Participate In Research

Semaglutide, more commonly known as Ozempic, is a drug that has been shown to reduce blood sugar (glucose) levels in people with type 2 diabetes and is used widely today. It is a member of the GLP-1 receptor agonist class of drug. Semaglutide once weekly formulation is approved for use in Australia and involves administration of one injection under the skin (subcutaneously) once a week.

Postprandial hypotension (a significant fall in blood pressure within 2 hours of eating a meal) is an important clinical condition. It occurs frequently in older individuals and may lead to faints and falls. There is currently no optimal treatment.

We have shown that the fall in blood pressure after a meal is directly related to how

quickly the stomach empties a meal and that slowing the rate of stomach emptying can reduce this fall. Recent studies have shown that ‘semaglutide once weekly (QW)’ slows the rate of stomach emptying, however, few studies have evaluated the effects on stomach emptying using the 'gold standard' technique of scintigraphy and there is no information about the effects of semaglutide on changes in blood pressure after eating.

This study aims to determine whether semaglutide once weekly has the potential to be an effective treatment for postprandial hypotension.

This is an investigator-initiated study. Funding has been provided by a grant from The Hospital Research Foundation.

Eligibility requirements

We seek male and female participants aged between 65 and 80 years who are in general good health and do not have diabetes. Study participants are required to attend the Clinical Research Facility at the Adelaide Health and Medical Sciences Building on North Terrace.  

Eligible participants are studied over a 13-week period. Participants will have their blood pressure and rate of stomach emptying measured, using a non-invasive technique, in Weeks 1 and 13 and attend for weekly injections of semaglutide or placebo from Week 2 to Week 12.

Contact

To register your interest in taking part in this study, please contact the Study Co-ordinator.

Ms Seva Hatzinikolas
Study co-ordinator
Phone: 0402 593 400
Email: researchdiabetes@adelaide.edu.au

The EndoChill Trial: Using breath, meditation and cold-water immersion to treat endometriosis pain

This pilot study will evaluate a novel, drug-free method to treat endometriosis pain in terms of its safety, effectiveness, and practicality. The method involves a combination of breathing exercises, meditation, and cold-water immersion in the form of an ice bath. To determine whether the method may be useful for people with endometriosis pain, it will measure the following before, during and after intervention:

1. How often the method is used (self-report)
2. Size of endometriosis lesions (ultrasound)
3. Pelvic pain and endometriosis symptoms (self-report)
4. Overall wellbeing (self-report)
5. Systemic inflammation (blood test)

Current treatments for endometriosis pain are ineffective or unsuitable for many people. Therefore, it is necessary to trial new and/or alternative therapies. To address this need, the present study will evaluate the usefulness of a novel, drug-free method to treat endometriosis pain.

Trial Overview (Maximum time commitment is 6 months)

Baseline phase (1-6 weeks):

Participants will record details of their pelvic pain and endometriosis symptoms each day via an app on their mobile device (approx. 10 mins per day). They will also have one ultrasound to measure their endometriosis lesions (approx. one hour), one blood test to measure systemic inflammation (approx. 10 mins), and complete a set of surveys on their overall wellbeing (approx. 30 mins).

Intervention phase (12 weeks):

Participants will attend one training workshop to learn the breathing, meditation, and cold-water immersion techniques (approx. 3 hours). They will then perform the breathing and meditation exercises at home as often as they like (approx. 30 mins per session). A supervised cold-water immersion (ice bath) will be available twice per week at the study location for participants to use as desired (approx. 20 mins per session). At these optional sessions, they will also be able to practice the breathing and meditation techniques with the trainer. Participants will record their use of the method via an app on their mobile device (approx. 5 mins per session). They will also continue to record their pelvic pain and endometriosis symptoms daily (approx. 10 mins per day). At the middle (6 weeks) and end (12 weeks) of this study phase, participants will have a second and third blood test to measure systemic inflammation (approx. 10 mins), and complete a second and third set of surveys on their overall wellbeing (approx. 30 mins).

Follow-up phase (8 weeks):

Participants will continue to perform the method as often as they like (approx. 30 mins per session, excluding an ice bath), recording their activity via an app on their mobile device (approx. 5 mins per session). They will also continue to record their pelvic pain and endometriosis symptoms daily (approx. 10 mins per day). At the end of this study phase (8 weeks), participants will have a second ultrasound to measure their endometriosis lesions (approx. one hour), a fourth blood test to measure systemic inflammation (approx. 10 mins), and complete a fourth set of surveys on their overall wellbeing (approx. 30 mins).

This study has been approved by the Bellberry Human Research Ethics Committee (HREC) and The University of Adelaide’s HREC (approval number 2024-09-1158). The trial has also been registered with the Australian and New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry (ACTRN1264000950561p).

Eligibility Requirements

This study is open to residents of South Australia that meet the following eligibility criteria:

• Have been diagnosed or given a suspected diagnosis of endometriosis
• Aged 18 years or older
• Regularly experience pelvic pain and other endometriosis symptoms
• Endometriosis lesions are visible on ultrasound (this can be arranged with the study team if unknown)

In addition to the above, you will be ineligible to participate if you:

• Have a condition incompatible with cold-water immersion (e.g., coronary heart disease)
• Are pregnant or are planning pregnancy during the trial
• Have had surgery for endometriosis in the past 12 months
• Are planning to have surgery for endometriosis during the trial

Contact details

For further information, or if you would like to participate in this research, please contact The EndoChill Trial coordinators, Dr Kelsi Dodds and Mr Josh Woenig, by emailing: endochill@adelaide.edu.au. 

