The Role Of BDNF In Central Nervous System Myelination
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$478,235.00
Summary
Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is the most common neurological cause of disability in young adult Australians. The cause of MS is unknown and therapies are limited to reducing inflammation, which does not address the major problem of the disease: loss of myelin. This project directly investigates how myelin is formed and will identify key mechanisms in this process, which may eventually be developed into treatments for diseases such as MS.
Release And Action Of Anterogradely Transported BDNF From Sensory Nerve Terminals In The Spinal Cord
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$204,674.00
Summary
Neurotrophic factors are powerful agents found in very low amounts throughout the nervous system. Their role is to keep nerves alive, to assist in connecting nerves together and to help maintain the health of nerves. Usually this is achieved by each factor being bound at the end of the long nerve processes and transported back to the nucleus to regulate the metabolism of the nerve. We have discovered one factor, the protein Brain Derived Neurotrophic Factor or BDNF, in one nerve type which is tr ....Neurotrophic factors are powerful agents found in very low amounts throughout the nervous system. Their role is to keep nerves alive, to assist in connecting nerves together and to help maintain the health of nerves. Usually this is achieved by each factor being bound at the end of the long nerve processes and transported back to the nucleus to regulate the metabolism of the nerve. We have discovered one factor, the protein Brain Derived Neurotrophic Factor or BDNF, in one nerve type which is transported in the opposite direction. The project outlined plans to demonstrate the function of this unique transport by showing how BDNF can be released from nerves to act on neighboring cells.Read moreRead less
Long Term Supplementation With Retinyl Palmitate (Vitamin A) And The Risk Of Bone Fractures: A Population Based Study.
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$167,707.00
Summary
Osteoporosis is a major health problem in Australia and other western industrialised countries where populations are increasingly ageing. In Australia, the number of hip fractures is expected to increase by 36% between 1996 and 2006, owing to the rise in elderly aged 85 years and over. This is in contrast to projections in Europe and North America, where the number of hip fractures are expected to double by 2026 and then stabilise. Clarification of the role of vitamin A in bone health is pertine ....Osteoporosis is a major health problem in Australia and other western industrialised countries where populations are increasingly ageing. In Australia, the number of hip fractures is expected to increase by 36% between 1996 and 2006, owing to the rise in elderly aged 85 years and over. This is in contrast to projections in Europe and North America, where the number of hip fractures are expected to double by 2026 and then stabilise. Clarification of the role of vitamin A in bone health is pertinent, given that the popularity of supplement use has increased markedly in western industrialised countries over the past two decades. Around 37% of the adult population in Australia is thought to take a supplement regularly and figures range from 28% to 54% of adults in the US, with women and adults aged over 49 years being more likely to use supplements. Furthermore, the fortification of food with minerals and vitamins is increasing. For all of these reasons, is it imperative that the role of vitamin A in inducing fractures be clarified. Results from this study will contribute to knowledge about the safety of retinol and beta carotene supplements in relation to bone health, which is especially relevant to people at risk of osteoporosis, and people who take vitamin A supplements. We will also be able to clarify the upper levels of dietary retinol, beta carotene and vitamin A intake beyond which fracture risk increases. Because of the age range of subjects in our study, our results should be applicable to the whole population, not only the elderly or post menopausal. The results of our study will be useful to agencies such as Food Standards Australia and New Zealand which regulates our food supply.Read moreRead less
Characterisation Of The Cellular Changes Induced By Ultraviolet A Radiation
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$448,500.00
Summary
Sunlight is an important environmental health hazard as it causes immunosuppression and cancer. It suppresses our ability to destroy developing cancers. Australia has the highest incidence of skin cancer in the world, 66% of Australians develop skin cancer during their lifetime. The relationship between UV dose, wavelength and cancer in humans is unknown. As this cannot be directly experimentally determined in humans, surrogate biological endpoints such as immunosuppression will help determine t ....Sunlight is an important environmental health hazard as it causes immunosuppression and cancer. It suppresses our ability to destroy developing cancers. Australia has the highest incidence of skin cancer in the world, 66% of Australians develop skin cancer during their lifetime. The relationship between UV dose, wavelength and cancer in humans is unknown. As this cannot be directly experimentally determined in humans, surrogate biological endpoints such as immunosuppression will help determine the damaging wavebands within sunlight. There has been little work on the effect of UVA on health or the mechanisms of action of UVA compared to UVB. A recent consensus UVA working group of 80 international participants convened by the American Academy of Dermatology out of concern about the lack of knowledge of UVA on human health concluded that the action spectrum for photocarcinogenesis and photoageing, particularly the efficacy of UVA in humans remains to be elucidated, and that more funding should be provided for radiation biology research to help elucidate UVA mechanisms of injury. Similarly a recent expert meeting (including Prof. Halliday) convened by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (WHO) on sunscreen protection from skin cancer recommended that studies should be conducted on the effects of exposure to UVA in causing both photoageing and skin cancer which followed from their major recommendation that it is important to understand the nature of the dose-response relationship on risk and the action spectrum for each effect . The studies described in this project will contribute to these recommendations.Read moreRead less