The ability to monitor one's cognitive performance deteriorates with normal ageing, and is particularly affected in a range of clinical conditions of older age, such as Parkinson's Disease, where it is a predictor of a poor prognostic outcome. This project aims to clarify the effects of age on cognitive and neural processes underlying performance monitoring, as an important first step to improving interventions for age-related impairments, including those accompanying neurodegenerative diseases.
IRAP inhibitors are currently being developed as a new class of drugs for treating dementia and other forms of memory deficits. However, there are still gaps in our knowledge about how these drugs act to improve memory. The experiments outlined in this proposal will provide important insights into the drug action in different mouse models of memory deficit.
Examining The Contribution Of The Mirror Neuron System Toward Social Cognitive Impairment In Autism Spectrum Disorders
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$149,154.00
Summary
Despite a rapidly increasing prevalence, our neurobiological understanding of autism and Asperger's disorder remains limited. Using modern neuroscience techniques, this study investigates whether dysfunction within a specific brain cell, the mirror neuron, underlies social and language impairments in these disorders. This research provides exciting new directions for the understanding, diagnosis, and potential treatment of autism and Asperger's disorder.
Life Course Trajectories And Neuropsychiatric Outcomes In An E-cohort Of High Risk Children Of Mothers With Psychosis
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$796,484.00
Summary
This study investigates how genetic and environment factors operate over the life course to increase risk of adverse outcomes for children of women with severe mental illness. We examine the clustering of neuropsychiatric outcomes in families and individuals, the role of developmental adverse life events in the risk for these outcomes, and the children's physical morbidity and offending profiles. This is an electronic cohort (e-cohort), constructed by record linkage across many databases.
Experience-dependent Maturation And Plasticity Of The Cerebral Cortex Mediating Schizophrenia-like Endophenotypes
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$384,199.00
Summary
We will use genetic mouse models of schizophrenia to understand how specific abnormal behaviours are caused, focusing on cells and molecules within the brain. We will investigate how the gene mutations disrupts communication between, and production of, brain cells (neurons), and the role of mental and physical activity. The results of this project will not only have implications for understanding schizophrenia, but also for other brain disorders involving cognitive problems, such as dementia.
Molecular Genetics Of Dyslexia: A Component Processes Approach
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$348,960.00
Summary
With the advent of the human genome project, Australian researchers into serious childhood reading disorders are now in a position to make breakthroughs in understanding the complex linkages between genes and dyslexia. It is widely acknowledged that previous studies on the genetics of dyslexia have been limited by their failure to distinguish the different component processes in reading and the different patterns of dyslexia that they produce, and by being unable to look widely across the human ....With the advent of the human genome project, Australian researchers into serious childhood reading disorders are now in a position to make breakthroughs in understanding the complex linkages between genes and dyslexia. It is widely acknowledged that previous studies on the genetics of dyslexia have been limited by their failure to distinguish the different component processes in reading and the different patterns of dyslexia that they produce, and by being unable to look widely across the human genome. This new research addresses these two problems. Firstly, the researchers have developed a computational model of reading that identifies around a dozen basic mental processes which are recruited during skilled reading. This model provides the extremely precise phenotypes required for genetic research. Secondly, the researchers will take advantage of both very high density scans within known regions of interest on chromosomes 2,6, and 15, as well as a genome-wide scan of 400 markers small elements of DNA whose position within the genome is known, thus allowing researchers to narrow-down the location of new genes for reading. The research thus promises not only to refine our understanding of the basis for three previous genetic markers of dyslexia, but also to potentially uncover new genes related to specific elements of reading across the genome. The project pools the resources of the Macquarie Centre for Cognitive Science, the Australian Genome Research Facility, and The Garvan Institute and the researchers hope that the work will lead eventually to identifying the genes for dyslexia and to improved diagnosis and treatment of reading disorders in Australia.Read moreRead less
An Extended Follow-up Of Stroke Patients For Cognitive Impairment And Neuropsychiatric Disorders: Sydney Stroke Study
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$321,800.00
Summary
Vascular Dementia (VaD) is the second most common cause of dementia after Alzheimer's disease. In fact, it may be a preventable cause of dementia. Yet it has been relatively neglected by researchers until the last decade, which has seen an upsurge of interest in this disorder. There is no consensus on the criteria for dementia. The profile of early cognitive impairment due to vascular factors is still poorly understood, and the longitudinal course of VaD as defined by modern criteria has not bee ....Vascular Dementia (VaD) is the second most common cause of dementia after Alzheimer's disease. In fact, it may be a preventable cause of dementia. Yet it has been relatively neglected by researchers until the last decade, which has seen an upsurge of interest in this disorder. There is no consensus on the criteria for dementia. The profile of early cognitive impairment due to vascular factors is still poorly understood, and the longitudinal course of VaD as defined by modern criteria has not been studied. There have been few studies of the progressive changes in MRI in patients with cerebrovascular disease. The overlap of VaD and Alzheimer's disease (AD) remains a problem for taxonomists and clinicians. One approach to the study of VaD is to examine a high risk group of subjects longitudinally to determine the early features, the risk factors and progressive changes. With this in mind, we began studying a cohort of stroke patients who are at high risk of VaD, in 1997-1999, and are following them longitudinally. The follow-up is now in its third year, and three neuropsychological assessments and two MRI-MRS scans have been performed. We propose to extend the follow-up to 5 years, with repeat neuropsychiatric, neuropsychological and MRI-MRS investigations, and wherever possible to necropsy, to determine the nature of vascular pathology that underlies cognitive impairment. Our cohort of stroke patients is arguably the most comprehensively assessed such cohorts internationally, and presents an excellent opportunity for a long-term follow-up study.Read moreRead less
