A5024689368- Sleep and related disorders
- Tryptophan and brain disorders
- Circadian rhythm and melatonin
- Thermoregulation and physiological responses
- Dementia and Cognitive Impairment Research
- Geriatric Care and Nursing Homes
- Diet and metabolism studies
- Bipolar Disorder and Treatment
- Textile materials and evaluations
- Sleep and Wakefulness Research
- Mental Health and Patient Involvement
- Sleep and Work-Related Fatigue
- Media Influence and Health
- Behavioral Health and Interventions
- Obstructive Sleep Apnea Research
- Cardiac Health and Mental Health
- Advanced Neuroimaging Techniques and Applications
- Peripheral Neuropathies and Disorders
- Psychosomatic Disorders and Their Treatments
- Exercise and Physiological Responses
- Frailty in Older Adults
- Impact of Technology on Adolescents
- Health Policy Implementation Science
- Health, psychology, and well-being
- Mental Health Treatment and Access
The University of Sydney
2012-2025
Center for Health, Exercise and Sport Sciences
2016
We investigated the effectiveness of an Interdisciplinary Home-bAsed Reablement Programme (I-HARP) on improving functional independence, health and well-being people with dementia, family carer outcomes costs. A multicentre pragmatic parallel-arm randomised controlled trial compared I-HARP to usual care in community-dwelling mild moderate dementia their carers Sydney, Australia (2018-2022). is a 4-month, home-based, rehabilitation model delivered by interdisciplinary team. Assessments were...
There were no validation studies on portable sleep devices under different ambient temperature, thus this study evaluated the validity of wrist Actiwatch2 (AW2) or SenseWear armband (SWA) against polysomnography (PSG) in temperatures. Nine healthy young participants (6 males, aged 23.3±4.1 y) underwent nine nights at temperature 17 °C, 22 °C and 29 random order, after an adaptation night. They wore AW2 SWA while being monitored for PSG simultaneously. A linear mixed model indicated that is...
Actigraphy is increasingly used for sleep monitoring. However, there a lack of standardized methodology data processing and analysis, which often makes between study comparisons difficult, if not impossible, thus open to flawed interpretation. This evaluated manual method detection the rest interval in actigraph collected with Actiwatch 2. The (time bed), defined as bedtime rise time set by proprietary software, an essential requirement estimation indices. manually systematically detected...
Recruiting participants for dementia research takes time. For those who are interested, opportunities to participate can be ad hoc. Delays in finding the right result studies taking longer deliver, often requiring funding extensions, and ultimately increasing cost limiting effectiveness of evaluation. To address these issues, a digital platform, StepUp Dementia Research, was developed 2019 evaluated through ongoing data analytics, researcher feedback annual volunteer surveys 2021. Using...
Staging models for youth mental health aim to locate clinical presentations on a spectrum from at-risk states persistent disorder and predict future illness trajectories. Our previous publications trans-diagnostic staging proposed three pathophysiological subgroups of major mood or psychotic disorders in ('hyperarousal-anxious depression', 'circadian-bipolar spectrum', 'neurodevelopmental-psychosis'). This study aims investigate differences objective measures 24hr sleep-wake patterns,...
While circadian disruptions are common in some sub-groups of youth with mood disorders, skin temperature rhythms these cohorts understudied. We examined 24-h wrist emerging exploring associations clinical stage and proposed illness subtypes. Youth ( n = 306, 23.42 ± 4.91 years, 65% females) accessing mental health care 48 healthy controls (23.44 3.38 60% were examined. Skin parameters including rhythm-adjusted mean temperature, inter-daily stability (day-to-day consistency), intra-daily...
Complaints of chronic fatigue lasting weeks or longer are common during adolescence. Little is known about factors associated with in youth mood disorders potential sex-specific associations. 496 young people (mean age = 18.36-years, SD 3.22; 69 % female) seeking help for mental healthcare were assessed on psychological symptoms, lifestyle, and sleep at baseline 12-months later. Fatigue was defined as a score ≥3 the somatic subscale Somatic Psychological Health Report. Logistic regression...
We investigated the prevalence of elevated metabolic and inflammatory risk groups in youth seeking care for emerging mental disorders. Among 124 participants (27.3±5.9 years), we analysed fasting insulin (FI), blood glucose (FBG), homeostasis model assessment resistance (HOMA2-IR), C-reactive Protein (CRP). FI (≥10mU/L) CRP (≥1mg/L) were used to categorise metabolic- or inflammatory-risk groups, demographic/clinical features compared. Inflammatory was common (58% [n=73] with CRP), as (38%...
Abstract: The fibers used in clothing and bedding have different thermal properties. This study aimed to investigate the influences of textile fabrics on sleep under ambient temperature ( T a ) conditions. Seventeen healthy young participants (ten males) underwent nine nights polysomnography testing including an adaptation night. Participants were randomized each three binary factors: sleepwear (cotton vs wool), (polyester (17°C 22°C with relative humidity set at 60%). Skin sk core c...
