Down syndrome (DS) individuals have 3 copies of chromosome 21. I am proposing to do my PhD to investigate the role of a gene existing on chromosome 21 called Intersectin 1. This gene, when over-expressed might be responsible for manifestation of intellectual impairment in Down syndrome. I will be examining the consequence of altered/over-expression of this gene in receptor trafficking, cell signalling and histology of the brain to identify the differences between affected individuals and the nor ....Down syndrome (DS) individuals have 3 copies of chromosome 21. I am proposing to do my PhD to investigate the role of a gene existing on chromosome 21 called Intersectin 1. This gene, when over-expressed might be responsible for manifestation of intellectual impairment in Down syndrome. I will be examining the consequence of altered/over-expression of this gene in receptor trafficking, cell signalling and histology of the brain to identify the differences between affected individuals and the normal population.Read moreRead less
Central Nervous Pathways For The Sympathetic Control Of Immune Function
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$300,741.00
Summary
The nervous system regulates immune system function by a special set of nerves that are part of the sympathetic nervous system. This project aims to work out which brain pathways control them.
The mammalian cerebral cortex is an area of the brain responsible for all higher order cognitive processes. I investigate how connections from between the two cerebral hemispheres during embryonic and foetal development, thus enabling the brain to coordinate information from the two sides of the body. Malformations of these connections cause mental retardation and sensory and motor deficits. I want to understand how these brain defects occur and how best to treat them.
Mapping And Restoring Brain Networks Underpinning Psychiatric Symptoms
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$645,205.00
Summary
My research investigates how networks of brain regions dynamically communicate to support human behavior. I am interested in how brain network activity deviates from the norm to give rise to psychiatric symptoms. Results from my work will facilitate targeted research and interventions aimed at treating symptoms of psychiatric disorders.
Development of normal brain function requires information transfer and integration from outside and within the brain. Normal brain wiring is guided by genetic and environmental cues, whose relative contributions remain controversial. This project investigates the physiological and behavioural consequences of abnormal brain wiring, and the potential for controlled environments and targeted interventions to overcome the deficits. Relevance includes neurotrauma as well as mental illnesses.
This study investigates how much an individual's genes and environment account for the wide variation in brain structure and function. Using brain imaging we examine in what way the connectivity of the brain of identical and non-identical twins is the same or different from that of their co-twin, and carry out analysis of their DNA to identify some of the genes involved. This will provide fundamental information on genetic mechanisms influencing variation in brain structure and function.
Prof Alan Connelly is an internationally recognised neuroimaging researcher specialising in MRI. His major areas of research are in the development of new methods to acquire and process MR images of both structural and functional aspects of the brain, and the application of these novel methods to clinical neuroscience problems. His work has had a major impact in the field of epilepsy, where techniques that he pioneered have been widely adopted in specialist epilepsy centres worldwide.
Betacellulin: Defining A Novel Sub-type In Schizophrenia
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$907,515.00
Summary
Schizophrenia is a severe lifelong mental disorder affecting 0.7% of the world population with only partially effective symptomatic treatments. Its cause is unknown and thus cures cannot be developed currently. A promising candidate is betacellulin a growth factor which is very reduced in the brain and blood of people with schizophrenia. Little is known about its role in the brain and this project seeks to identify its relevance to schizophrenia as a step to develop new treatments.
Development And Plasticity Of The Visual Cortex: An Anatomical And Functional Study
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$420,872.00
Summary
Much of the human brain is devoted to vision, which requires the integrated activity of many interconnected areas of the cerebral cortex. Damage to these areas is a relatively common complication of preterm delivery and- or perinatal conditions including trauma and infection. The aim of this project is to investigate the way in which the multiple visual areas of the brain develop and become 'wired' together, and determine how the brain can successfully compensate for damage to these areas.