Substances that enhance the action of the inhibitory neurotransmitter GABA in the brain are amongst the most widely used drugs. They include many anaesthetics, anxiolytics and sedatives. Their enhancing action is mediated by increasing the effectiveness of GABA acting on GABA receptors, in particular the subtype of GABA receptors known as GABA-A receptors. This action, termed positive modulation, is poorly understood in molecular terms. Our discovery of second order modulators that only act in c ....Substances that enhance the action of the inhibitory neurotransmitter GABA in the brain are amongst the most widely used drugs. They include many anaesthetics, anxiolytics and sedatives. Their enhancing action is mediated by increasing the effectiveness of GABA acting on GABA receptors, in particular the subtype of GABA receptors known as GABA-A receptors. This action, termed positive modulation, is poorly understood in molecular terms. Our discovery of second order modulators that only act in conjunction with first order modulators adds an exciting new dimension to the concept of influencing the ways in which GABA receptors can be modulated. This offers a new approach to the development of therapeutic agents acting on GABA receptors and thus the treatement of important disorders such as anxiety, epilepsy and insomnia.Read moreRead less
Cognitive-behaviour Therapy For Tinnitus: Dismantling Study To Maximise Treatment Efficacy
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$230,220.00
Summary
Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) is a problem which affects a large number of people and for which there is no generally successful medical treatment. People are usually told that they will have to learn to live with the problem. Cognitive-behaviour therapy (CBT) has emerged as the principle means of helping people to cope with tinnitus. The proposed study aims to: (a) enhance the efficacy of CBT interventions for tinnitus, (b) identify the active components of CBT that mediate treatment gains, an ....Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) is a problem which affects a large number of people and for which there is no generally successful medical treatment. People are usually told that they will have to learn to live with the problem. Cognitive-behaviour therapy (CBT) has emerged as the principle means of helping people to cope with tinnitus. The proposed study aims to: (a) enhance the efficacy of CBT interventions for tinnitus, (b) identify the active components of CBT that mediate treatment gains, and (c) specify the mechanisms by which change occurs. The study is designed to dismantle the multi-component CBT tinnitus management protocol to investigate the relative efficacy of the individual components of treatment. The need to identify the types of psychological therapies which work best for potentially different kinds of tinnitus patients is important on both practical and theoretical grounds. Identifying and including only those components of treatment that are beneficial, and eliminating those that are not, is crucial to matching specific treatments to specific patients, which represents a major endeavour in contemporary psychotherapy research. Whether there are individual differences in response to the different components of the treatment or whether there is a single most potent component is of considerable theoretical interest. It is expected that subjects who receive the full treatment will display the largest immediate and long-term gains. Treatments which involve cognitive restructuring will produce better effects than those that do not. This project will contribute to enhanced functioning among tinnitus patients and increase the proportion of those who can benefit from empirically supported therapies.Read moreRead less
Enhancing Efficacy Of Cognitive Behavioural Treatment For Children With Anxiety Disorders: Treating Parent Anxiety.
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$377,961.00
Summary
Much attention is focused on childhood problems such as attention-deficit, depression and substance abuse. However, the most prevalent psychological problem experienced in childhood is anxiety. There is even some evidence to suggest that anxiety may lead to later problems such as depression or substance abuse. We know that anxiety disorders are a widespread problem in our youth. We also know that anxiety, if left untreated, will persist through the child's life and cause significant disruption t ....Much attention is focused on childhood problems such as attention-deficit, depression and substance abuse. However, the most prevalent psychological problem experienced in childhood is anxiety. There is even some evidence to suggest that anxiety may lead to later problems such as depression or substance abuse. We know that anxiety disorders are a widespread problem in our youth. We also know that anxiety, if left untreated, will persist through the child's life and cause significant disruption to their life. The good news is that there has been an increased interest in these disorders and as a result treatments that work have been developed. However, a recent review of the best psychological treatments for anxiety in children showed that on average studies are reporting remission rates of only 56.5%. Clearly we need to develop more effective treatments for anxious children. One possible approach to improve outcomes for children with anxiety is to provide additional treatment for the parents. We know that anxiety runs in families: anxious children are more likely than non-anxious children to have anxious parents. A number of theories have suggested that parental anxiety plays an important role in the development of anxiety in children: An anxious parent may model anxious behaviour, encourage avoidance of anxious situations and reinforce anxious behaviour in their child. The results of this study will determine whether it is possible to improve the efficacy of treatments for anxiety in children by addressing anxiety in their parents. If the data show no additional benefit of the modified treatment, therapists can be more efficient in their treatment of anxious children by ignoring the parent's own anxiety. However, if as expected the modified treatment proves to be more efficacious, then we will have identified an important strategy to increase the efficacy of intervention for this highly prevalent and debilitating childhood problem.Read moreRead less