Cortical Spreading Depressions: Effects On Intracellular Ca2+ Concentration And Mechanisms Of Propagation
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$185,604.00
Summary
Human neuropathologies such as migraine, stroke, focal epilepsy and head injury all appear to involve an event called cortical spreading depression (CSD). This is characterised by a transient loss of excitability of cells that slowly spreads from a site of initiation out across the cortical surface. In normal brain tissue CSDs do not kill cells but in tissue with less than optimal energy supply CSDs do kill cells. This project is designed to understand the mechanisms contributing to CSD-induced ....Human neuropathologies such as migraine, stroke, focal epilepsy and head injury all appear to involve an event called cortical spreading depression (CSD). This is characterised by a transient loss of excitability of cells that slowly spreads from a site of initiation out across the cortical surface. In normal brain tissue CSDs do not kill cells but in tissue with less than optimal energy supply CSDs do kill cells. This project is designed to understand the mechanisms contributing to CSD-induced cell death. It is widely accepted that a high intracellular concentration of calcium ions is lethal to a cell. Thus, the proposed experiments are expected to show that a single episode of CSD in normal brain tissue induces only small changes in the intracellular calcium ion concentration but if repeated episodes of CSD occur, and if they take place in tissue with a compromised energy supply, then the calcium concentration rises to detrimental levels. Little is known about the mechanisms which underlie the propagation of CSD and therefore experiments will also be undertaken to investigate whether release of a messenger into the extracellular space is important or if there is a role for release of calcium from intracellular stores.Read moreRead less
Prof Fitzgerald a psychiatrist investigating the use of a range of non-drug biological treatments for patients with severe and treatment resistant mood (and related) disorders.
Postpartum Depression: Action Towards Causes And Treatment
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$570,699.00
Summary
We will recruit women into a large international study to identify genetic variants that increase risk of perinatal depression using a mobile app. Women who screen positive will be asked to provide a spit sample for DNA.
Trajectories Between Childhood Internalising Behaviour Problems And Adolescent Depressive Symptoms
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$55,000.00
Summary
Depressive symptoms are known to escalate sharply through the adolescent years. Adolescents who experience an episode of depression are very likely to experience further mental illness as adults. Efforts to prevent depressive illness may be advanced by research delineating the factors and processes implicated in the early emergence of depressive symptoms. To advance such an understanding this project will analyse data collected, in part, through NHMRC support to Australian Temperament Project (A ....Depressive symptoms are known to escalate sharply through the adolescent years. Adolescents who experience an episode of depression are very likely to experience further mental illness as adults. Efforts to prevent depressive illness may be advanced by research delineating the factors and processes implicated in the early emergence of depressive symptoms. To advance such an understanding this project will analyse data collected, in part, through NHMRC support to Australian Temperament Project (ATP) researchers. The ATP data will be used to examine factors associated with the development and progression of depressive symptoms from childhood to adolescence. The ATP data set includes detailed longitudinal data collected from multiple sources (parents, teachers and youth) concerning child and adolescent temperament, behavioural problems, mother-child relations, health, depressive symptoms, school achievement, school adjustment, social skills, peer relationships, parenting practices, stressful life events, and sociodemographic factors. Of an original sample of 2443 enrolled in the cohort in 1983 (aged 4-8 months) a subsample of 1,350 adolescents should complete the data collection due in 2000 (age 17-18). Through the analysis of ATP data proposed in this application, models will be developed to explain the risk and resiliency processes in childhood and early adolescence influencing the development and course of adolescent depression, for different subgroups of adolescents. To achieve this objective, analyses will: 1. identify groups who have differing trajectories from childhood internalising behaviour problems to adolescent depressive symptoms; 2. compare groups to identify factors that contribute to the progression from internalising behaviour problems to depressive symptoms, while also identifying factors which appear to impede such progression and; 3. compare groups to identify factors associated with transient versus persistent depressive symptoms in adolescence.Read moreRead less
I am a mental health researcher who designs and tests the effectiveness of methods to encourage help seeking, to intervene early and prevent the development of psychiatric disorders, and who develops technological tools to assist consumers to manage their