MrAidan Bindoff

Project Total: $1,006,412; Alzheimers disease (AD) and Parkinsons disease (PD) start damaging the brain 15-20 years before symptoms begin. At the time of diagnosis, AD and PD are hard to treat because the damage is so severe. We need a way to detect AD and PD much earlier. We will develop a simple new computer test to detect early signs of AD and PD by analysing face and eye movements. Then people can start prevention earlier and scientists can research better treatments to improve peoples quality of life. Funded by: National Health & Medical Research CouncilNational Health & Medical Research Council - Grant-Ideas ($2,012,824); University of Tasmania.

Project Total: $22,712; This project will determine the prevalence of Isolated REM Sleep Behaviour Disorder (iRBD) in Tasmania. Up to 90% of people with iRBD will progress to a ND, such as dementia with Lewy Bodies and Parkinson's disease, within 10 years of first diagnosis. This makes iRBD one of the highest risk factors for dementia and other ND. The prevalence of this disorder remains unclear, as few people recognise the significance of iRBD symptoms, and few prevalence studies have been conducted. It is estimated that iRBD affects 2% of the population, but there have never been any prevalence studies in Australia. Participants from the ISLAND Sleep Study will be invited to have a sleep study in their home to confirm a diagnosis of iRBD and will also complete several cognitive-motor-olfactory assessments. This project will identify adults in the Tasmanian community who have iRBD and investigate the cognitive, motor and olfactory characteristics associated with progression to dementia and other neurodegenerative disease. Funded by: Clifford Craig Foundation - Grant ($22,712); University of Tasmania.

Project Total: $23,656; Collect data for re-testing the structure and validity of the Observed Mindfulness Measure, with items in the attentiveness sub-scale re-worded in positive orientation. Conduct psychometric analyses and submit findings for peer review publication. Funded by: Monash University ($23,656); University of Tasmania.

Project Total: $446,957; Alzheimer's disease (AD) starts damaging the brain >10 years before memory problems begin. To reduce dementia incidence, we must detect AD earlier so we can target prevention through early clinical trial recruitment and risk reduction (that could prevent 40% cases). With 10,000 available UTAS research participants and 200 patients from RHH and the community, we aim to develop a test to detect early signs of AD by analysing hand- AND speech- movements using a smartphone and machine learning algorithms. Funded by: Royal Hobart Hospital Research Foundation - Grant-Major Project ($446,957); University of Tasmania.

Project Total: $899,782; Global dementia prevalence is rising. Alzheimer's disease (AD), the most common cause, has devastating effects on people's quality of life. AD has a preclinical (pre-AD) period of 10-20 years when brain pathology silently progresses before any cognitive symptoms appear. Current tests for pre-AD are invasive, costly and unsuitable for screening at population level. If we can't identify people with pre-AD, we can't offer them early interventions. This hinders our strategies to reduce AD prevalence. We will develop a new scalable test (HandTest) by combining two innovative ideas: hand-movement tests to detect pre-AD >10 years before cognitive symptoms begin; and computer vision so people can self-test? online at home. This unique approach builds on the recent discoveries that the posterior cingulate cortex (the first brain region to show abnormalities in pre-AD) is involved in hand-movement control, and that hand-movement patterns change in pre-AD. We will use exquisitely precise computer vision methods to automatically analyse movement data from thousands of participants, who complete the online test by simply opening and closing their hands repeatedly for 5 minutes in front of a standard computer, tablet or smartphone camera. The CI/AI team of experts in hand-movement analysis, pre-AD, computer vision, AD biomarkers and biostatistics has access to 3 well-phenotyped cohorts, >10,000 existing participants and a cutting-edge assay for a blood AD biomarker, ptau181. We will develop a HandTest algorithm to classify hand-movement data for pre-AD risk. In a longitudinal cohort we will determine HandTest's precision to prospectively predict 5-year risks of cognitive decline and AD. This is the critical first step for up-scaling HandTest nationwide via memory clinics of the Australian Dementia Network. With worldwide access to computers, tablets and smartphones increasing, HandTest is scalable globally, potentially transforming dementia prevention and management. Funded by: National Health & Medical Research CouncilNational Health & Medical Research Council - Grant-Ideas ($1,799,564); University of Tasmania.

Project Total: $5,299; This project scopes a research design to develop a method to enhance early detection of cognitive impairment. Funded by: University of Tasmania - Grant-CAL Hothouse Research Enhancement Program; University of Tasmania ($5,299).