World first Australian and New Zealand trial of cannabidiol transdermal gel for the most common hard-to-treat epilepsy type in adults

Professor Terry O'Brien has led a trial using transdermal CBD gel
in adults with focal epilepsy. After 6 months of treatment, over half
the patients experienced a 50%+ reduction in seizures. JAMA study

Medicinal cannabis-based treatments are emerging as promising complementary approaches to improving seizure control in patients with difficult to treat epilepsy. In 2018 the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the use of a prescription cannabidiol medicine for the treatment of two rare epilepsy diseases that cause treatment resistant seizures, Lennox-Gastaut Syndrome and Dravet syndrome, that predominantly affect children. 

Scientists expose the lethal link between irregular heartbeats and epilepsy

How it works: an implanted cardiac monitor records continuous ECG data, which is transmitted during follow-up visits at the cardiology clinic. The data are reviewed together with patient-reported seizures, giving a detailed clinical picture for tailoring preventive treatment. Schematic image: Dr Shobi Sivathamboo

Funding boost for imaging agent research in disease diagnostics

Positron emission CT scan of Human Brain.
Utthapon Wiratepsupon/Shutterstock.com

The Commonwealth Government’s Global Innovation Linkages Program has invested $1 million to establish a Research & Development manufacturing hub for the production and commercialisation of new [18F]-PET imaging agents, as part of a collaboration being led by Monash University, including researchers from Central Clinical School's Department of Neuroscience. Program partner Cyclotek (Aust) Pty Ltd has contributed $600,000 to this project.

See Monash story

Looks like epilepsy but isn’t: The disease that is deadly, largely undiagnosed and untreated

One in four people admitted to hospital for uncontrolled seizures 
do not have epilepsy. Image: Shutterstock

One in four people who are tested for epilepsy do not have the disease, but instead have a psychological condition called psychogenic non-epileptic seizures (PNES).

Today (21 July) in the prestigious journal, Neurology, Monash researchers explain the disease, which if it goes undetected can be deadly.

CCS wins $9M of MRFF Neurological Disorders grants

L-R: Prof Terry O'Brien, Dr Mastura Monif,
Prof Tomas Corcoran (UWA/SPHPM) and Professor Paul Myles

Congratulations to Central Clinical School researchers, Professor Terry O'Brien, Dr Mastura Monif and Professor Paul Myles, who jointly with School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine researcher Professor Tomas Corcoran have won approximately $9M of grants under the 2019 MRFF RCRDUN Neurological Disorders Mission 2020. The initiative had a total of $21.8M on offer nationwide as announced by Minister for Health Greg Hunt on 25 June 2020. See detail below.

MRFF funding allows testing of frontotemporal dementia drug

Tony Hughes and his wife Ann, who shared their story about
frontotemporal dementia with The Age

The Department of Neuroscience featured in The Age recently following funding for a phase II trial to explore the efficacy of sodium selenate at slowing the progression of dementia. The trial is funded by a Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF) grant that was announced as part of a $1.6 million suite of grants from the Federal government.

Sodium selenate is a relatively inexpensive drug that Professor Terence O'Brien believes may help slow the progression of frontotemporal dementia, which can cause behavioural and personality changes.

Successful ARC grant for Australia's first Magnetic Particle Imaging facility

"What you see is what you've got". In MPI (far left), SPIO tracers
are bright, not dark, and can be accurately quantified.
Main advantages of MPI over other imaging modalities:
(A) no background signal similar to PET but without the use of radiation,
(B) no tissue signal attenuation as seen with fluorescence imaging, and
(C) no image artefacts as seen in MRI. Image derived from Zheng et al

In the most recent round of Australian Research Council (ARC) grants Monash University was the most successful institution in Victoria.

Professor Terry O'Brien, Head of the Department of Neuroscience and Associate Professor Christoph Hagemeyer, head of the NanoBiotechnology Laboratory at the Australian Centre for Blood Diseases at the Central Clinical School are Chief Investigators on an $898,450 LEIF grant to establish the first Magnetic Particle Imaging (MPI) facility in Australia. The lead investigator is Professor Gary Egan, Director of  Monash Biomedical Imaging.

Video playlist of the week: Neuroscience research

The recent opening of the Department of Neuroscience sees a bevy of talented researchers conducting innovative research at the Central Clinical School. A theme running through descriptions of the  research being conducted by the Department of Neuroscience is that it is "translational" and "patient-centred". The department hopes to translate the knowledge gained from lab analysis of samples, such as blood and spinal fluids, from bench to bedside. The video playlist features Dr Mastura Monif, Prof Patrick Kwan, Prof Terry O'Brien and Dr David Wright. See more:

Video playlist: www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL77QJnB61-H7rR7u0ZVhwYmeSfaIN17m4

Photo album: photos.app.goo.gl/9TbgT3dCfve6K9fz6

Neuroscience department research groups: www.monash.edu/medicine/ccs/neuroscience/research

Monash-Alfred's Department of Neuroscience rising star

2018 O’Brien (epilepsy, neuropharmacology) group. Professor
Terry O'Brien in the back row on the far left.

by Anne Crawford

In late August a new force in Australian neuroscience will be officially launched - Monash University’s Department of Neuroscience will be the only department of its kind in an Australian university.

Partnered with Alfred Health, arguably Australia’s number one teaching hospital, the Department of Neuroscience has a team of more than 140 staff and students, and 19 groups researching different brain diseases, with a heavy focus on translational research. More than 20 clinical trials are already underway.

Professor Terry O’Brien receives the Ambassador for Epilepsy award

Professor Terry O'Brien presenting at the
2017 Translational Research Symposium

Congratulations to Professor Terry O’Brien, who has been awarded the Ambassador for Epilepsy Award, for the Australian chapter, from the International League Against Epilepsy (ILAE)! The award recognises international contributions to activities advancing the cause of epilepsy.

Professor O’Brien was presented the award on September 2, at a ceremony held in Barcelona.

Neurological research champions celebrated by Bethlehem Griffiths Research Foundation

Professor Terry O'Brien (left) receiving his
medal from Professor Stephen Davis,
previous BGRF medal winner.

This year’s Bethlehem Griffiths Research Foundation (BGRF) Medal has been awarded to Professor Terence O’Brien in recognition of his internationally-acclaimed research that has transformed the lives of many people with epilepsy as well as traumatic brain injury, dementias and brain tumours.

Patients with difficult to control, drug-resistant epilepsy now have access to more effective treatment options, including surgery, and a better understanding of the adverse effects of long-term medication use. Women with epilepsy have also benefited and now have better information about minimising the risk of medication on their unborn child while maximising the chance of seizure control.

Welcome to Professor Terry O'Brien, new joint Head of Departments of Neuroscience & Medicine

Professor Terry O'Brien, new Head of
Neurosciences and Medicine at CCS

Welcome to Professor Terence (Terry) O’Brien, who takes on several roles at the Alfred Campus in the Central Clinical School and at the Alfred as of October 2017:

• Van Cleef Roet Professor of Medicine (Neurology)
• Head, Departments of Neuroscience and Medicine
• Deputy Head, Central Clinical School, Monash University 
• Director of Neurology, Alfred Health

The specialist areas of the neurosciences department will be investigation of neurological, neuroscience, neurobehavioural, pharmacological and imaging with respect to cognition and various brain disorders including epilepsy, neuroinflammation, neurodegenerative diseases, brain tumours, stroke and traumatic brain injury. See more about the Department of Neuroscience's research areas from their Bachelor of Medical Science (Honours) projects on offer.

For more information contact Ms Mary Ljubanovic, Terry's EA:
Email: Mary.Ljubanovic@monash.edu, ph +61 3 99030304

Translational Research Symposium Speaker Spotlight - Professor Terence O'Brien

Professor Terence O'Brien

Monash University's 3rd annual Translational Research Symposium is being hosted by its three metropolitan clinical schools on 31 July 2017. The symposium will host a diverse group of medical researchers presenting their work into translational research. RSVP here.

Professor Terence O'Brien is from the Department of Medicine, The Royal Melbourne and Western Hospital, at The University of Melbourne.