The NISAD research program is overseen by
Scientific Director Prof. Philip Ward and a Research Council
comprising world-renowned neuroscientists and clinicians. To
facilitate the wide range of schizophrenia initiatives being
undertaken by NISAD, the Institute has established a number of
thematic Research and Infrastructure Panels.
Neurobiology Research
Panel
Aim
The Neurobiology Research Panel targets specific
brain systems to identify the abnormally functioning neurons and
neurotransmitters that could be responsible for the hallucinations,
delusions, thought disorders and other symptoms of schizophrenia as
well as isolating the defects in gene action which may be the cause
of the disease. The Panel has developed four Centres for
Collaborative Human Brain Research in NSW that conduct
neurobiological schizophrenia research and promote interest in
neuroscience research in schizophrenia to University students.
Research Highlights
Discovery of significant differences in the
distribution of tachykinin NK1 receptors between cases of
schizophrenia and normal controls. Preclinical models suggest a
role for tachykinin NK1 receptors in the treatment of
schizophrenia.
Photomicrographs of
increased numbers of NK1 receptors in the prefrontal cortex
in schizophrenia (S) compared with controls (N). Image
courtesy of Dr Paul Tooney, NISAD Neurobiology Research
Panel.
Discovery of a significant reduction of dopamine D2 and
serotonin 5-HT2 receptor binding sites in the anterior cingulate
cortex of schizophrenia cases compared to normal controls. The
anterior cingulate is a region of the brain implicated in the
attentional dysfunctions found in patients with schizophrenia.
Demonstration that ionotropic glutamate receptors (NMDA, AMPA
and kainite) are differentially altered in the anterior cingulate
cortex in schizophrenia. This adds to the growing body of research
that supports dysfunction of excitatory activity in
schizophrenia.
The darker staining of ACC tissue indicates
more glutamate receptors in the schizophrenia sample on the
right compared to the control. Image courtesy of Dr Katerina
Zavitsanou, NISAD Neurobiology Research
Panel.
Demonstration of reduced levels of several
fatty acids in that anterior cingulate cortex in schizophrenia.
This suggests that altered neural membrane fatty acid composition
may affect neurotransmitter and receptor binding and function,
thereby contributing to the symptoms of schizophrenia.
Development of various animal models that
display schizophrenia-like behaviours and pathologies. The
resultant behavioural and genetic information obtained could
provide substantial benefits to sufferers of schizophrenia through
the development of better diagnosis, new treatments and
preventative strategies.
Panel Members
Associate Professor Loris Chahl, University of
Newcastle Dr Albert Chetcuti, NISAD Research Officer Dr Mary
Collins, University of Sydney
Dr Chao Deng, University
of Wollongong Dr Gavin Dixon, NISAD Research Officer
Daren Draganic, NISAD Research Manager Professor Peter
Dunkley, University of Newcastle Professor Clive Harper,
University of Sydney Dr Jasmine Henderson, University of
Sydney
Dr Tina Hinton, University of
Sydney Associate Professor Xu-Feng Huang, University of
Wollongong Professor Graham Johnston (Co-Convenor), University
of Sydney
Dr Tim Karl, NISAD
Research Officer Professor Izuru Matsumoto, University of
Sydney
Professor George Paxinos, University of New
South Wales Professor Peter Schofield (Co-Convenor), The Garvan
Institute of Medical Research Professor Rodney Scott, University
of Newcastle Dr Paul Tooney, NISAD Senior Research Officer
Dr Bryce Vissel, The Garvan Institute of Medical
Research Associate Professor Philip Ward, NISAD Scientific
Director Dr Katerina Zavitsanou, NISAD Senior Research Officer
The Cognitive Neuroscience Research Panel
focuses on research in cognition to investigate the brain systems
responsible for the functional disorders observed in schizophrenia
and associated disorders (covering the full range of methodologies,
including radionuclide, MR-based, electrophysiological, and
additional techniques not currently available or widely used e.g.
transcranial magnetic stimulation, magnetoencephalography, optical
imaging).