Sleep disturbance in adults with no health concerns is often linked to the thermal environment. This study assesses impact on sleep quality of sleepwear made from fibers different insulation and hygral properties. randomized cross-over investigated effects cotton, polyester Merino wool aged 50-70 years, at an ambient temperature 30 °C a relative humidity 50%.Thirty-six healthy participants completed four nights polysomnography. Participants were categorized by body mass index as <25 kg·m-2...
Digital game playing engages people for long periods of time. The pleasure offered by digital games may explain the players' consumption this activity. Games elicit both positive and negative emotions, which can be measured encephalography (EEG). EEG alpha asymmetry index (AI) is different in emotions so used to distinguish from that occur during gaming. We hypothesized "Counter-Strike" (CS) (Valve Software, Bellevue, WA) pleasurable demonstrable with a AI.Twelve male participants ages 18-30...
Abstract Protecting brain health is a goal of early intervention. We explored whether sleep quality or chronotype could predict white matter (WM) integrity in emerging mental disorders. Young people ( N = 364) accessing early‐intervention clinics underwent assessments for chronotype, subjective quality, and diffusion tensor imaging. Using machine learning, we examined (alongside diagnostic demographic factors) four measures WM integrity: fractional anisotropy (FA), radial, axial, mean...
Early intervention for premature cardiovascular disease is critical reducing the increased mortality rates associated with major mood and affective disorders. Alongside smoking, a greater emphasis has now been placed on metabolic dysfunction as causal pathway, higher body mass index being proposed key modifiable risk factor. Accordingly, early frameworks currently promote nutritional counselling, lifestyle interventions, medication switching to address factors in youth Yet there limited...
The COVID-19 pandemic, while a major stressor, increased flexibility in sleep-wake schedules.
Much attention in recent years has focused on the extent to which risk of metabolic disturbances, and most fundamentally glucose insulin, are prevalent among those treated for depressive other mood disorders (Osimo et al., 2021; Scott 2019; Tickell 2022). Public concern also increased rates premature mortality with chronic depression major mental disorders, a significant proportion that being due early-onset cardiovascular disease (particularly women). A common assumption is much this...
To examine factors contributing to delaying care home admission; and compare the rates of admission cost consequence between two government subsidised programmes, Veterans' Affairs Community Nursing (VCN) Home Care Package (HCP).Our national, population-based retrospective cohort study analysis used existing, de-identified veterans' claims databases (2010-19) Registry Senior Australians Historical Cohort (2010-17), plus aggregate programme expenditure data. This involved 21,636 VCN clients...
Background: Severe mental disorders are associated with increased risk of metabolic dysfunction. The objective this study was to compare profiles across three proposed pathophysiological subtypes common mood (“hyperarousal-anxious depression”, “circadian-bipolar”, and “neurodevelopmental-psychosis”). Methods: 790 young people (aged 16 25; mean age 20.70 ± 4.91) were recruited from early intervention health services between 2004 2024 assigned disorder subgroups (hyperarousal-anxious...
Abstract Metabolic and inflammatory dysfunction is prevalent in middle-aged people with major mood disorders, but less known about young people. We investigated the trajectories of sensitive metabolic (Homeostatic Model Assessment for Insulin Resistance [HOMA2-IR]) markers (C-reactive protein [CRP]) 155 (26.9 ± 5.6 years) accessing mental health services. examined demographic clinical correlates, longitudinal relationships specific illness subtypes. Additionally, we compared HOMA2-IR fasting...
Abstract There is considerable interest in the role of neuroimmune processes neuropsychiatric presentations among young people seeking mental health, neurological, paediatric and rheumatological services. The increasing availability new immunotherapies, particularly monoclonal antibodies, introduces challenges effectively appropriately selecting candidates for immunotherapies. Neuroimmune-mediated syndromes (NIMNPS) typically include two broad types: i) ‘autoimmune encephalitis’,...
Background: Altered sensitivity to light is a potential mechanism for developing abnormal circadian entrainment. This study investigates the utility of pupillary reflex as method differentiating youth with emerging mood disorders and healthy controls. Methods: ongoing included 58 participants (Mean age=25.86±5.45; 62% Females) aged 14-40 years, seeking mental health care at headspace services in Sydney, 24 controls age =25.21±2.59; 54% Females). Participants underwent 20-min pupillometry...
Abstract Background Delays in finding the right research participants can result studies taking longer to deliver, often requiring funding extensions and ultimately limit effectiveness of evaluation when study samples are insufficient for robust analysis generalisation findings. Recruitment challenges dementia a global issue. Method To improve efficiency participant recruitment efforts research, innovative digital platforms have emerged over past ten years: TrialMatch, Alzheimer's Prevention...
Objective: The Interdisciplinary Home-bAsed Reablement Program (I-HARP) integrates evidence-based rehabilitation strategies into a dementia-specific person-centred, time-limited, home-based, interdisciplinary package. I-HARP was 4-month model of care, incorporated community aged care services and hospital-based geriatric services. involved: 8-10 individually tailored home visits by occupational therapist registered nurse; 2-4 optional other allied health sessions; up to A$1,000 minor...