Binge drinking

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The effect of binge drinking on the teenage brain

WHAT WE KNOW

Binge drinking, defined as five or more drinks for a man or four or more drinks for a woman on one occasion, has become a common and more extreme pattern of drinking among young Australians.

Recognising that adolescence is a critical period for brain development, we are conducting research into how excessive drinking affects the teenage brain. This research will be crucial to informing our alcohol licensing laws and public health advice.

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What else is happening in Binge drinking research at NeuRA?

FEEL THE BUZZ IN THE AIR? US TOO.

The importance of medical research - Professor Peter Schofield AO

On August 11 2019, 54 people took on the City2Surf for Neuroscience Research Australia (NeuRA). The event is the world’s largest fun run with 80,000 participants taking on the 14km course, which stretches from Hyde Park in central Sydney to the iconic Bondi Beach. NeuRA thanks all of its fundraisers, who raised an incredible $30,903.  This funding will further NeuRA’s […]

Gabrielle Hunter
NeuRA BLOG: Team NeuRA at the City2Surf 2019

Your support will mean so much to so many...

On the 22nd October 2008, Jim Demirov’s life changed forever. Jim was passionate about three things: his family, fitness and cars. He adored his two children and devoted wife, had a black belt in karate and ran his own successful mechanic business. But nothing could have prepared him for the heartache and frustration that would follow his diagnosis on that fateful Wednesday. Motor neurone disease (MND) would not only rob Jim of his passions, it would also take his independence and eventually, his life.  
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Researchers uncover key factors that help Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to age well

Abdominal Functional Electrical Stimulation for Orthostatic Hypotension in Spinal Cord Injury

Spinal cord injury (SCI) results in the loss of function to not only voluntary motor control, but also to the regulatory systems that control bodily processes. Orthostatic (postural) hypotension (OH) is a common clinical feature in SCI patients, affecting up to 73% of patients with cervical spine and upper thoracic spine injuries during mobilisation and postural changes. This often results in symptoms of dizziness, light-headedness, fatigue and confusion, in turn limiting individual participation in physical rehabilitation and restricting progress towards regaining function and independence. Therapeutic interventions are centred around ameliorating symptoms of OH; however, options for patients remain limited. Non-pharmacological treatments have had little success at treating hypotension in the long-term, while pharmacological interventions are used only when necessary as they may contribute to hypertension and even worsen episodes of autonomic dysreflexia, a life-threatening condition. Functional Electrical Stimulation (FES) is one of the only interventions that has been shown to display some benefit in improving OH. Recently, stimulation of the lower limbs has been shown to acutely increase blood pressure in patients with SCI. Our recent projects have involved the use of FES applied over the abdominal muscles, termed abdominal FES, for SCI patients at risk of respiratory complications with promising results. As this same population is at risk of orthostatic hypotension, this study aims to determine whether abdominal stimulation can also be used to help this condition. Based on our previous research, we believe that abdominal FES will increase blood pressure acutely during an orthostatic challenge in individuals with acute spinal cord injury, allowing for a longer time spent in a standing position. This will facilitate more effective rehabilitation, therefore improving quality of life and decreasing associated medical complications.
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