Blood Protein Biomarkers For Frontotemporal Lobar Degeneration
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$184,305.00
Summary
This project will assess blood proteins as biomarkers for different pathogenic forms of frontotemporal dementia (FTD), one of the major neurodegenerative dementias with a very rapid disease progression (mean survival 3 years). At present, it is not possible to predict which pathological variant is present in any given patient. We plan to develop blood protein biomarker assays capable of diagnosing the pathology in vivo.
Adolescent Assessment Of The Perth Infant Respiratory Cohort
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$412,327.00
Summary
In spite of extensive research over several years, we still don t know why some people get asthma while others do not or at what age the disease begins. We also don t know why in some people, asthma resolves during the teenage years while in other people the disease persists through adolescence. The Perth respiratory cohort has been studied on repeated occasions (at recruitment prior to birth, 1, 6 and 12 months, 6 and 11 years of age) and is unique in having measured airway responsiveness (AR) ....In spite of extensive research over several years, we still don t know why some people get asthma while others do not or at what age the disease begins. We also don t know why in some people, asthma resolves during the teenage years while in other people the disease persists through adolescence. The Perth respiratory cohort has been studied on repeated occasions (at recruitment prior to birth, 1, 6 and 12 months, 6 and 11 years of age) and is unique in having measured airway responsiveness (AR) soon after birth and at each subsequent assessment. Our previous data have established the importance of an individual s airway status in infancy in determining respiratory health in mid-childhood. Since the last assessment at 11 years, most children in this cohort will have passed through puberty. Lung growth will have been maximal, but there will be differences in the rate of growth between boys and girls. Body size will also have increased during this period and the body mass index may start to exert a major influence on measured respiratory function and the development or persistence of asthma. The aim of this research (assessing the Perth respiratory cohort at 16 years of age) is to look at the effect of gender, puberty and obesity on the previously identified early life risk factors to see how they determine respiratory health in 16 year olds. We expect that airway status in early life will continue to predict respiratory health at 16 years of age and that respiratory health will be modified by gender, puberty and the development of obesity. In addition we expect that genetic variations will show age-specificity in their associations with disease outcomes ie. particular variations will be associated with disease at different ages. This study will answer fundamental questions on airway function and physiology through childhood and adolescence.Read moreRead less
Mediterranean Diet And Mortality: Analysis Of Longitudinal Dietary Patterns Using Newly Developed Statistical Methods
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$340,547.00
Summary
Assessment of the effect of changes in diet of health has not undergone rigourous analytical assessment in the scientific literature. This proposal focusses on patterns of change over time in a Mediterranean diet in 41,000 persons in the Melbourne Collaborative Cohort Study. It will assess the benefits of adoption and maintenance of this diet over an extended period, as well as determining how the benefits of the diet depend on a person's age at its adoption, and how the benefits of the diet int ....Assessment of the effect of changes in diet of health has not undergone rigourous analytical assessment in the scientific literature. This proposal focusses on patterns of change over time in a Mediterranean diet in 41,000 persons in the Melbourne Collaborative Cohort Study. It will assess the benefits of adoption and maintenance of this diet over an extended period, as well as determining how the benefits of the diet depend on a person's age at its adoption, and how the benefits of the diet interplay with other potential lifestyle changes.Read moreRead less
Perinatal Outcomes Following Treatment For Cervical Dysplasia
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$98,600.00
Summary
A very high proportion of women in Australia have regular cervical screening ('pap' tests) for early detection of any early abnormal changes of the cervix. Women with abnormalities are referred for further investigation and some go on to have the areas with abnormalities treated either by surgical removal of small amounts of tissue or by other heat or laser treatments of affected areas. Many women having these treatments are of child-bearing age and may not have had children, or may seek to have ....A very high proportion of women in Australia have regular cervical screening ('pap' tests) for early detection of any early abnormal changes of the cervix. Women with abnormalities are referred for further investigation and some go on to have the areas with abnormalities treated either by surgical removal of small amounts of tissue or by other heat or laser treatments of affected areas. Many women having these treatments are of child-bearing age and may not have had children, or may seek to have more children after treatment. There are unanswered questions about the extent to which any or all of these treatments might, by changes to the cervix, lead to preterm birth in any subsequent pregnancy. In the proposed study, records relating to women referred from 1982 to 2000 for assessment and possible treatment of cervical abnormalities at a major hospital will be linked to Victorian birth records from 1983 to 2001. This will allow a comparison of preterm birth in the group of women referred with cervical abnormalities, with preterm births in the Victorian population, and comparing women who do and don't have treatment, taking into account other important factors such as the mother's age, and her previous pregnancies. The information will be of value to women themselves, to gynaecologists and to screening services.Read moreRead less