Research Highlights
Demonstration of reduced levels of brain
activation in schizophrenia affected subjects compared to normal
controls when completing an executive functioning task. These
results suggest that patients use the same networks as controls to
solve problems, but the illness causes these networks to operate
less efficiently.
Decreased brain activity
in schizophrenia subjects (S) compared to normal controls(N)
in an fMRI study examining executive functioning. Image
courtesy of Prof. Philip Ward, NISAD Cognitive Neuroscience
Research Panel.
Composite brain images
from normal and schizophrenia affected brains display
differences. Image courtesy of Paul Rasser, NISAD Cognitive
Neuroscience Research Panel.
Demonstration that patients with
schizophrenia display reduced limbic system activity in response
to threat-related expressions compared to normal controls. These
results suggest that people with schizophrenia may use more
'thinking' and less 'feeling' areas of the brain in response to
emotional stimuli.
First ever studies that simultaneously obtained fMRI and skin
conductance response data in an MRI scanner. This technology
enables a better understanding of the brain networks underlying
cognitive operations such as selective attention and emotion,
which are known to be altered in people with schizophrenia.
Development of the NISAD Brain Atlasing
initiative. This collaborative study is utilising MRI to map
anatomical and functional differences between normal and
schizophrenia affected brains, helping NISAD better understand the
brain regions involved. This will be the first time this type of
comparison will be made.
Evidence from a small pilot study that fatty
acid supplementation increases the level of fatty acids in the
brain and improves schizophrenia symptoms and medications side
effects.
Panel Members
Dr Stefan Bender, University of Essen,
Germany Dr Michael Breakspear, University
of Sydney Dr Bill Budd, University of Newcastle
Dr Martin Cohen, Hunter Health Service
Gavin Cooper, NISAD System Administrator
Dr Pritha Das, NISAD Research Officer Daren
Draganic, NISAD Research Manager Dr Allison Fox, University of
Western Australia Dr Ross Fulham, University of Newcastle Dr
Melissa Green, Macquarie University Dr Anthony Harris, University
of Sydney Patrick Johnston, University of Newcastle Dr Frini
Karayanidis, University of Newcastle Dr Jim Lagopoulos, NISAD
Research Officer Dr Robyn Langdon, Macquarie University
Dr Carmel Loughland, NISAD Senior Research
Officer
Dr Gin Malhi, University of NSW Professor Pat
Michie, University of Newcastle Paul Rasser, NISAD Research
Officer Associate Professor Ulrich Schall (Convenor), University
of Newcastle
Dr Nadia Solowij, University of
Wollongong Professor Paul Thompson, University of California Los
Angeles Dr Juanita Todd, University of Newcastle Associate
Professor Philip Ward, University of New South Wales Associate
Professor Leanne Williams, University of Sydney
Psychopharmacology and
Therapeutics Research Panel
Aim
The Psychopharmacology and Therapeutics Research
Panel focuses on research investigating the effects of medication
and/or pharmacological probes in patients, 'at-risk' populations and
healthy volunteers. It also provides a platform for initiating
trials of new interventions, both pharmacological and
non-pharmacological.
Research Highlights
Discovery of 'restricted' visual scanpaths in
response to facial emotions for people with schizophrenia and
their first-degree relatives. This dysfunction may be a trait
marker for the genetic transmission of schizophrenia.
Different scan paths
demonstrated between controls (N), patients (S), and first
degree relatives (R) to facial emotions. Image courtesy of
Dr Carmel Loughland, NISAD Psychopharmacology and
Therapeutics Research
Panel
Completion of an extensive review of the
neurobiology of substance use in schizophrenia. This will help to
develop a major new direction for NISAD research in
2003.
