Debilitating anxiety disorders, such as post-traumatic stress disorder or panic disorder, affect 14% of adult Australians and current therapy is often ineffective. The amygdala is a brain region that is key to learning fear responses but also in reducing our fear responses. This project will determine whether the brain’s own endogenous opioids can modify the activity of the amygdala in order to provide new leads for novel pharmacotherapies with enhanced efficacy.
Neural Control Of Behavioural State And Cognition - Role Of Nucleus Incertus And Relaxin-3
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$600,771.00
Summary
Dementia and mental illness are significant social and economic burdens worldwide and knowledge of underlying causes and more effective therapies are required. Our research is using preclinical models to characterize a little studied neural network in the control of arousal states, rhythmic brain activity, and learning and memory. Our findings could advance the development of improved treatments for cognitive deficits in degenerative, age-related and psychiatric disorders.
GPR88 As A Novel Target For Fronto-striatal Dysfunction In Schizophrenia
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$606,966.00
Summary
GPR88 is a protein that is specifically found in the striatum, one of the main brain regions involved in schizophrenia. Studies in mice have showed that GPR88 may have a role in learning and memory; our early studies show that GPR88 controls the activity of a population of cells in the striatum. This project will determine the mechanism by which GPR88 controls the function of the striatum and how this translates into regulating brain circuitry and learning and memory relevant to schizophrenia.
Relaxin-3/RXFP3 Signalling And Regulation Of Affective Behaviour _ Studies In Normal/transgenic Mice
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$578,268.00
Summary
Mental illness is a significant social and economic burden worldwide and knowledge of the underlying causes and more effective therapies are required. Our research aims to use pre-clinical animal models to characterize a little studied brain neuronal network implicated in control of arousal and stress, which could lead to improved treatment of psychiatric disorders such as depression.
Neurobiology Of Relaxin-3/RXFP3 Systems: Anatomical And Functional Studies In Transgenic Mice
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$94,242.00
Summary
Mental illness is an economic and health burden worldwide, with huge costs in medical spending, lost productivity, poor quality of life for sufferers and mortality. Relaxin-3 is a peptide that acts widely within neural circuits to modulate brain activity that is altered in conditions such as anxiety and mood/sleep disorders. Our research assessing the effect of genetic removal of relaxin-3 signaling on behaviour will add to our knowledge of brain function and improve mental health outcomes.
Investigation Of Neuregulin Precessing By Beta-site APP Cleaving Enzyme And Gamma Secretase In Schizophrenia
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$46,715.00
Summary
Schizophrenia (SCZ) is a complex psychiatric disorder that appears in male and female around adulthood. To date there is no clear pathological symptoms to identify SCZ individuals and place them in a specific group. Some proteins are genetically associated with this disease. I will investigate how some of these proteins disturb the function of the brain in human. My recent published data shows decrease of one of the proteins in the brain of SCZ group. My project may help develop novel and more s ....Schizophrenia (SCZ) is a complex psychiatric disorder that appears in male and female around adulthood. To date there is no clear pathological symptoms to identify SCZ individuals and place them in a specific group. Some proteins are genetically associated with this disease. I will investigate how some of these proteins disturb the function of the brain in human. My recent published data shows decrease of one of the proteins in the brain of SCZ group. My project may help develop novel and more selective therapies with less side-effects.Read moreRead less
The Role Of A Presenilin 2 Truncation (PS2V) In Alzheimer's Disease
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$552,741.00
Summary
The Presenilin and APP proteins are centrally important in inherited, early onset Alzheimer's disease. We have discovered that a shortened form of Presenilin protein, "PS2V", appears to increase specifically the rate at which the APP protein is cleaved to produce the "Amyloid beta" protein fragment that is found in Alzheimer's disease brains. This occurs when brain cells are under oxidative stress. Understanding this process will facilitate development of appropriate therapeutic strategies for t ....The Presenilin and APP proteins are centrally important in inherited, early onset Alzheimer's disease. We have discovered that a shortened form of Presenilin protein, "PS2V", appears to increase specifically the rate at which the APP protein is cleaved to produce the "Amyloid beta" protein fragment that is found in Alzheimer's disease brains. This occurs when brain cells are under oxidative stress. Understanding this process will facilitate development of appropriate therapeutic strategies for the disease.Read moreRead less
Delineating The Mechanism Of Amyloid Beta Toxicity
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$565,242.00
Summary
Alzheimer’s disease and beta amyloid toxicity: Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the most common form of dementia and is characterized by progressive memory loss, confusion, and cognitive deficits. In 2011, an estimated 269,000 Australians are currently living with dementia and without a significant medical breakthrough soon, it is anticipated that this will rise to about 981,000 by 2050
Exploring Scanning Ultrasound (SUS), A Novel Method To Treat And Prevent Neurodegenerative Disease
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$765,708.00
Summary
We developed a novel scanning ultrasound (SUS) protocol that clears toxic protein aggregates and restores memory function in mouse models of Alzheimer's disease (AD), without the need for therapeutic agents. Here we aim to determine whether SUS has preventative potential, whether there are synergistic effects, and whether a therapeutic antibody combined with SUS leads to an enhanced therapeutic outcome. Together this will guide the development of an ultrasound therapy in AD patients.