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Ageing Brain Clinic

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Ageing Brain Clinic

Healthy Brain Ageing Groups and Clinic

Parkinson's Disease Research Clinic

The Ageing Brain Clinic at the Brain & Mind Research Institute incorporates two major research initiatives - the Parkinson’s Disease Research Clinic, led by Dr Simon Lewis and the Healthy Brain Ageing Clinic, led by Associate Professor Sharon Naismith. The Program comprises a team of neurologists, clinical neuropsychologists, general physicians, psychiatrists, nurses, research assistants and students. All clinicians and researchers bring unique expertise in assessing or managing diseases affecting the brain in later life. The Ageing Brain Clinic aims to provide comprehensive insights into diseases of the brain and mind affecting older people and incorporates multifaceted assessment techniques including brain imaging, neuropsychology, psychiatry, neurology, lifestyle, sleep and genetics. It also conducts trials that seek to determine the efficacy of novel interventions for mood, movement and cognition. The Ageing Brain Program has attracted over $2.5 million in grant income since its inception in 2008.

Associate Professor Sharon Naismith
Director, Clinical Research Unit
Head, Healthy Brain Ageing Clinic
Senior Clinical Neuropsychologist
Level 4, 94 Mallett Street, Camperdown NSW 2050
T +61 2 9351 0781
F +61 2 9351 0855
E 		Dr Simon Lewis
Head, Parkinson's Disease Research Clinic & Neurologist
Level 4, 94 Mallett Street, Camperdown NSW 2050
T +61 2 9351 0702
F +61 2 9351 0855
E

Healthy Brain Ageing Groups and Clinic

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Healthy Brain Ageing Groups

Phone: +61 2 9351 0746
Fax: +61 2 9351 0855
Email:

With the rapidly ageing population, diseases that affect the brain including depression and dementia are increasing. While there are no known 'cures' for some neurodegenenerative diseases such as Alzheimers, a large body of research demonstrates that there are some 'modifiable' risk factors of cognitive decline and depression in later life. The Healthy Brain Ageing Program at the BMRI aims to apply to the principles of early intervention for cognitive decline by targeting these 'modifiable' risk factors. Modifiable risk factors include vascular risk factors (e.g., high blood pressure, heart disease, high cholesterol), lifestyle risks (e.g., exercise, diet, cognitive activity) as well as changes in mood and sleep.

The Healthy Brain Ageing Program, led A/Professor Sharon Naismith and Professor Ian Hickie, builds on their research over the last decade which has shown the link between these risk factors, and changes in the brain. The program now focuses on whether early intervention programs targeting these risk factors are effective at reducing cognitive decline, depression and underlying brain changes that are associated with dementia. The program incorporates a number of clinical and public health studies including:

  • Cognitive Training: A comprehensive cognitive training program for older ‘at risk’ people with mood or early memory changes
  • Sleep-wake disturbance: An evaluation of the effects of circadian and sleep disturbance on cognitive decline in older people with depression and mild cognitive impairment.
  • Internet interventions: An evaluation of an internet intervention for depression for participants in the 45 and Up study who have cardiovascular disease
  • Pharmacological interventions: An evaluation of the preventative capacity for omega-3 and antidepressants to reduce cognitive decline and brain changes in older ‘at risk’ people.

Participate in our clinical research

Who can participate?
People over the age of 50 who have noticed changes in their cognitive function or mood but whom do not have a diagnosis of dementia may be eligible to participate but will need to be further screened for other neurological or medical conditions to determine eligibility. They will also need to be willing to attend the BMRI for 10-weeks for 2-hours per week and to have two neuropsychology assessments over a 3-month period. Participants will need to feel comfortable using a computer and will need to have proficient English.

What does participation involve?
People who are interested in attending the healthy brain ageing program should get a referral from their GP. They will be asked to undergo an assessment with a doctor who is specifically trained to examine changes in mood and cognition in later life. The will also be asked to undertake two neuropsychological assessments (ie. assessment of memory and thinking skills) spaced 10 weeks apart. During this ten weeks, they may be allocated to receive treatment immediately or may be put on a 10-week waiting list.

Cognitive Training

The Healthy Brain Ageing Cognitive Training program is a comprehensive clinical assessment and intervention program for people over the age of 50 who have noticed changes in their memory and other thinking functions. It includes a medical and neuropsychological assessment, a brain scan and a 7-week group-based treatment program that incorporates both education as well as computer-based brain exercises, otherwise known as cognitive training. Education is provided by trained Clinical Neuropsychologists A/Prof Sharon Naismith and Dr Keri Diamond as well as Old Age Psychiatrist Dr Louisa Norrie, Clinical Psychologist Dr Samantha Fearns and Chronobiologist A/Prof Naomi Rogers. Data from this program to-date suggests that it is associated with a significant improvement in memory. This study aims now to determine whether improvements in performance generalize to other areas of social functioning and to evaluate the mechanisms underlying the changes observed in the brain. The results of this study will inform models of neuroplasticity and will help to inform the timing and delivery of such early intervention programs.

