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Identifying The Relationships Between Pathophysiology, Heterogeneity And Clinical Wellbeing In Parkinson’s Disease
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$452,051.00
Summary
This research will investigate the key predictors of dementia, poor quality of life, falls, carer burden, need for institutionalisation and health care utilisation in PD. The research will incorporate sophisticated brain scanning techniques as well as diverse and novel technologies that measure brain functioning. The outcomes of this research will inform clinical practice, health care reform and the development of targeted therapies.
Progressive Aphasia And Amyloid Deposition: A Multidisciplinary Approach To Improving Dementia Diagnosis
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$528,245.00
Summary
We aim to understand the role of amyloid deposition in the genesis of symptoms in Alzheimer's disease. Patients presenting with progressive deterioration of language (aphasia) some of whom are known to have Alzheimer's disease will be studied using brain imaging techniques, including a PET method (PiB) that labels amyloid in vivo, and to compare imaging changes with a range of language assessments. This will improve the early diagnosis and management of patients with progressive aphasia.
Non-Alzheimer’s Disease Degenerative Dementias: Identifying Prodromal Genetic/familial Phenotypes, Modifying Factors, And Protein Variations Involved In Progression
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$6,449,246.00
Summary
This proposal will generate new knowledge necessary for advancing the diagnosis of the non-Alzheimer’s disease dementias. We will identify the preclinical forms of frontotemporal dementia and Lewy body dementia using similar methods to those successfully employed to advance diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease. Importantly, our team has the capacity to translate these protocols into clinical practice and into further advances in biological knowledge that is necessary for future therapeutic targeting
The Tasmanian Healthy Brain Project: A Longitudinal Intervention Study To Reduce The Risk Of Ageing-related Cognitive Decline And Dementia
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$878,792.00
Summary
It has been proposed that engagement in purposeful complex mental stimulation provides protection against dementia. The Tasmanian Healthy Brain Project (THBP) is a unique, large-scale prospective trial that examines whether university-level study in older adult population reduces ageing-related cognitive decline and risk of dementia. This project will also examine how an individual’s genetic profile may influence the potential benefits of complex mental stimulation as well as risk of dementia.
Gene-environment Interactions Modulating Cognition And Dementia In Huntington’s Disease
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$394,425.00
Summary
We are investigating mechanisms whereby cognitive symptoms, culminating in dementia, occur in a fatal brain disease, Huntington’s. We will explore how the ‘genetic stutter’ affects the brain at the level of molecules and cells, which will help identify targets for future treatment. We will also establish how environmental factors, including cognitive stimulation, physical activity and stress, modulate dementia. This will inform the development of treatments for this currently incurable disease.
Mutations In Ubiquitin Proteasome Pathway Genes As A Cause Of Frontotemporal Dementia And Motor Neuron Disease
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$639,860.00
Summary
This project aims to identify genes that are mutated in families affected with dementia and motor neuron disease, and to determine whether the same genes are responsible for disease in large collections of patients with similar disorders. Identifying these genes will reveal what biological processes can lead to brain and nerve cell degeneration, providing knowledge important for development of new treatments for the many people worldwide affected with these disorders.
Discovery Of Novel Neurodegeneration Genes Via Next-generation Sequencing Technologies And High-throughput Cellular Assays
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$715,144.00
Summary
My research program aims to discover genes that are mutated in dementia, by identifying gene variants present in patients and absent in healthy people, and examining how these variants affect the function of cells. Identifying new dementia genes will reveal the biological processes that lead to brain cell death. Knowledge of these processes is crucial for the development of new treatments for the many people affected worldwide with dementia.
Nerve cells communicate with each other through nerve processes or neurites. The dysfunction of neurites results in the clinical symptoms of dementia such as cognitive decline. Currently we cannot directly monitor degeneration of neurites in the living brain and therefore it is difficult to determine whether therapeutic agents are protective. My goal is to develop a detection system in the blood that will allow us to monitor these changes during disease progression and therapeutic intervention.
To reduce Australia's future dementia burden, it is imperative to develop methods to identify those Australians at the very early stage of dementia. To achieve this goal, we are establishing multidisciplinary research projects to track disease progression from the very early stage. These projects use cutting-edge neuroscience technologies to examine how the mind and brain change in dementia. My goal is to discover novel methods for early detection, and develop early intervention strategies.