Panel Members
Professor Vaughan Carr (Convenor), University of
Newcastle Associate Professor Scott Clark, South Western Sydney
Area Health Service
Dr Martin Cohen, University of
Newcastle Daren Draganic, NISAD Research Manager
Jo Gorrell, NISAD Research Officer
Dr Melissa Green, Macquarie University
Dr Anthony Harris, University of Sydney Dr
Carmel Loughland, NISAD Senior Research Officer
Bev Moss, NISAD Research Officer
Dr Louise Nash, North Shore Health Service
Dr Nadia Solowij, University of Wollongong Associate
Professor Philip Ward, NISAD Scientific Director
The Clinical Research Infrastructure Panel
focuses on the oversight of NISAD's critical clinical research
infrastructure facilities; the NISAD Schizophrenia Research Register
and the DNA Bank for Mental Health Research.
Research Highlights
Significant expansion of the NISAD Schizophrenia
Research Register, a volunteer database of patients, relatives and
healthy controls interested in being involved in schizophrenia
research. The first of its kind in the world, the Register now
lists over 850 volunteers and has supported over thirty
schizophrenia research studies.
Demonstration that volunteer research
registers (i.e. NISAD Schizophrenia Register) provide valuable,
complementary recruitment sources for researchers who tend to rely
largely on samples drawn from mental health service contexts.
Development of a DNA Bank for schizophrenia research based on
blood samples collected from Register volunteers in 2003. This
will be a critical research infrastructure facility to support
genetics research in schizophrenia.
Panel Members
Professor Vaughan Carr, University of
Newcastle Associate Professor Scott Clark, South Western Sydney
Area Health Service Daren Draganic, NISAD Research Manager Dr
Anthony Harris, University of Sydney Dr Carmel Loughland
(Convenor), NISAD Senior Research Officer Dr Louise Nash, North
Shore Health Service Prof. Rodney Scott, Hunter Area Pathology
Servide Dr Paul Tooney, NISAD Senior Research
Officer Associate Professor Philip Ward, NISAD Scientific
Director
The Tissue Resource Infrastructure Panel focuses
on the oversight of operations of the NSW Tissue Resource Centre and
the NISAD 'Gift of Hope' Tissue Donor Program.
Guidelines and Application Form for
Researchers
Please click on the links below for the
guidelines and application form for researchers wishing to apply for
access to tissue from the NSW TRC.
Alternatively please email the NSW TRC for further
information.
Research Highlights
Continued development and growth of the NSW
Tissue Resource Centre, a storeage and distribution facility for
post mortem human brain tissue that is well characterised both
clinically and pathologically for projects related to
schizophrenia. The TRC holds over 250 cases and has supported over
thirty schizophrenia research projects in Australia and
internationally.
NSW TRC scientists Dr
Maria Sarris and Lisa Azizi.
Significant development of the NISAD Tissue Donor
Program, which enables individuals with schizophrenia and
those without a mental illness to indicate their willingness to
donate their brain for research studies in schizophrenia after
death. To date over one hundred people have expressed interest in
the program and the first collection was made in 2002.
Demonstration of significant decrease in the volume of the
frontal cortical gray matter in schizophrenia cases compared to
controls. This supports the hypothesis that regional structural
changes in the brains of schizophrenia patients may contribute to
cognitive clinical deficits.
Panel Members
Lisa Azizi, NISAD
Research Assistant Margaret Boyes, NISAD Tissue Donor Program
Coordinator Associate Professor Scott Clark, South Western
Sydney Area Health Service
Dr Irina Dedova, NISAD
Tissue Resource Centre Coordinator
Dr Gavin Dixon, NISAD
Research Officer Daren Draganic, NISAD Research Manager Donna
Sheedy, University of Sydney Therese Garrick, NSW TRC
Manager Professor Clive Harper (Convenor), University of Sydney
Professor Graham Johnston, University of Sydney
Professor Izuru
Matsumoto, University of Sydney
Robert McDonald, NISAD
Research Assistant
Associate Professor
Philip Ward, NISAD Scientific Director
Significant expansion of the NISAD Schizophrenia
Research Register, a volunteer database of patients, relatives and
healthy controls interested in being involved in schizophrenia
research. The first of its kind in the world, the Register now
lists over 850 volunteers and has supported over thirty
schizophrenia research studies. 