ANZCTR search results

One in two people experience loss in their ability to feel everyday objects through touch or know where their limbs are in space after a stroke. The loss impairs their ability to explore the environment, execute everyday tasks such as grasping and manipulating objects, and participate in previous activities. Patients vary in their ability to benefit from rehabilitation. Yet we do not have effective means of identifying individuals who may benefit nor how to select the most optimal therapy. This study will compare brain networks involved in recovery of touch sensation under two new training conditions, and in individuals with interruption to different parts of the network. Brain imaging will identify the functional and anatomical connections between regions involved in recovery. Knowledge of how brain networks adapt under these two training conditions is fundamental to guide individually tailored rehabilitation and to advance our understanding of core learning-based rehabilitation approaches. Our findings will guide therapists in choosing the best therapy for the right individual, based on knowledge of brain networks that have capacity to adapt.

To see if a genetic test helps guide antidepressant dosing for better outcomes in depression treatment.

This RCT will evaluate the acceptability and efficacy of a multi-day online CBM program targeting obsessive compulsive beliefs by comparing an active CBM intervention with a control comparator.

The purpose of this pilot study is to test the effectiveness of the Lifestyle-Integrated Functional Exercise Program (LiFE) in reducing the incidence of falls amongst the vision impaired population aged over 50.This population group is at particularly high-risk of falls, particularly those causing serious injury. The LiFE program has been shown to be effective in reducing the incidence of falls in the over 50 age group, who have fallen previously, by improving the balance and strength of participants. However, vision impairment has not been a specific focus of these studies. Therefore with the success of this program this raises a potential for larger scale interventions to ultimately prevent injurious falls amongst this population.

Background Aggressive behaviour in forensic psychiatric settings is “frequent and problematic; its impact on patients, staff, unit functioning and mental health services is profound” (Daffern, 2007, p.117). Positive symptoms of schizophrenia, particularly delusions, have been found to be associated with aggressive behaviour. Central features underlying delusions include cognitive biases such as the jumping to conclusions bias, an other attributional style, theory of mind deficits and poor emotion recognition. With a greater understanding of cognitive biases and processes underlying delusions, new targeted psychotherapies have emerged such as Metacognitive Training for Psychosis (MCT), with promising findings in psychiatric settings. However, the use of MCT in forensic settings has only recently begun to be examined, with beneficial effects for individuals with schizophrenia in MCT groups showing a greater capacity to consent to treatment, improved global functioning, and a greater reduction in symptoms of schizophrenia and suspiciousness than for those in the control group. It has been suggested that decreased delusional severity and reduced suspiciousness, for example, may in turn decrease aggression in a forensic psychiatric setting. Therefore, future research involving the use of MCT for delusions on reducing aggression in schizophrenia patients in a forensic psychiatric setting appears warranted. Aims of the Project First Aim: To test the effects of a psychological intervention for delusions on reducing aggression in patients with schizophrenia in a forensic psychiatric setting. This intervention incorporates MCT in a forensic psychiatric setting. Furthermore, Module Four of the MCT contains a brief emotion recognition component, which is expanded to incorporate further Emotion Recognition Training, with this psychological intervention in a forensic psychiatric setting being endorsed by Professor Moritz as MCT-Forensic (MCT-F). Second Aim: To identify the best predictors of: 1) aggression at baseline; and 2) change in aggression following treatment. Proposal Research Design The first aim will employ an ANCOVA model, with the pretest scores as the covariate, the posttest scores as the dependent variable, and the two groups (MCT-F treatment group and waitlist control group) as the independent variable. The second aim will be investigated by linear multiple regression. Methods The study aims to recruit 48 participants in total from the State Forensic Mental Health Service based on the inclusion criteria. An Information Sheet will be discussed with the participant, and informed consent will be obtained. This will be followed by pre-treatment assessment (T1). Participants will be randomly allocated to either a treatment group (MCT-F) of six weeks training or the waitlist control group. A post-assessment (T2) will then be conducted after training completion. The wait-list group will then be offered the program and then the next cohort will be enlisted.

The provision of healthier food options in fast food restaurants is a recommended public health nutrition strategy to reduce overall energy consumption while dining in these establishments. Despite this, little is known regarding how the availability of healthier menu items influences consumer intentions or purchasing behaviours. This study aimed to assess whether adding healthier options on fast food menus impacts on total energy of parent's intended meal purchases for both themselves and their child. This study also assessed the impact of adding healthier options on intentions to visit a fast food outlet for both parents and their child.

Investigation of infra-red oculography-generated drowsiness feedback as a fatigue mitigation tool for drivers

Cardiovascular Disease (CVD) and Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) are the two leading causes of disease burden in developed countries. Both conditions are highly prevalent amongst older Australians, and frequently co-occur. In patients with comorbid CVD and depression, treatment for depression is effective in improving depressive and cardiac symptoms, as well as reducing mortality risks. The current study aims to determine whether a novel internet-delivered treatment for major depression, which is cost-effective and amenable to widespread dissemination, is similarly effective. The current study will also be the first to explore the causal pathways underlying reductions in cardiac events and mortality risk following treatment for depression. In order to address these aims, older (>50 years) individuals with comorbid CVD and depression will be recruited from the St Vincent’s Hospital Heart and Lung Outpatients Clinic. Participants will be randomly assigned to receive clinician-assisted internet-delivered cognitive behavioural therapy (iCBT) for depression (n=50) or treatment as usual (n=50). Relative reductions in depressive and cardiac symptoms between the intervention group and control group will be compared immediately post-treatment, whilst 6 month follow up of the intervention group will establish longer term benefits of the intervention.

This study will aim to observe the short- and medium-term effects of a broccoli-enriched diet on the activity of CYP1A2, CYP2C19, CYP2C9, CYP2D6 and CYP3A4 in men of European and South Asian ancestry. It has been hypothesised that the broccoli-enriched diet will initially reduce the activity of these CYP-isoforms and increase their activity after 6 days of consumption.

The purpose of this study is to demonstrate that neurostimulation increases tear production and improves symptoms of dry eye disease over baseline measurements.