ANZCTR search results

Evidence demonstrates that social cognition training improves social cognition and social functioning in individuals with a psychotic disorder. The aim of this study is to determine the critical cognitive and biological markers underlying the effects of social cognition training and the degree to which they predict changes in social functioning for young people with a psychotic illness. As suggested in the literature, face perception, emotion recognition, theory of mind and attribution bias are key cognitive markers of social functioning in humans. We speculate that OT may further underlie these cognitive changes via feedforward mechanisms stimulated by engaging with social cognition training. This will be investigated by examining the impact of social cognition training on plasma levels. We also directly administer OT in-order to amplify biological and cognitive markers that facilitate improvements in social-functioning. Hypotheses Following SCT treatment, individuals with early psychosis in the SCT + OT + TAU condition compared to SCT + Placebo + TAU condition will demonstrate: Outcome Hypothesis 1. Significant improvement on measures of social cognition and social function. Mechanism Hypothesis 1. OT administration will enhance social-cognitive and biological markers compared to the placebo condition. 2. OT administration will enhance social functioning outcomes following SCT training compared to the placebo group. 3. Changes in biological and social-cognitive markers in both the OT and Placebo SCT groups will predict improvements in social functioning. This association will be stronger in the OT condition given the influence of OT on critical markers will be amplified.

The limited existing empirical evidence has generally pointed towards a discrepancy between objective and subjective outcomes following AmED consumption. This discrepancy has been argued to result in increased alcohol consumption and/or risk-taking post-consumption. However, there is a dearth of research (i) supporting this proposed increase in risk-taking, and (ii) attempting to explain the potential mechanisms underlying any changes in risk-taking post-consumption. Consequently, the aim of the current study will be to examine the subjective physiological and psychological outcomes and objective risk and impulsive behavioural outcomes of independent and combined alcohol and energy drink consumption.

Post-prandial lipemia is an elevation in triglyceride (TG) and chylomicron remnants that occurs after digesting a fat-containing meal. Post-prandial lipemia has been established as a risk factor for atherosclerosis and cardiovascular disease. However, dietary intake of green tea and aerobic exercise results in lowered post-prandial lipemia. The study will examine the effect of a different form of exercise called high intensity intermittent exercise (HIIE) and green tea on postprandial lipemia.

This study aims to compare a recently released contact lens product to the current market leader. By comparing these lenses, it will allow us to ascertain whether these newly released lenses have achieved their claim. In addition, if the recently released contact lens product is found to be superior to the market leader, further investigations into why it is superior can benefit in the understanding of why contact lens related discomfort and dryness occur and allow for development of further new products to solve this problem.

This study aims to determine if children with cerebral palsy (CP) who have a known tactile sensory deficiency in their hands can have that sense of touch improved, hence improving their overall hand and arm function. The intervention uses a specialised joystick to play a range of custom-made computer games that are aimed at captivating the interest and motivation of children with CP while providing tactile feedback to their hands to increase the realism and sense of game-play. Our hypothesis for this project is that tactile sensory perception can be improved in children with CP through a computer-based program that couples a fun, engaging and motivational activity with an opportunity to experience a range of appropriate sensory inputs.

The rationale of the study is to evaluate the roles of exercise and stretching in enhancing the effectiveness of Cognitive Behaviour Therapy in reducing the symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder. This study compares the relative effectiveness of (a) Cognitive Behaviour Therapy Combined with Exercise, and (b) Cognitive Behaviour Therapy Combined with Stretching, in reducing posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms. It is hypothesised that whereas both conditions will lead to symptom reduction, Cognitive Behaviour Therapy Combined with Exercise will lead to greater symptom reduction than either Cognitive Behaviour Therapy Combined with Stretching.

This study aims to find out if dietary counselling before, during and after your upcoming (chemo)radiotherapy treatment helps to reduce weight loss and improve functioning and fatigue levels. It will also explore if this improves quality of life, severity of treatment symptoms, the number of unexpected admissions to hospital, interruptions to your treatment, response to cancer treatment and survival after treatment. Who is it for? You may be eligible for this study if you are over 18 years of age and due to undergo radiotherapy with or without chemotherapy for non-small cell or small cell lung cancer. Patients with lung cancer are at risk of developing side effects from (chemo)radiotherapy treatment that affect their ability to eat adequately and place them at risk of developing malnutrition. Up to 33% of patient with lung cancer may be malnourished before starting (chemo)radiotherapy and this can increase to 50% after radiotherapy is completed. Patients who are malnourished or underweight have more complications, more symptoms, poorer quality of life, more treatment interruptions, poorer response to cancer treatment and don't survive as long after treatment. Previous research has demonstrated that patients with head and neck and gastrointestinal cancer who received dietary counselling from a dietitian during and after (chemo)radiation lose less weight, have a better quality of life and functioning, and colorectal cancer patients who received dietary counselling survived longer after treatment. Providing dietary counselling from a dietitian during (chemo)radiotherapy treatment for lung cancer has never been tested. Trial Details: You will be randomised to one of two treatment arms, either a medical nutrition therapy arm or usual care. The medical nutrition therapy arm consists of individualised one-on-one dietary counselling in person or over the phone once before treatment starts, weekly during treatment and fortnightly for 6 weeks after treatment. The usual care arm will receive dietary counselling but less frequently and starting during treatment instead of before treatment. The results of this study will be incorporated into existing evidence based guidelines for the nutritional management of patients receiving radiation therapy. These guidelines are used by dietitians and other health professional to provide the best nutritional care to cancer patients.

Consumption of a high fat meal (HFM) can lead to increased risk of cardiovascular disease. Ingestion of a HFM not only increases the fat level in the blood but also damages blood vessels, which overtime can lead to many health problems. Thus, the purpose of the study is to examine the effect of consumption of a HFM alone and the effect of a HFM consumption followed by a combined exercise and green tea ingestion on vascular function. It is predicted that exercise and green tea ingestion will reduce the severity of vascular problems related to a HFM.

Overweight and obesity can result in impaired or high glucose levels and aberrant vascular function, which leads to metabolic syndrome (MetS), pre-diabetic (PD), or type 2 diabetes. Early detection of impaired glucose levels in overweight/obese individuals is desirable to prevent the likelihood of disease progression. Thus, the purpose of this study, is firstly to identify early markers, such as impaired/high glucose level and aberrant vascular function in overweight/obese individuals, and secondly, to examine the acute effect of aerobic exercise on those early markers. It is expected that acute exercise will normalize vascular function aberration in MetS and PD individuals.

The current project will investigate the best dietary pattern when combined with a regular weight training program for improving muscle strength, lean mass and physical function (i.e. tasks of daily living) in older adults. Participants will have to consume diet specific foods containing varying amounts of protein and carbohydrate within 1 hour after their exercise session as this has been shown as an important window for nutrition to stimulate an increase in muscle growth.