A Study Of The Role Of Voltage-gated Potassium Channels In The Process Of Phototransduction, In The Setting Of Photoreceptor Sensitivity Levels And Response Times, And In The Progression Of A Distinctive Form Of Inherited Retinal Dystrophy
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$360,371.00
Summary
Inherited retinal disease is a major cause of blindness but the genetic basis is extremely heterogeneous. One such disorder, cone dystrophy with supernormal rod ERG, arises from mutations in KCNV2 that encodes a potassium voltage-gated channel protein. The objective of the project is to use animal models of the disease to determine the role of this channel protein in normal visual function and to assess the impact of loss of function on retinal development and function.
Studies Of The Effects Of Asymmetric Hearing Loss On The Brain
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$920,076.00
Summary
Hearing loss impairs the normal development and maintenance of auditory pathways. Irreversible pathologies persist when hearing is not restored in a timely manner. While cochlear implantation is the accepted treatment for profound sensorineural hearing loss, there is significant variability in outcomes. Some of this variability is linked to the degree of hearing asymmetry. Thus, we propose to study brain changes in the auditory system that accompany asymmetric hearing impairment.
Intrinsic Hearing Protection Mechanisms: A Pathway To Prevention Of Noise-induced Hearing Loss
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$625,900.00
Summary
Noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) is a significant contributor to the total burden of disease. We recently determined that when the ear is exposed to sustained noise, the cochlea is protected from damage by activation of a specific (P2X2) receptor, evident as reversible hearing adaptation. This study will determine the downstream signalling from this receptor. This will support assessment of vulnerability to NIHL and contribute to development of hearing therapeutics.
Gene Therapy For Preventing Progressive Sensorineural Hearing Loss And Restoring Hearing
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$549,848.00
Summary
This proposal aims to study the clinical feasibility and safety of gene therapy in the guinea pig cochlea for preventing progressive hearing loss and restoring hearing. Two cell survival genes (GDNF and BDNF) will be studied for preserving sensory (hair) cells and hearing nerves, while a gene called Atoh1 will be investigated for its ability to regenerate new hair cells and restore hearing after the onset of progressive hearing loss.
The Functional Organisation And Signals Of Motion Sensitive Neurons In The Middle-temporal Area Of Visual Cortex
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$405,337.00
Summary
Some nerve cells in the cerebral cortex are very sensitive to visual motion. These neurons direct eye movements and provide motion perception, but the "neuronal code" they carry is poorly understood. We will address this basic question in experimental studies of the primate visual system. This project will help us understand visual performance; poor motion vision is an early indicator of many neurological disorders and this knowledge can help develop methods for their detection and diagnosis.
Context Is Everything – Understanding How Spatial, Temporal And Behavioural Context Affect Sensory Processing
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$512,382.00
Summary
A possum in a tree is cute to see on a bushwalk, but scary to hear when we are trying to sleep. This illustrates that how we perceive a “target” is affected by “modulators” that are close in space or time to the target, or by the task at hand. Deficits in contextual modulation are apparent in many neurological conditions. This project will investigate the neural circuitry that mediates spatial, temporal and task-related contextual modulation.
Neural Computations For Predictive Coding In Visual Cortex
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$479,832.00
Summary
The project aims to use the principle of "predictive coding" - a theory that promises to be a unified theory of the brain - to understand how the visual cortex makes predictions about future events, at cellular level. This basic knowledge will not only shed light on how the cerebral cortex functions at the cellular level, but may also clarify the neuronal basis of mental conditions such as schizophrenia and autism.
Cortical Excitation In Migraine: Using Vision To Understand And Track Brain Excitability
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$521,628.00
Summary
Migraine is a common neurological condition affecting approximately 15% of adults. Therapies are most effective if used early, yet many people are unable to predict their migraines or to recognize early signs. In addition to headache, key symptoms include abnormal visual and auditory experience. We propose that aspects of vision and hearing will vary systematically according to the current brain status. Our translational goal is to develop tests that allow individuals to better manage migraine.
Eye Movements And The Neural Representation Of Visual Space
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$459,061.00
Summary
This project will investigate the brain mechanisms that underlie our ability to perceive the locations of objects using vision. This fundamental ability supports a range of important functions including visually-guided reaching, navigation during walking, and spatial awareness, but remains poorly understood. Using physiological, behavioural, and analytical methods, this project will fill a key knowledge gap in visual neuroscience and form a basis for a range of clinical and biomedical advances.
Interaction Of Thalamic And Cortical Activity In The Primate Visual System
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$487,580.00
Summary
We recently discovered that a primitive part of the visual pathway shows rhythmic nerve cell activity similar to slow brain waves recorded in sleep, anaesthesia, and epilepsy. We now plan to discover whether these primitive cells help to generate brain waves by measuring the timing of their activity together with brain waves in different visual and non-visual parts of the brain. This project will contribute to understanding the role of brain waves in normal brain function and epilepsy.