Characterising Quality Of Life And Its Determinants For Children With Intellectual Disability And Their Families
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$520,874.00
Summary
Approximately 2% of children are born with intellectual disability. They and their families often experience poor health and wellbeing. We will develop a measure of quality of life for affected children and then we will investigate how different factors affect both child and family quality of life. Our new measure will provide capacity to determine what treatments could improve the lives of affected children and their families.
The Strong Families Trial: Randomised Controlled Trial Of A Family Strengthening Program To Prevent Unhealthy Weight Gain Among 5- To 11-year Old Children From At Risk Families
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$1,338,625.00
Summary
The study will test the effectiveness of an integrated package of parenting and lifestyle interventions for parents or carers from socially disadvantaged areas in reducing the risk of obesity among their 5-11 year-old children. It will provide scientific evidence of the additive effectiveness of a mixed parenting program when combined with a standard lifestyle intervention to prevent unhealthy weight gain and improving the family environment among mostly migrant populations
Preventing Early Internalising Problems In The Preschool Setting: Randomised Controlled Trial
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$893,870.00
Summary
Internalising mental health problems reflect inner emotional distress and encompass all symptoms of anxiety and depression. Affecting 1 in 7 Australian school-age children, many internalising problems persist into adulthood, impacting on personal wellbeing, family relations and workforce capabilities. This randomised prevention trial in the preschool-setting, screens for children at-risk and tests if a parenting program can reduce internalising problems across the population by school-entry.
Do Ongoing Cognitive Demands Affect The Efficacy Of Transcranial Electrical Brain Stimulation In Young And Older Healthy Adults?
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$627,857.00
Summary
Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) of the brain is widely used to enhance cognitive and motor function in healthy individuals and people with neurological disorders. Unfortunately, the efficacy of tDCS is highly variable between individuals. This project tests the hypothesis that ongoing cognitive processes – particularly attention – play an important role in regulating the effect of tDCS on brain function. The knowledge gained will help refine tDCS as a clinical and research tool.
A Novel, Technology-based Program Targeting Physical, Cognitive And Mental Well-being To Maximise Fall Prevention In Older People: An Evidence-based Multifactorial Approach
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$1,475,781.00
Summary
Accidental falling among older people is a significant public health challenge worldwide. This study addresses a key gap in the translation of available evidence to prevent falls in older people more effectively. The proposed trial will provide the first-ever evidence about the cost and effectiveness of a tailored multifactorial fall prevention program using technology and self-management principles.
Gene-environment Interactions Modulating Cortical And Cognitive Dysfunction
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$618,300.00
Summary
A feature of many major brain disorders, including schizophrenia and dementia, is disruption of cognition. A key brain area impacted in such cognitive disorders is the prefrontal cortex. This project will use clinically translatable touchscreen to understand how this aspect of brain dysfunction causes abnormal cognition. We will investigate the mechanisms involved, using highly innovative approaches, which will contribute to the development of new treatments for such cognitive disorders.
Are Healthcare Interventions Exacerbating Alzheimer's Disease (AHEAD)
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$709,803.00
Summary
The AHEAD Study will assess the impact of anaesthesia and surgery on cognitive function in patients with Mild Cognitive Impairment or mild Alzheimer's Disease. Such effects have not been established. With an ageing population being increasingly exposed to healthcare procedures requiring anaesthesia or sedation, any negative impact needs to be identified so that therapeutic decisions may be informed and future research appropriately targeted.
Enhancing The Treatment Of Anxiety: The Role Of Mental Imagery
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$246,491.00
Summary
This proposal will conduct the first pre-clinical study augmenting the effectiveness of cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT) in the treatment of anxiety disorders using mental imagery. There is an urgent need to develop means to increase the success rate of CBT. This study will utilise recent developments in cognitive neuroscience to show that mental imagery plays an important role in the mechanisms of CBT.
The Healthy Brain Project: A Prospective Cohort Study To Examine How Later-life University Education May Affect The Trajectory Of Ageing-related Cognitive Decline
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$1,085,742.00
Summary
Previous research has indicated that higher levels of education in early adulthood are associated with lower risk for dementia in older adults. This world-first project will examine if older adults who undertake university education have reduced rates of age-related cognitive decline than older adults who do not undertake further education. This would support the notion that boosting cognitive reserve in later life is protective against age- and disease-related neurodegenerative change.
Controlling Intrusive Images In Psychopathologies: Disarming Symptoms And Enhancing Treatment
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$285,085.00
Summary
This proposal will conduct the first pre-clinical study disarming symptoms and enhancing treatment of many psychopathologies by controlling the strength of mental imagery. This study represents the first attempt to alleviate symptoms by developing a cognitive-neuroscience vaccine to control the strength of traumatic imagery and to show a causative means of enhancing imagery strength to boost the success rate of cognitive therapy involving imagery.