Li Transformative Hub for Research in Eating Disorders (THRED)

On Sunday night the Her Centre Australia and Monash University celebrated the launch of the Li Transformative Hub for Research in Eating Disorders (THRED). This research program will target biological causes and possible new treatments including novel drugs, brain stimulation and hormones.

HER Centre Australia Director Professor Jayashri Kulkarni AM said: “Over the past 60 years there has not been any real change in how treatments for eating disorders, which cover a spectrum ranging from various disordered patterns of eating to anorexia nervosa, have been delivered.

“We need a new approach. We want to provide a better understanding of why eating disorders occur and how to treat them from a biological perspective. We will do this by conducting clinical trials that will investigate possible treatments. These trials will be informed by investigation into the biological abnormalities that underpin eating disorders.”

Researchers from the HER Centre and the Department of Neuroscience in Monash’s Central Clinical School will work collaboratively to conduct clinical trials of new treatment approaches for serious eating disorders, and hopefully deliver more effective treatment options.

Pause for thought: Taking the lead in women’s mental health

Whether it’s debilitating periods or depression during menopause, women with mental health problems are told to grin and bear it as their crushing emotions are “simply nature taking its course”.

But what we now know, and science has told us, is that many women of all ages are living with mental illnesses that may be related to female hormones and/or other unique parts of their biology.

See Monash Lens story featuring Professor Jayashri Kulkarni, published 20 October.

HER Centre Australia takes the lead in women’s mental health

L-R: A/Prof Caroline Gurvich, Prof Jayashri Kulkarni, Ms
Mariska Meldrum and Ms Jo Stanley at the HER centre launch

Women’s mental illness will get the recognition it deserves at HER Centre Australia, the nation's most innovative centre that integrates health services, education and research in women's mental health.

HER Centre Australia conducts research, treats women and improves awareness about women’s mental health issues occurring at all ages. The centre was officially launched on 20 October at a free public lecture at the Melbourne Town Hall. 

New HER Australia Centre for women's mental health education and research

Prof Jayashri Kulkarni leading a team meeting

HER Centre Australia, established as a formal Monash University Centre in 2022 stands for Health, Education, and Research in Women's Mental Health. For more information about HER Centre Australia, visit the HER Centre Australia website - www.monash.edu/her-centre

Save the date (20 October) for Professor Jayashri's public lecture to launch the centre and focus on why women's mental health education and research is so important.

Why depression in women is so misunderstood

Identifying and treating menopausal depression is needed,
Professor Jayashri Kulkarni argues in her Nature Outlook essay

Professor Jayashri Kulkarni has published an essay in Nature Outlook, asking why depression in women is so misunderstood. The focus in this essay is on menopausal depression. She says it takes a huge toll, but is not widely recognised or adequately funded and is under-researched.

Professor Kulkarni writes, "Improving outcomes for people with menopause-related depression requires some significant changes. 

"Most importantly, psychiatrists and other mental-health practitioners who treat women in their 40s and 50s need to enquire about menopause at the outset of treatment, and be willing to prescribe hormone therapies. 

"In addition, clinicians and health-care students alike need to be better educated about this phase of women’s lives. A big part of clinicians’ reluctance to prescribe HRT for menopausal depression is the lack of knowledge about menopause — particularly how it affects the brain."

Read the essay: www.nature.com/articles/d41586-022-02213-w

Review reinforces link between contraceptive pill and depression

Progestin based hormonal contraceptive pills can tip vulnerable
women into depression, review shows

by Anne Crawford

For some time, Monash Central Clinical School psychiatrist Professor Jayashri Kulkarni has treated women telling her they had developed depression since being prescribed certain oral contraception or that their existing depression had become out of control.

There’s convincing evidence the pill can cause depression, and some types are worse than others

Jayashri Kulkarni, Monash University

Since the 1960s, “the pill” has been a popular choice of contraception for many women around the world. On February 1 1961, Australia became the second country in the world to enable access to the pill, thereby allowing women to have control over their fertility and separate sexual activity from reproduction, a major revolution.