This study is looking for people who feel that they are having problems with their memory. The study involves a 7 week program of 'brain exercises' at the BMRI twice a week aimed at improving your memory. For further details please contact: A/Prof Sharon Naismith - +61 2 9351 0702 - .

Sleep-wake disturbance

This study aims to evaluate whether changes in sleep-wake functions are associated with mood and cognitive decline in older people with depression and/or cognitive impairment. The study includes a neuropsychological and medical assessment as well as overnight assessments in the state-of-the art chronobiology and sleep laboratories. It is anticipated that findings of this study will inform our understanding of the potentially critical role of sleep in neurodegenerative diseases and will hopefully lead to targeted interventions for sleep-disturbance.

Supported by a grant from the NHMRC, this study is looking for people who are having problems with their memory or maybe affected by dementia. The study involves spending 3 evenings over the space of a couple of weeks in the BMRI sleep laboratory. For further details please contact: Dr Zoe Terpening - +61 2 9351 0750 - .

Internet interventions

This study, funded by Beyond Blue and the Heart Foundation will include participants of the 45 and Up study, a large community-based study of over 250,000 people. The internet intervention will target older people with cardiovascular disease to determine whether an internet intervention for depression has the capacity to reduce the rate of depressive symptoms, cognitive decline and cardiovascular disease. The results of this study will have important implications for the delivery of easily accessible, cost-effective interventions for depression, cognitive decline and cardiovascular disease.

Pharmacological interventions

This MBF funded study will examine a sub-set of participants from the Beyond Ageing Project, a large community-based study. It will be a selective prevention trial to determine whether omega-3 fatty acids and antidepressant medication can reduce or prevent depressive symptoms and/or cognitive decline in older adults at risk for depression. The study will include sophisticated brain scanning techniques and will follow people up longitudinally to determine whether these agents have any capacity to protect the brain from the effects of depression or other inflammatory and immunological changes that may contribute to cognitive decline and dementia.

Parkinson's Disease Research Clinic

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Parkinson

Phone: +61 2 9351 0702
Fax: +61 2 9351 0855
Email:

PD affects patients in a variety of ways, commonly causing problems with their movement and also with thinking (cognitive problems) and behaviour. The newly established clinic at the BMRI aims to explore the causes underlying the range of presentations seen in PD. By better understanding all of the aspects of the disease, investigators hope to improve diagnosis and treatment leading to better patient care and family support.

The new PD Research Clinic has been established by Neurologist, Dr Simon Lewis, who has developed his clinical and research career in Parkinson's Disease at Cambridge University. Dr Lewis's PD Research Clinic is supported by a team of Psychologists, Neuropsychologists and Nurses and he has collaborations with scientists who have extensive experience in examining the neuropathology of PD. Dr Lewis hopes that this 'joined-up research' will help to ensure that findings are translated "from the bench-side, to the bedside and beyond".

Participate in our clinical research

Who can participate?
Anyone suffering with PD who would like to become involved or receive further information should contact the Parkinson's Disease Research Clinic.

What does participation involve?
The PD Research Clinic is looking to assess patients at all stages of the disease collecting data across clinical, cognitive, psychiatric and behavioural domains in an annual 3-hour visit. Participation will include completion of questionnaires, assessment by a Neurologist and Psychologist and a blood sample will be collected. The PD Research Clinic will take place at the Ageing Brain Program, located on Level 4 of the Brain & Mind Research Institute in Mallett Street, Camperdown.

Functional MRI for freezing of gait in Parkinson's disease

This study is looking for both patients who do and do not experience freezing, as well as healthy people who do not have Parkinson's disease. The study involves having a couple of MRI scans whilst performing a virtual reality task. This study is supported by a grant from the Michael J Fox Foundation. For further details please contact:Dr Mac Shine - +61 9351 0702,

Sleep-Wake Disturbances in Parkinson's disease

Supported by a grant from the NHMRC. This study is looking for patients with all stages of Parkinson's disease. The study involves spending 3 evenings over the space of a couple of weeks in the BMRI sleep laboratory. For further details please contact: Dr Zoe Terpenning - +61 2 9351 0702 - .

Cognitive Training in Parkinson's disease

This study is looking for patients with Parkinson's disease who feel that they are having problems with their memory. The study involves a 7 week program of 'brain exercises' at the BMRI twice a week aimed at improving your memory. For further details please contact: A/Prof Sharon Naismith - +61 2 9351 0702 - .

The NSW Movement Disorder Brain Donor Program Based at the University of Sydney, Brain and Mind Research Institute (BMRI)

The NSW Movement Disorder Brain Donor Program is for patients with Parkinson's disease or a parkinsonian condition who are willing to participate in clinical research assessments. Normal controls who participate in the same clinical assessments can also enroll in the NSW Movement Disorder Brain Donor Program. For further details please
contact: The Brain Donor Coordinator 9351 0702 - .

In the media

Dr Simon Lewis
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