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A Randomised Controlled Trial Of A High Intensity Intervention To Reduce Smoking Among Pregnant Indigenous Women
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$695,250.00
Summary
The rates of smoking in pregnancy for Indigenous women and passive smoke exposure in Indigenous households are unacceptably high, with 65% smoking during pregnancy. In contrast only about 20% of other Australian women are reported to smoke during pregnancy. However there have been no Australian trials to assess the extent to which Indigenous women can be assisted to quit smoking during pregnancy. This is a clinical trial conducted in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Community Controlled Hea ....The rates of smoking in pregnancy for Indigenous women and passive smoke exposure in Indigenous households are unacceptably high, with 65% smoking during pregnancy. In contrast only about 20% of other Australian women are reported to smoke during pregnancy. However there have been no Australian trials to assess the extent to which Indigenous women can be assisted to quit smoking during pregnancy. This is a clinical trial conducted in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Community Controlled Health Services located in Townsville and Cairns. The trial is designed to show whether an intensive program of smoking cessation advice provided to women and their major family supports can reduce smoking ratesamong Indigenous women in pregnancy. General practitioners, Aboriginal health workers and nurses working in these health services will conduct the study and be trained in how to deliver the support required to assist women quit smoking.Read moreRead less
Neuroactive Steroids In The Fetal Brain: Role In The Regulation Of Behaviour And Protection Against Hypoxia
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$65,685.00
Summary
The major breakdown products of the steroid hormone, progesterone, form a group of hormones termed neuroactive steroids. These steroids have major effects on the activity of the brain and influence behaviour in adult subjects. Changes in the production of steroids by the steroid producing glands influences neurosteroid levels in the adult brain. This in tern may cause behavioural and mood changes in adults, leading to conditions such as premenstrual stress and postnatal depression. In fetal life ....The major breakdown products of the steroid hormone, progesterone, form a group of hormones termed neuroactive steroids. These steroids have major effects on the activity of the brain and influence behaviour in adult subjects. Changes in the production of steroids by the steroid producing glands influences neurosteroid levels in the adult brain. This in tern may cause behavioural and mood changes in adults, leading to conditions such as premenstrual stress and postnatal depression. In fetal life, the placenta releases large amounts of these neuroactive steroids and high concentrations of these steroid are found in the fetal circulation. We have shown that these steroids suppress the activity of the fetal brain, suppress arousal and maintain the fetus in a sleep-like state during pregnancy. In this proposal we investigate the hypothesis that cells in the fetal brain modify the neuroactive steroid environment within the brain so as to suppress fetal brain activity further during times of stress and, therefore, protect the brain from damage caused by excessive excitation. These mechanisms may prevent brain injury due to placental insufficiency during pregnancy and asphyxia during birth. The augmentation of these natural processes may form the bases for treatment strategies to provide additional protection for the fetal brain in high-risk pregnancies.Read moreRead less
Yr 4 & 5 Of A Randomised Controlled Trial Of An Intensive Intervention To Reduce Smoking Among Pregnant Indigenous Women
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$324,665.00
Summary
Rates of smoking in pregnancy are significantly higher among Indigenous women than other Australian women (65% vs 20%). This application is to continue the first ever trial of an intensive program of smoking cessation advice provided to women and their major family supports designed to reduce smoking rates among Indigenous women in pregnancy. This project has already been running sucessfully for two years, however, further funds are required to complete years four and five of the project.
Essential Protective Role Of Neuroactive Steroids In The Fetal And Neonatal Brain.
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$422,036.00
Summary
Brain injury may occur during complicated pregnancies and at birth, as well as in neonates following preterm labour, and is a major problem in neonatal medicine. The consequent nerve cell death leads to ongoing neurological impairment which represents a major cost to the individual and to the community. Neuroactive steroids are hormones related to the steroid hormone progesterone that have been shown to have a major influence on nerve cell activity and nervous transmission. While these hormones ....Brain injury may occur during complicated pregnancies and at birth, as well as in neonates following preterm labour, and is a major problem in neonatal medicine. The consequent nerve cell death leads to ongoing neurological impairment which represents a major cost to the individual and to the community. Neuroactive steroids are hormones related to the steroid hormone progesterone that have been shown to have a major influence on nerve cell activity and nervous transmission. While these hormones influence mood and behaviour in adult subjects, they have an even more important role in the fetus which is exposed to high levels of steroids from the placenta. The fetus is very sensitive to these neuroactive steroids and we have shown that they suppress the activity of the fetal brain so as to maintain the fetus in a sleep-like state during pregnancy. Periods of low oxygen supply (hypoxia) to the fetus may occur during pregnancy, as well as result from asphyxia at birth, and may lead to excessive excitation of nerve cells resulting in nerve cell death. Steroid-induced suppression reduces excitation of nerve cells and results in the fetus being resistant to excessive excitation. In this proposal we investigate the hypothesis that cells in the fetal brain modify the neuroactive steroid environment within the brain so as to suppress fetal brain activity further during times of hypoxic stress and, therefore, further protect the brain from damage caused by excessive excitation. These mechanisms may prevent brain injury due to placental insufficiency during pregnancy, asphyxia during birth and in premature babies. We will investigate whether the supplementation of these processes by administering neuroactive steroids may provide additional nerve protection during high-risk periods during pregnancy. These studies may identify a new as yet unexploited group of natural compounds which may improve infant health without adverse actions on the mother or baby.Read moreRead less
Respiratory-control Deficits In A Model Of Sleep Apnoea During Early Development: Mechanisms And Associations
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$206,717.00
Summary
A recent study showed that it is possible to induce changes in the respiratory control system of piglets after birth. This new study will examine the mechanism of that change, and develop diagnostic tools that can detect whether similar changes have occurred in babies. The results will help to diagnose the complications of respiratory problems in young babies, and will guide research regarding the potential site of the abnormalities that predispose to SIDS. Piglets have very similar development ....A recent study showed that it is possible to induce changes in the respiratory control system of piglets after birth. This new study will examine the mechanism of that change, and develop diagnostic tools that can detect whether similar changes have occurred in babies. The results will help to diagnose the complications of respiratory problems in young babies, and will guide research regarding the potential site of the abnormalities that predispose to SIDS. Piglets have very similar development of the brain and respiratory system to human infants during early development after birth. This study uses piglets to model exposure to factors that occur during infancy, and thus model some of the common respiratory diseases, including risk factors for the sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). For example, infants may have upper-airway obstruction during sleep, or may get their face trapped in bed clothes so that they breath a mixture of lower oxygen and higher carbon-dioxide than that found in fresh air. We recently found that, during early development of piglets, repeated exposure to these types of gas mixes depressed respiratory responses tested later. Thus, respiratory responses become less vigorous over time, and this finding could explain how the exposures complicate infants' respiratory problems, or increase their risk for SIDS: Less vigorous responses mean the infant does not wake or move, the exposure becomes more severe, and may finally cause death. This study will examine piglets after such repeated exposure to: 1. find out whether heart-rate variability is reduced, in the same way as babies who later died from SIDS 2. develop a new diagnostic tool, to show the site where the abnormality is located 3. determine whether brain chemical alterations could explain the change in breathing 3. find out if exposure to cigarette smoke, known to increase respiratory problems in babies, causes even more severe disturbance of respiratory control in piglets.Read moreRead less