Today, the pill is the most popular choice of contraception for Australian women.

The early pills caused many physical side effects such as nausea, vomiting and increased rates of blood clots – which were significant and concerning.

While newer generations of the pill have generally been improved in terms of physical side effects and safety overall, a neglected area of consideration is the impact of the pill on mood.

Read the complete original article published 9 June 2022 in The Conversation 

Investing in AI and mental health: training our future graduates

The Women's Mental Health Clinic (WMHC) in CCS's Department

of Psychiatry is one of the collaborating members of the successful

 bid for the CSIRO Next Generation Graduates Program

With strong support from industry and in partnership with Monash Data Futures Institute, the Faculty of IT at Monash University will be leading and contributing to three projects in CSIRO Data61’s Next Gen Graduates Programs – ready to deliver critical skills in artificial intelligence (AI) and emerging tech.

The cohort-based, industry-driven, cross-disciplinary training program focuses on expanding the pipeline of homegrown, job-ready graduates to unlock the immense economic opportunities offered by AI and emerging technologies.

MRFF funding for psychedelic psychotherapy in treatment-resistant depression

Psilocybin is a naturally derived psychedelic that can

potentially assist people with treatment-resistant depression.
Image: ACS

The Medical Research Future Fund Clinical Trials Activity Initiative has awarded $2.7M for Innovative Therapies for Mental Illness to a Monash University-led team, to evaluate the efficacy of psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy in treatment-resistant depression.   

Gemma Sharp finalist for Bupa Emerging Health Researcher Award

Dr Gemma Sharp is a tireless community advocate,
and is also a co-host for 3RRR "Radiotherapy"

Congratulations to Dr Gemma Sharp who is an NHMRC Early Career Fellow and clinical psychologist in the Central Clinical School's Department of Psychiatry. She was one of only five national finalists for the Bupa Emerging Health Researcher Award. 

Dr Sharp was nominated by her supervisor and Head of Psychiatry, Professor Jayashri Kulkarni, for her significant contribution to the field of body image and eating disorder clinical research in her short career. 

R U OK?

Monash University's mental health experts Professor Craig Hassed OAM, Professor Jayashri Kulkarni AM and Dr Katherine Lawrence share insights on R U OK? Day - the second year it will be held during a COVID-19 lockdown period in Victoria that has forced people into isolation. 

See full story.

Unpacking the pathologising of plant-based diet followers

Vegetarians and vegans might be dietary abstainers, but that
doesn't make their eating pathological.

Courtney McLean is a PhD student supervised by Dr Gemma Sharp and Professor Jayashri Kulkarni in CCS's Department of Psychiatry. Courtney's focus of research is on eating disorders.

They have recently published a paper investigating the commonly endorsed notion that meat avoidance is a precursor to the development of eating disorders. They argue that this notion, common though it might be, is not based on strong evidence. 

They write that since the 1980s, vegetarian/vegan-focused research has been varied, often contradictory, and scarce, supporting the notion that commonly used diagnostic eating disorder questionnaires may be detecting and pathologising normal vegetarian- and  vegan-related eating behaviours.

25 Nov event: From the Front Line: Rethinking mental health treatment and personalised care

Register here for 25 Nov webinar on mental health treatment

From the Front Line: Rethinking mental health treatment and personalised care

Monash University is hosting a panel discussion on Australia’s significant health challenge: Mental Health on Wednesday 25 November 11.30am - 12.30 pm. See more about the event below.

Register here

Schizophrenia outcomes may be improved by repurposed drug

A clinical trial is recruiting women with schizophrenia

A study by Monash University researchers has found that a drug used in the treatment of osteoporosis may help improve symptoms of schizophrenia. 

