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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Professor Caroline Rae is working on an early detection program for Parkinson’s disease to identify people most at risk. The program will also identify those in the early stages of the disease so that treatment can be introduced sooner. An interview with Professor Rae expands on this important new approach in Parkinson’s research. Why is are you taking a different approach […]
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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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What if everything you thought you knew about back pain was wrong. Pain is a complex experience and things aren’t always as they seem. Myth no. 1 – You know what caused your pain You may think you know what caused your low back pain, but despite all of the diagnostic tests available we still don’t know what causes pain. […]
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Up until a few decades ago, it was thought that the brain and the immune system existed as separate entities. Now, we know that nothing could be further from the truth. Dr Adam Walker has recently joined NeuRA as a Research Fellow and Head of the Laboratory of Immunopsychiatry. He is exploring the intricate relationship between the immune system and […]
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One in every 100 Australians lives with schizophrenia. No single cause of schizophrenia has been identified, and this has prevented the development of a cure. Current schizophrenia treatments are designed to suppress symptoms rather than target underlying causes of the disorder, only partially relieving these symptoms and can produce unwanted side effects. But now, in a breakthrough study from Professor […]
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Around 250,000 Australians are affected by bipolar disorder, a major mood disorder characterised by periods of mania and depression, which can be highly debilitating. People living with bipolar disorder can face a range of issues, including escalating impulsive risk-taking behaviour and reduced life expectancy, leading to increased suicide risk and higher rates of general health conditions such as cardiovascular disease. […]
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With over 300 researchers, clinicians and support staff, spread across 30 research groups, each led by a senior clinical or scientific investigator, NeuRA is tackling some of the biggest challenges to our health, our lives, and our quality of life. Today, we stand at the threshold of a number of significant advancements, which will shape our pathways of discovery in […]
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