Blue Mountains Cohort Study: Long-term (15-year) Incidence Of Eye Disease, Hearing Loss And Other Public Health Outcomes
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$837,919.00
Summary
The Blue Mountains Eye Study 15-year study will re-examine survivors of the 3,654 persons who participated in baseline BMES exams, to determine the long-term development and progression of sensory problems, including vision and hearing loss and eye diseases like macular degeneration, glaucoma, cataract or diabetic eye damage. The project will assess whether vascular conditions like high blood pressure, chronic medical conditions, medications, smoking, diet, blood, family and genetic factors pred ....The Blue Mountains Eye Study 15-year study will re-examine survivors of the 3,654 persons who participated in baseline BMES exams, to determine the long-term development and progression of sensory problems, including vision and hearing loss and eye diseases like macular degeneration, glaucoma, cataract or diabetic eye damage. The project will assess whether vascular conditions like high blood pressure, chronic medical conditions, medications, smoking, diet, blood, family and genetic factors predict the risk or age at onset of eye disease or hearing loss. We will assess impacts of vision and hearing loss on independence, falls, quality of life and development of memory loss and depression. This information will help to develop services, and to plan interventions to prevent and treat these conditions. Because of the exponential age-related increase in frequency of these diseases, this long follow-up will provide more disease events, and a longer interval to assess impacts from the exposures we measured when we started the BMES in 2002. It will enable us to estimate the strength of risk factors for eye disease and hearing loss with greater precision, essential to understand their evolution. Surviving participants from the original BMES will be invited to attend follow-up exams at our Katoomba clinic, or to attend mobile- nursing home exams. We will conduct similar exams to those previously to detect new or worsened eye disease or hearing loss. In 2002-4, we saw 82% of the population of 2 Blue Mountains postcodes aged 50 or older. At the 5- and 10-year exams we saw 75% of people still living. We expect the same proportion to participate this time. The BMES is one of Australia's main cohort studies with over 200 publications. It has yielded key findings on the frequency and causes of the major diseases threatening vision and hearing. Longer follow-up will greatly increase our power to detect predictors of these key age-dependent conditions.Read moreRead less
Longitudinal Treatment Outcomes For Methamphetamine Dependence: A Treatment Cohort Study
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$720,500.00
Summary
Australia has a substantial and growing population of problematic stimulant users, namely dependent or injecting methamphetamine users, with methamphetamine injection accounting for one-third of all injecting drug use. Methamphetamine dependence has been associated with serious physical and mental health problems, including psychosis, depression, stroke and general poor health and wellbeing. Increasing numbers of people are presenting for treatment of methamphetamine dependence and many are expe ....Australia has a substantial and growing population of problematic stimulant users, namely dependent or injecting methamphetamine users, with methamphetamine injection accounting for one-third of all injecting drug use. Methamphetamine dependence has been associated with serious physical and mental health problems, including psychosis, depression, stroke and general poor health and wellbeing. Increasing numbers of people are presenting for treatment of methamphetamine dependence and many are experiencing other psychiatric problems like drug-induced psychosis and depression. Currently little is known about people who present for treatment of methamphetamine dependence, including how many have other serious mental health problems that need treatment in their own right. Nor is it known whether the treatment they receive for their methamphetamine use is effective in reducing their drug use or improving their mental health status. The current study will provide much needed information on people seeking treatment for methamphetamine dependence in Australia, including their psychiatric status, and whether the treatment they receive for methamphetamine dependence is effective in reducing their drug use and related health problems or improving their mental health status. These aims will be met by assessing drug use, psychiatric status, treatment experience as well as general health and well being among a cohort of people entering treatment for methamphetamine use in Sydney. Responses to treatment will be assessed at 3 months and 12 months following treatment entry and outcomes will be compared to a group of methamphetamine users not receiving treatment. This is the first study in Australia to assess the effectiveness of treatment that is provided to methamphetamine users in an everyday treatment setting. It is also the first study internationally to focus on treatment outcome for methamphetamine dependence in a community setting.Read moreRead less