 

Professor Jayashri Kulkarni, Monash University, Central Clinical School, pioneered the use of estrogens in the treatment of schizophrenia and has conducted ground-breaking research in this area for the past 25 years. She and colleague Professor Suresh Sundram at the School of Clinical Sciences at Monash Health, are leading an ongoing clinical trial of a new type of ‘brain estrogen’ called a Selective Estrogen Receptor Modulator (SERM). 

 

Bazedoxifene is the new SERM being trialled and early results show improvement in schizophrenia symptoms.

Is COVID-19 reshaping the Australian psyche?

by Professor Jayashri Kulkarni
reproduced from Lens 9 Sept 2020

Perhaps one of the unexpected impacts of COVID-19 on Australians is a reshaping of our national psyche. We've seen a rise in mental ill health, with greater numbers of people experiencing anxiety and depression due to the impacts of the pandemic.

Women, the elderly and the vulnerable are particularly experiencing more mental health problems. However, the community’s response has not been to ignore this and say, "She’ll be right, mate", but to insist on greater resources for Australians struggling with mental ill health.

COVID and women's mental health: Professor Jayashri Kulkarni

Professor Jayashri Kulkarni's public lecture on COVID and
women's mental health. Video 1:02:38

Women's mental health needs looking after more than ever in the time of COVID, as Professor Jayashri Kulkarni explains in this public lecture. Professor Kulkarni is Director of Monash Alfred Psychiatry Research Centre (MAPrc) and Head of the Monash Department of Psychiatry in Central Clinical School. Find out more: www.maprc.org.au/
 
If you are interested in learning more about women's mental health, MAPrc have launched a short course with the first module focusing on "Adolescence". See 42:05 in the video or more detail and registration here: www.monash.edu/healthed-institute/short-courses/womens-mental-health

Women's Mental Health short course now open for registrations!

Professor Jayashri Kulkarni heads the research
team involved in developing the new Women's
Mental Health short course. Prof Kulkarni is also
giving a public lecture Wed 24 June on COVID
& Women's Mental Health. Register for lecture

Monash Alfred Psychiatry Research Centre's Women's Mental Health Division is a world leader in the subject of women's mental health. The research team, headed by Professor Jayashri Kulkarni, has developed an online short course with four modules: Adolescence, Perinatal, Midlife and Aged. Each module will be released for purchase separately. Register here

The short course is designed for health professionals working with women across the lifespan, and is especially relevant to general practitioners, obstetricians/ gynaecologists and psychiatrists. The content draws on the latest in psychoneuroendocrine research.

Public Lecture: COVID and Women's Mental Health

Professor Jayashri Kulkarni
Photo: "Women" by
Sam Burke & Rebecca Umlauf

Women's mental health needs looking after more than ever in the time of COVID, as Professor Jayashri Kulkarni will explain in a forthcoming public lecture, on Wednesday 24 June. Jayashri is Director of Monash Alfred Psychiatry Research Centre (MAPrc) and Head of the Monash Department of Psychiatry in Central Clinical School. Register now or learn more below.

• Lecture Title: COVID and Women's Mental Health
• Date: Wed 24 June at 12.30pm
• Length of session:60 minutes including questions
• Cost: Free
• Link to register and receive Zoom link for event

Predicting the pandemic’s psychological toll: why suicide modelling is so difficult

Prof Jayashri Kulkarni explores why suicide modelling is so difficult
in her Conversation article

by Professor Jayashri Kulkarni
reproduced from The Conversation 29 May 2020

We’ve recently heard experts raise concerns about a looming mental health crisis, warning COVID-19’s psychological toll on Australians could be like a second wave of the pandemic.

Sex and ageing; it's complicated!

Women and men age differently, and the

interplay of factors is complex

by Anne Crawford

It's well known that women tend to live longer than men. But how does their sex affect the way women and men age?

Monash Alfred Psychiatry Research Centre (MAPrc) researchers were invited to review the evidence on this for a chapter in a recently published book about ageing produced by Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology.