Researchers say drinking, smoking and the light from your phone at night can be keeping you awake when you’re trying to sleep. Other bad sleep habits that can affect your sleep include exposure to loud music and eating rich foods within two hours of your bedtime. It might seem obvious but pets in the bed and a lack of exercise […]
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Researchers from Neuroscience Research Australia (NeuRA) and UNSW Sydney have released a new study in PLOS One on the proprioceptive measurements of perceived hand position using pointing and verbal localisation tasks. The study has the potential to assist researchers in understanding brain-to-hand communication in Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis (MS) and people who have had strokes. Previous studies revealed that healthy individuals consistently misjudge the size […]
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More than 80,000 people are living with Parkinson’s disease in Australia, and of these, approximately two thirds will fall each year. Ensuing injuries, hospitalisations, fear of falling and caregiver burden are devastating, widespread and costly. As the prevalence of Parkinson’s disease will double between 2010 and 2040, the associated human and economic burden will also grow. Innovative therapies to improve […]
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Sleep disruption is a very common feature and directly contributes to poor quality of life in people with Parkinson’s disease. Sleep disorders have been reported to occur in as many as 97 per cent of people with Parkinson’s disease. In addition to REM behaviour disorder, sleep disordered breathing, including obstructive sleep apnoea, is present in 40-60 per cent of people […]
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In Australia, there are 350 cases of traumatic spinal cord injury each year. More than half of these injuries will be to the cervical area of the spine (neck), leading to a condition called quadriplegia. While quadriplegia is commonly associated with paralysis of all four limbs, paralysis also affects the major respiratory muscles. This reduces cough strength, which can lead […]
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Researchers are calling for a review of global guidelines that recommend pain education for patients with low back pain, following a paper they published in JAMA Neurology that says intensive treatment does not help a patient’s recovery. “Most people recover from acute low back pain without medical intervention,” said Co-author Associate Professor James McAuley, from Neuroscience Research Australia (NeuRA). “Globally, […]
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NeuRA’s Dr Moyra Mortby presented at Uniting War Memorial Hospital’s free seminar on Healthy Brains this week. Dr Mortby shared her research into the neuropsychiatric symptoms of dementia. These are the challenging behaviours associated with dementia such as delusions, sleep disturbances, anxiety and agitation. “Neuropsychiatric symptoms are a diverse group of non-cognitive symptoms of dementia that are characterised by disturbed […]
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The relationship between art and mental health is well documented. As a means of expression, art can contribute to building awareness and literacy of mental health, and can help others understand the lived experience of mental illness. For the artist, it can play an important role in the recovery journey, promoting wellbeing and reducing the symptoms of depression and anxiety. […]
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The bionic revolution is transforming people’s lives through artificial body parts or prosthetics, such as a limb or implant. One of the biggest challenges in bionics is replicating the sense of touch. Neuroscientists at NeuRA and UNSW Sydney were featured on ABC TV’s Catalyst program as part of an episode exploring this work. Dr Ingvars Birznieks and Dr Richard Vickery […]
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Neuroscience Research Australia (NeuRA) has developed a series of simple exercises to help older Australian’s maintain their balance and avoid falls in the comfort of their own home. The campaign highlights the increased risk of falls during the colder months as people aged 65 and over tend to stay inside more. According to researchers at NeuRA, reduced activity during cold months can lead […]
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