In Australia alone, 250,000 people are affected by bipolar disorder. Current treatments are highly variable for the severe and debilitating psychiatric condition and the specific genetic causes have remained largely obscure. Bipolar disorder is most commonly treated with lithium, but this is only effective for 30% of patients. Unlocking the genetic code of bipolar disorder and using pharmacogenomics studies to […]
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It is estimated that 1 in 5 Australians live with chronic pain, which is pain that persists longer than the expected healing time (usually 3 months or more). Chronic pain ranges in its severity and frequency and for many people it can be intense, enduring, and have a significant impact on daily function. Many factors, both physical and psychological, contribute […]
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PhD student and physiotherapist Edel O’Hagan is currently working on a study that investigates whether using a medication, normally used for sleep disturbances, can help people with acute back pain – that is, pain which has lasted less than three months. Back pain researchers at NeuRA know that there is a shared relationship between sleep and pain. Typically, the higher the pain intensity the worse a person sleeps. Conversely, after […]
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Chronic pain is a significant problem worldwide and locally, impacting one in three Australians. It results in enormous suffering and costs to the individual, as well as their loved ones and society in general. Despite the availability of pain medications and other pain therapies, there is still no ideal treatment which benefits the majority of sufferers, and most of the available therapies have significant side effects or risks of serious adverse events. […]
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Pain provides a warning of threat to body tissue. This protective mechanism is critical for survival as it motivates defensive actions to remove the source of the threat. Unfortunately for many people, pain can become ‘stuck’, persisting long past the time when it has served any useful purpose of warning of harm. These people have chronic pain, a disabling and highly distressing condition. Dr James McAuley’s research is focused on low […]
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By: Dr Claire Shepherd The Sydney Brain Bank at NeuRA aims to facilitate world class research and break throughs in ageing and neurodegenerative disorders. Globally it supplies tissue to 30-40 research projects a year, with many of these projects a collaborative effort between external research institutions. Lead by Dr Claire Shepherd, recently appointed to the position of Director of the Sydney Brain Bank, the team has developed a […]
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