News in 2010
December
- 31st: As reported in the Brisbane Times, the federal government's handpicked advisers on mental health reform have dismissed a $113 million package of suicide prevention programs as ''tokenistic'' and say a functioning mental health system would be more effective.
- 23rd: Prof Ian Hickie is a member of a special advisory panel established by the Federal Government to guide reform within the mental health sector, as reported in The Australian and NineMSN.
- 22nd: In The Australian, mental health experts including Prof Ian Hickie criticise the official assessment of a $1 billion scheme designed to improve access to psychological care.
- 17th: The Age reports that leading health experts including Prof Ian Hickie are concerned that the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare's adjustment of deaths attributed to depression forms part of a systematic effort to downplay the mental illness toll.
- 16th: At the National Health and Medical Research Council’s (NHMRC) Excellence Awards in Canberra, Professor Jürgen Götz received the NHMRC Achievement Award for Highest Ranked Project Grant. Australia’s peak body for health and medical research presented the awards to recognise the scientific merit, innovation and the research success of 10 of Australia’s leading health and medical researchers. Press release - PDF.
November
- 18th: Dr Lars Ittner, Group Leader in the Laboratory for Translational Neurodegeneration, received the “Merck Young Achiever Award 2010 – For Excellence in Translational Medical Research” presented by The Australian Society for Medical Research and Merck Pty Ltd. This awards is in recognition of his team’s groundbreaking work on the cellular mechanisms of Alzheimer's disease which was published this year in the prestigious journal Cell.
- 18th: Assoc Prof Sharon Naismith, Director of the Clinical Research Unit, won a NHMRC Career Development Award to continue her team’s research into modifiable risks and interventions for older people “at risk” of dementia.
- 18th: Dr Simon Lewis, Director of the Parkinson's Research Clinic at the BMRI, received the highly competitive and sought after NHMRC Practitioner Fellowships for his research into Parkinson's disease. The grant will enable Dr Lewis' team to continue their work using advanced brain scanning techniques to investigate brain functioning in Parkinson’s disease.
(L-R) Sister Marilia Pereira, Associate Professor Sharon Naismith, Governor-General Quentin Bryce, Roger Norton, Dr Simon Lewis.
- 16th: Researchers from the Parkinson's Disease Research Clinic were thrilled to have the opportunity to explain some of their ongoing work with the Governor-General of Australia, Ms Quentin Bryce AC.
- 15th: Sebastian Rosenberg, head of the National Mental Health Policy Unit, discusses the requirements of service integration for clinical and non-clinical mental health care in an opinion-editorial for the Medical Observer.
- 3rd: The architects of the BMRI's Youth Mental Health Building won the 2010 World Architecture Festival award, Health Category.
- 1st: Sebastian Rosenberg discusses on Crikey why the new national mental health service standards are an opportunity lost.
October
- 26th: On ABC Lateline, Prof Ian Hickie discusses balancing the degree of physical activity, appropriate social activity, the way education is structured and timed to get the best cognitive outputs and physical health out of the whole school experience. Read PDF transcript.
- 23rd: Researchers at the BMRI have found that the number of hours a teen sleeps, and at what times, could help parents and doctors determine if they are at risk of developing depression, bipolar disorder or psychosis, reports Brisbane Times.
- 14th: Associate Professor Sharon Naismith has been recognised for her research into risk factors for dementia at the Young Tall Poppy Science Awards. The prestigious annual Young Tall Poppy Science Awards recognise achievements of Australia's young scientific researchers and communicators. Initiated to encourage more young people to engage with science, award winners become ambassadors for science for twelve months through promotional activities with school students, teachers and the broader community.
- 8th: In The Age, Dr Adam Guastella discusses how anxiety is as common as a cold but more debilitating if not controlled.
September
- 29th: The BMRI hosted a visit by the Hon Mark Butler MP, the newly appointed Minister for Mental Health and Aging.
- 23rd: Delivering the 2010 Walter Westman Lecture, Prof Ian Hickie speaks about "Your mind and its potential to create a better world". He discusses the way in which cognitive and emotional health not only contributes to individual health and well being but also to the mental wealth of the nation.
- 23rd: In the Sydney Morning Herald, Prof Ian Hickie raised his concerns that the federal government's health reform plan risks losing hard-won funding for mental health services across NSW.
- 7th: Prof Ian Hickie discusses with ABC the recent findings that babies born with low vitamin D levels are twice as likely to develop schizophrenia later in life.
- 7th: Interactive online mental health resources combined with traditional counselling help improve the mental wellbeing of teenagers, according to new research by Dr Andrew Campbell and Dr Suvena Sethi from the Faculty of Health Sciences and Dr Louise Ellis from the Brain & Mind Research Institute.
- 1st: A/Prof Nick Glozier at the Brain and Mind Research Institute (BMRI) and Centre for Integrated Research and Understanding of Sleep (CIRUS) released research today indicating that young adults who get fewer than eight hours of sleep per night have greater risks of psychological distress as well as a combination of high levels of depressive and anxious symptoms. The study was reported in The Brisbane Times, ABC News and ABC AM, Channel 7 News, Daily Mail, Wired and the American Academy of Sleep Medicine.
August
- 30th: Prof Juergen Goetz and Dr Lars Ittner discuss with ABC Radio National Innovations their recent research which demonstrates the mechanism of neuronal loss in Alzheimer's disease.
- 29th: ABC Radio's James O'Loghlin interviewed Prof Ian Hickie regarding mental health and uncertainty.
- 27th: Prof Ian Hickie explains to ABC News why Labor's proposed suicide prevention measures do not address essential mental health system reform.
- 26th: NSW Deputy Premier and Minister for Health Carmel Tebbutt and Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research) of the University of Sydney Professor Jill Trewhella today signed a $40 million agreement to fund the major upgrade and relocation of the Missenden Mental Health Unit to the new purpose-built Missenden Mental Health Unit, which will include seven beds for the Brain and Mind Research Institute.
- 21st: The Australian Financial Review reports on the Brain & Mind Research Institute's studies into lawyers with depression.
- 20th: Clinical psychologist Dr Adam Guastella discusses social anxiety at an international mental health conference.
- 12th: Prof Ian Hickie has told ABC1 news that young patients are not getting the mental health services they need and that the Labor government needs to at least match the Coalition promise of $1.5billion towards mental health services.
- 11th: Prof Ian Hickie has written an opinion-editorial about youth depression in the Medical Journal of Australia.
- 5th: PD Research on ABC Catalyst: Dr Simon Lewis' research into the cause of 'freezing of gait', which affects over 50% of patients with advanced Parkinson's Disease (PD) featured on ABC Catalyst. For more information and details on how you can participate in this study call +61 2 9351 0702 or email . Additional information can be found at the Parkinson's Disease Research Clinic or read the media release.
- 5th: The BMRI Youth Mental Health building has been shortlisted for the 2010 International Architecture Awards in the Health category.
- 2nd: Prof Ian Hickie supports Wentworth MP Malcolm Turnbull's annoucement to fully fund suicide prevention works at Gap Park in Watsons Bay.
July
- 28th: ABC 612 Brisbane, Mornings with Madonna King interviews Prof Ian Hickie from the BMRI, who says that Julia Gillard's announcement of $277 million for suicide prevention is a poor effort that does not respond to the need for reform in youth services and early intervention. Hickie notes the coalition's mental health offerings are far greater than Gillard's as she is trying to mend a Rudd Govt failure to allot enough funds to mental health under public health reforms, also, many of the measures in Gillard's policy are already underway. Hickie says this is not a reform package and Gillard seemingly ignored the recommendations of two professionals to at least match the coalition's reforms. Hickie notes that Gillard saying mental health will be a second term priority has been heard by Premiers and PMs since 1993. Hickie adds that whilst the National Health and Hospitals Reform Commission recommended to the Fed Govt it must introduce the headspace program nationally and support early intervention measures for severe mental illness, funding has not been raised for this reform since the Howard Govt.
- 27th: On ABC24, Prof Mendoza, Prof McGorry and Prof Ian Hickie discuss how Labor's proposed suicide prevention measures do not address essential reform needed in the mental health system.
- 23rd: Researchers led by Professor Jürgen Götz and Dr Lars Ittner from the BMRI's Alzheimer's and Parkinson's Disease Laboratory have achieved a major breakthrough by finding the causes of Alzheimer's disease at a cellular level and thereby identifying a potential therapy as a result. The researchers have discovered how a protein called TAU affects and mediates the toxicity of amyloid-b, which together with TAU causes the symptoms of Alzheimer's disease. Read the press release and coverage in the Herald Sun, Alzheimer Research Forum, ABC news, Channel 7 news, and Channel 10 news.
- 7th: Nature Medicine reports on how newer versions of long-acting injectable drugs might radically change the treatment of ailments ranging from alcoholism to diabetes. Prof Tim Lambert discusses the historic complications of schizophrenia treatment compliance and the effectiveness of long-acting injectable antipsychotics.
June
- 22nd: In the SMH, Prof Ian Hickie comments of the federal government's decision to cut $58 million in Medicare payments for the health workers' mental health services.
- 7th: The Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation Life Sciences (ANSTO) and BMRI is establishing Australia's first fully dedicated medical research cyclotron and radiochemistry facility that will produce radiopharmaceuticals for the Australian imaging research community.
- 6th: The internet offers huge potential to bridge the gap between mental health services and those marginalised Australians most in need, and Professors Helen Christensen and Ian Hickie have joined forces to call for a major expansion of "e-mental health" in Australia.
- 4th: The Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s Disease (A+PD) Laboratory is offering three PhD top-up scholarships. If you are interested please contact or by 29 October 2010.
- 4th: Prof Ian Hickie discusses teenage alcohol abuse at the Generation Next seminar series.
May
- 24th: In The Australian newspaper, Prof Ian Hickie comments on the need for a national training standard for police and emergency services personnel on dealing with mental health.
- 18th: Adjunct Associate Professor Rene Bittoun discusses with Radio National her concerns that higher taxes may force smokers towards illegal tobacco.
- 17th: "No gold medals for government that neglects the mentally ill" editorial by Prof Ian Hickie in The Australian.
- 12th: Prof Ian Hickie has commented on Radio National that a 2 out of 10 rating for the Budget’s health spending was “generous”. View the video feature on Radio National Breakfast.
- 12th: The mental health sector has been left more than a touch depressed in the wake of the federal budget. Prof Pat McGorry, psychiatrist and Australian of the Year, and Prof Ian Hickie discuss the budget on crikey.com.au.
- 12th: Australia's mental health system is in danger of becoming one of the worst in the world if the government continues to divert funds from the sector, Prof Hickie comments in The Australian.
- 11th: Dr Adam Guastella discusses new innovations in the treatment of anxiety disorders with SBS Insight.
- 2nd: "Our mentally ill suffering in silence". Prof Hickie comments on the more than 1.6 million people in NSW that are silent sufferers of undiagnosed mental health conditions.
April
- 20th: Professor Ian Hickie and Dr Paul Gross join Kerry O’Brien to discuss the outcomes from the COAG meeting on the 7.30 Report. PDF Transcript.
- 20th: Professor Ian Hickie discusses the need to reform community-based care for people with mental illness in The Brisbane Times.
- 19th: Prof Ian Hickie says national mental health funding is a "disgrace". He wants mental health to be prioritised in the Federal Government's proposed health and hospitals reform package. Download the discussion from ABC Radio National.
- 15th: Professor Ian Hickie joins ABC's Lateline to discuss the non-committal of the Federal Government in its reform plans to fund 100 per cent of mental health. PDF Transcript.
March
- 18th: Profs Ian Hickie and Patrick McGorry discuss with the SMH their frustrations over the federal government's refusal to declare it would take over the struggling mental health system in its health-reform blueprint.
- 5th: Dr Simon Lewis leads a world first study on how thinking tasks impact on the 'freezing' of feet often experienced by people with Parkinson's Disease (PD) will lead to new directions for targeting therapy. Read the media release.
February
- 27th: In the SMH, Professor Ian Hickie comments on the prevalence of non-prescribed Ritalin use within Australia.
- 23rd: "Minds At Risk" Professor McGorry says mental illness is the single biggest health risk facing our kids, yet many receive little or no help. Professor McGorry is calling for an urgent rethink of our mental health system with a renewed focus on young people and early intervention. Professor Ian Hickie discusses mental health risk factors and problems with the Australian health system on SBS's Insight.
- 17th: A study from Western Australia's Health Department says children with ADHD who were medicated with stimulants performed no better in school than those who weren't. But another expert says it's difficult to draw any firm conclusions from the data used in the research. Professor Ian Hickie discusses the role of ADHD medication with ABC PM.
- 16th: "Anyone else bored with the hospital masquerading as health debate?" Professor Ian Hickie states his opinion regarding Tony Abbott's plan for locally run hospital boards on the Crikey health blog.
- 9th: "Psychology Blues" The Medicare rebate for psychology is over budget and not working. It is operating within a flawed system of delivering psychological services, according to Professor Ian Hickie. At the same time, there is debate about the degree of training psychologists should have to be entitled to the rebate. Ian Hickie from the Brain and Mind Research Institute, and Lyn Littlefield of the Psychological Society, debate the merits of the Medicare psychology rebate on ABC Radio National.
- 9th: "Smoking is not good for the brain" The tobacco industry worked for two decades to skew research into smoking and Alzheimer's disease, to promote the wrong belief it could slow down the degenerative condition, a review of research has found. US-based scientists have now reviewed more than 40 research papers published since 1984, noting that a quarter of the papers were found to have tobacco industry influence, and in many cases these relationships were not disclosed. Professor Jürgen Götz, Director of the Alzheimer's and Parkinson's Disease Laboratory at the BMRI discusses setting the record straight on nicotine's effect on the brain with news.com.au. Review paper - Cataldo JK, Prochaska JJ, Glantz SA. Cigarette smoking is a risk factor for Alzheimer's Disease: an analysis controlling for tobacco industry affiliation. J Alzheimers Dis. 2010;19(2):465-80.
January
- 30th: Prof Ian Hickie discusses the National Mental health bill with the Sydney Morning Herald.
- 27th: Prof Ian Hickie discusses the role of Facebook and MySpace on childhood interaction with the Sydney Morning Herald.