Nicotine abuse is the single greatest preventable risk factor for physical illness and death in Australians. Our understanding of the neural and cognitive mechanisms that underlie the transition from use to dependence is yet to be understood. The current proposal investigates the neural mechanisms underlying cognitive control, critical to self-control over the impulse for drug rewards, in non-dependent and dependent nicotine users.
Cognitive And Psychosocial Functioning In Patients With Idiopathic Generalized Epilepsies
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$123,143.00
Summary
Children born extremely preterm are at risk of struggling at school and falling behind normal educational milestones, and having emotional problems such as anxiety. This study aims to see whether anxiety affects these children’s ability to learn and use new information. It will also determine whether an intervention targeting these thinking skills is less useful in children with higher levels of anxiety.
The Role Of The Orbitofrontal Cortex In Disorders Of Response Inhibition
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$515,488.00
Summary
We will investigate the role of the orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) in decision-making, particularly the effect of hyperactivity in the medial vs. ventrolateral orbitofrontal cortex on decision-making. Hyperactivity in these structures has been linked to obsessive compulsive disorder and, in line with the distinct functions of the different regions of OFC, we develop and test a novel hypothesis as to the psychological and neural bases of the obsessions and compulsions distinctive to that disorder.
The Effect Of A Course Of Oxytocin In Effecting Changes In Social And Executive Functioning In Adolescents With Autism Spectrum Disorders.
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$106,157.00
Summary
Oxytocin has been demonstrated as an effective treatment option for children and adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorders. The current study will look whether an eight week course of oxytocin can result in sustainable changes in social behaviour and attention in adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorders.
Executive Dysfunction And Brain Development In Very Preterm 13-year-olds - A Longitudinal MRI Study.
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$738,656.00
Summary
An area of concern for very preterm children is executive function (i.e. skills used for problem solving), which is related to educational problems, behavioural issues and social difficulties. In very preterm children this study will 1) determine if executive function problems remain stable, worsen, or improve with age; 2) look for markers for these problems from infant brain scans; and 3) examine how executive function difficulties are related to brain re-organisation.
Do People With Severe Traumatic Brain Injury Benefit From Making Errors? A Clinical Trial Of The Efficacy Of Error-based Learning And Errorless Learning Training
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$579,142.00
Summary
People with severe traumatic brain injury (TBI) have trouble recognising changes in their abilities and often fail to notice mistakes on daily tasks. Although people can learn strategies, these are rarely used as needed in daily life. This study will determine whether people with severe TBI become more self-aware and able to transfer what they learn when they are made aware of their errors, as compared to when other people prevent them from making errors. The findings will have major implication ....People with severe traumatic brain injury (TBI) have trouble recognising changes in their abilities and often fail to notice mistakes on daily tasks. Although people can learn strategies, these are rarely used as needed in daily life. This study will determine whether people with severe TBI become more self-aware and able to transfer what they learn when they are made aware of their errors, as compared to when other people prevent them from making errors. The findings will have major implications for rehabilitation of neurological disorders.Read moreRead less
The ability of humans to detect and be aware of errors in behaviour is a fundamental aspect of human cognition. As the saying goes: "To Err Is Human". This project seeks to understand how individual differences in our genetic makeup contribute to our ability to detect and be aware of errors in our behaviour. Understanding the biological systems underpinning error monitoring may assist in the treatment of many psychiatric disorders which are marked by poor awareness of behaviour.
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.