A Prospective Study Of The Psychiatric & Medical Characteristics Of Post-infective Fatigue & Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$500,000.00
Summary
This project forms the central component of a larger set of studies which investigate competing psychiatric, immunological and infective models of the causes of a number of chronic fatigue syndromes, including post-infective fatigue. The study takes place in western NSW where certain viral illnesses (Glandular Fever, Ross River Virus) and a non-viral infection (QF) are common and have been associated with prolonged fatigue states. The study follows patients from laboratory-documented infections ....This project forms the central component of a larger set of studies which investigate competing psychiatric, immunological and infective models of the causes of a number of chronic fatigue syndromes, including post-infective fatigue. The study takes place in western NSW where certain viral illnesses (Glandular Fever, Ross River Virus) and a non-viral infection (QF) are common and have been associated with prolonged fatigue states. The study follows patients from laboratory-documented infections with appropriate infective, immunological and psychological measures throughout the course of their acute illness, the early recovery period and for the next 12 months. These patients are compared with people who present to their doctor with other forms of medically-unexplained fatigue. Very few previous studies have used an appropriate prospective design and followed patients with documented illness from the onset through to the development of specific forms of chronic fatigue. Further, the study is unique in terms of the range of viral and non-viral agents being investigated. It relies on the combined psychiatric, immunological and infective disease expertise of a group of researchers with an international reputation for the successful completion of such multidisciplinary projects. The initial phase of the study has demonstrated that the research team has the capacity to complete this project. Initial results have already demonstrated the potential roles of psychological and immunological factors in causing some cases of prolonged fatigue. Further, the initial results indicate that two key symptom sets (fatigue, psychological distress) can be adequately measured during the recovery phase and are predicted by differing psychological factors. The study will result in the identification of different psychiatric risk factors to chronic fatigue, assist development of clear diagnostic guidelines for post-infective fatigue and guide relevant aetiological and treatment research.Read moreRead less
A Longitudinal Study Of Bacterial Vaginosis And Mycoplasma Genitalium In Young Australian Women.
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$102,270.00
Summary
The aim of this research project is to measure how many Australian women are infected with either bacterial vaginosis or Mycoplasma genitalium. These infections can be associated with significant reproductive complications for women. Very little is know about how common these infections are or how often they can occur. This study will follow 1400 women over 12 months, asking them to provide vaginal swabs through the post for testing for these infections.
Prospective Study Of The Influence Of Social Networks & School Environments On Emotional Well-being Of Young Adults
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$202,200.00
Summary
It has become clearer in recent years that the role of the social environment may be as important as individual or interpersonal factors in understanding the risk and protective factors associated with disease prevention. Adolescence is the time when many preventable causes of premature morbidity and mortality arise. It is likely that the social environments encountered during early adolescence will have an impact on the development of emotional and physical well being in early adulthood. This s ....It has become clearer in recent years that the role of the social environment may be as important as individual or interpersonal factors in understanding the risk and protective factors associated with disease prevention. Adolescence is the time when many preventable causes of premature morbidity and mortality arise. It is likely that the social environments encountered during early adolescence will have an impact on the development of emotional and physical well being in early adulthood. This study will prospectively research the impact of school environment and quality of social networks in early adolescence on the emotional well being and health risk behaviours of young adults through the continued surveillance of a cohort of 2,782 students participating in the Gatehouse Project. This cohort has been surveyed four times; twice in Year 8 1997; once in Year 9 1998 and Year 10 1999. In 2002 the cohort will be on average 18 years old and will be first year post-secondary school. The major aim of the study is to investigate the prospective relationships between school environment in early adolescence and the mental and behavioural outcomes for young people in young adulthood. The continued surveillance of this cohort will allow us to assess the long term effects of school environments and adequacy of social networks at early adolescence on the emotional well being and social connectedness of older adolescents. This will contribute to our understanding of risk and protective factors in school-social environments that impact the health and well being of young adults. It will also inform further preventive intervention work that needs to take place in schools and communities to improve health outcomes for young adults.Read moreRead less