Of The ‘RedUSe’ Project Into Everyday Practice)
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$174,107.00
Summary
Sedative medications are often used in aged care facilities (ACFs), despite limited benefit and significant harm, including increased risk of falls, stroke and death. The RedUSe program, through a multi-strategic, interdisciplinary approach, has been shown to successfully promote the quality use of sedative medications in residential aged care. This project will widely implement RedUSe. A decline in sedative use will produce multiple benefits for older people, including increased mobility, decre ....Sedative medications are often used in aged care facilities (ACFs), despite limited benefit and significant harm, including increased risk of falls, stroke and death. The RedUSe program, through a multi-strategic, interdisciplinary approach, has been shown to successfully promote the quality use of sedative medications in residential aged care. This project will widely implement RedUSe. A decline in sedative use will produce multiple benefits for older people, including increased mobility, decreased fall and mortality rates.Read moreRead less
Investigating The Neural Basis Of Memory Impairments In Schizophrenia
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$82,920.00
Summary
The memory deficits experienced by people with schizophrenia are one of the most disabling symptoms associated with the illness. Taking this into consideration, this proposal will address two key research questions: (1) what regions of the brain are involved in the long-term memory problems in schizophrenia; (2) whether administering the drug ketamine to healthy individuals produces the same changes in brain activation as those observed in schizophrenia patients.
Droperidol And Olanzapine As Adjuncts To Midazolam For The Acutely Agitated Patient: A Randomised Clinical Trial
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$187,872.00
Summary
Management of the acutely agitated patient, whether due to severe psychiatric illness or drug intoxication, results in a disproportionate use of Emergency Department resources. Drug sedation is frequently employed when an individual is at risk of harming themselves or others. This study will determine if antipsychotic drugs (droperidol and olanzapine), when added to midazolam (a commonly used sedative), is safer and more efficacious than sedation with midazolam alone.
How Commonly Used Psychoactive Drugs Affect The Hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal Axis
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$411,448.00
Summary
The body makes a number of responses when it is subjected to stress, and these include the secretion of hormones from the adrenal gland, including cortisol. It is not surprising that cortisol has effects upon the way the brain operates, nor is it surprising that diseases that are associated with stress (e.g. depression, alcoholism and other psychiatric complaints) create abnormal cortisol secretion. The drugs that are known to be successful in treating conditions such as depression and anxiety h ....The body makes a number of responses when it is subjected to stress, and these include the secretion of hormones from the adrenal gland, including cortisol. It is not surprising that cortisol has effects upon the way the brain operates, nor is it surprising that diseases that are associated with stress (e.g. depression, alcoholism and other psychiatric complaints) create abnormal cortisol secretion. The drugs that are known to be successful in treating conditions such as depression and anxiety have been shown to affect the secretion of cortisol, but, somewhat paradoxically, we do not precisely know how they operate. The aim of this research is to examine how drugs that are commonly used for the treatment of a number of psychiatric conditions (e.g. Prozac, Tofranil, Xanax, morphine and naltrexone) affect the secretion of hormones from the brain that ulitmately regulate the secretion of cortisol. We propose that the effects of these drugs is related to how they operate, and for how long they have been given. The findings generated by this research may help us determine new ways of diagnosing and treating a range of conditions.Read moreRead less
Development Of An In Vivo Pharmacokinetic-pharmacodynamic Model For Evaluation Of Antimalarial Drug Therapy Combinations
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$120,604.00
Summary
The World Health Organization currently estimates that there are 300-500 million cases of malaria annually, with 1.5-2.7 million deaths. These are staggering data, given that almost 20 antimalarial drugs are now in regular clinical use. Multi-drug resistance is present in most tropical countries where malaria is endemic and there has been a rapid escalation in cases of malaria in developed countries over recent decades (imported by travellers). Clearly, there is a need to ensure that current and ....The World Health Organization currently estimates that there are 300-500 million cases of malaria annually, with 1.5-2.7 million deaths. These are staggering data, given that almost 20 antimalarial drugs are now in regular clinical use. Multi-drug resistance is present in most tropical countries where malaria is endemic and there has been a rapid escalation in cases of malaria in developed countries over recent decades (imported by travellers). Clearly, there is a need to ensure that current and new treatment and prevention strategies are rational and effective. This project is based on the premise that improvements can be made in the in vitro testing process of antimalarial drugs. The experiments will be conducted using mice and a form of malaria that is specific to mice but closely resembles human malaria. In the first stage, the relationship between the amount of a new antimalarial drug (dihydroartemisinin) in the body and the effectiveness of the dose will be tested. These experiments will be repeated using conventional antimalarial drugs such as mefloquine. Information from these studies will subsequently be used to evaluate combinations of antimalarials. The results will be used as the basis of extensive, collaborative clinical studies in South-East Asia that are beyond the scope of this project. The methods used for this research will be important for future testing of new antimalarial drugs or combinations of drugs for the treatment and prophylaxis of malaria.Read moreRead less
I am a lab-based neurochemist-cell biologist with expertise in protein chemistry and pharmacology. My research focuses on the dynamin family of proteins in the endocytosis of synaptic vesicles and in the molecular mechanisms of synaptic transmission in th
Development Of A Simple Chemical Test For Detecting DNA-interacting Compounds For Medical And
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$315,450.00
Summary
The project exploits a simple chemical reaction to detect and measure the interaction of compounds with DNA. The test will be useful in the early screening of drug candidates for genotoxicity, identifying new anticancer drugs and also find application in the environmental, cosmetic and food industries. Work will focus on establishing peak conditions for the test, determining the scope of application, testing a panel of control compounds and performing a blind study to provide proof of concept.