Women who experience complications of pregnancy (such as high blood pressure, diabetes during pregnancy, delivering preterm and delivering a small for gestational age baby) are more likely to develop heart disease in the future when compared to women who do not experience a complication of pregnancy. Therefore, we understand that it is very important to provide women with support as early as possible after pregnancy to help slow down or stop the onset of heart disease. We also know that pregnancy complications and heart disease can also be affected by immune cells in the body, and we believe that the link between developing pregnancy complications and future heart disease involves the function of the immune system.

Our study aims to understand the link between heart health following a pregnancy complication and the immune system 6 months after having a baby.

We are looking for mums who had an uncomplicated pregnancy who have recently had their baby to take part in a study about heart health after pregnancy, to form a control cohort. Looking at differences between those with pregnancy complications and controls at the same time point provides a more accurate understanding of these systems between affected and non-affected individuals, providing more meaningful results that we can translate into our clinical practice. 

Eligibility criteria

• Had no pregnancy complications (e.g. gestational diabetes, high blood pressure in pregnancy or during delivery, delivering preterm and/or a small baby and placental abruption)
• You live in the northern Adelaide area (including Gawler, Gawler Plains and Barossa)  
• Your baby is less than 6 months old.

This study involves

• A 40 minute appointment at The University of Adelaide precinct at the Lyell McEwin Hospital.
• Answering basic questions about lifestyle, medical history and diet and exercise.
• A pre-appointment, bulk billed blood test to look at cardiovascular markers (e.g. blood sugar, cholesterol). A copy of the results will be forwarded back to your GP.
• Measurements on the day including blood pressure, taking a photo of the eye to visualise the blood vessels, and providing a small sample of blood to look at immune cells in the body.

Participants will receive clinical resources on post-pregnancy healthy living and exercise tailored to mums, and a $50.00 voucher for their involvement in the study.

If you are interested, please fill out the online expression of interest form and one of the study research team will be in contact with you.

Contact details

Maleesa Pathirana
Phone: 8133 2134 or 0403 220 812
Email: maleesa.pathirana@adelaide.edu.au

Have you had a stroke and have pain? We want to hear from you about your experience of pain after stroke and your thoughts or experiences of mind-body therapies.

Ongoing pain after stroke can be challenging, with limited available or effective treatments. We know for some people with pain that mind-body therapies (such as relaxation, yoga, mindfulness, meditation, hypnosis) can be useful, but not enough is known about these therapies for people with pain after stroke. We want to know about your experience of pain after stroke and your thoughts and/or experiences of mind-body therapies.

Join us for a one-on-one interview, conducted via Zoom (or if requested and possible face-to-face), to share your experience of pain after stroke, and tell us about your thoughts on mind-body therapies. 

Eligibility criteria

You are eligible to participate if you meet all of the following:  

• You are at least 18 years of age or older
• You have persistent pain (pain lasting or recurring for longer than 3 months) after having had a stroke
• You speak fluent English, and consider your speech and language suitable to understand and answer interview questions
• You can understand the Participant Information Sheet and provide informed consent
• You live in Australia in the community (not low or high level care)
• You are willing to participate in an online interview (approximately 1 hour) (or face-to-face if requested and possible).

Your participation may help discover ways to better support people with persistent pain after stroke.

A $30 gift card will be available for participants.

Contact details

For further information, or if you would like to participate, please contact:

Nicole Prideaux
Email: nicole.prideaux@adelaide.edu.au
Phone:  08 8313 3697

This study has been reviewed and approved by the Human Research Ethics Committee, H-2023-271, The University of Adelaide.

This study aims to investigate the experiences of underserved people and communities with a long-term illness, and their carers, in South Australia, to determine how we can better support individuals to access end-of-life care. This study is proudly funded by The Hospital Research Foundation Group.

What am I being invited to do?

Researchers from the University of Adelaide, Flinders University and the University of South Australia are speaking with people with a life-limiting illness, every 3 or so months (until 2026), for around 90 minutes. Interviews can be either face to face, or online. During the interview, you will be asked about your life, particularly around your experiences of your health diagnosis and any health challenges. We are interviewing people with a life-limiting illness, as well as their carers, either together or separately, or a combination of both. We are also interested in speaking with either individuals or their carers alone, if this suits you and your family best. Participants will receive two $100 gift cards as a token of appreciation for their time, presented at our first and last meetings.

Eligibility requirements

You may be eligible to participate in this study if you:

• are 18+ years
• living in South Australia (metropolitan or rural)
• live with a life-limiting illness (e.g. doctors have told you they can no longer treat your illness)
• identify with one or more of the following backgrounds: culturally and linguistically diverse, impacted by low socio-economic backgrounds, living in a rural area.

OR, people who are carers of these individuals

Contact details for registrations of interest

For further information about this study, please visit our website or email pcrc@adelaide.edu.au. If you would like to participate in the study, please contact:

Dr Georgia Rowley (CALD participants)
Email: georgia.rowley@adelaide.edu.au
Phone: 0468 571 630

Dr Karen Nobes (lower SES participants)
Email: karen.nobes@flinders.edu.au
Phone: 0405 472 691

Shannen van der Kruk (rural participants)
Email: shannen.vanderKruk@unisa.edu.au
Phone: 0422 707 007

As we get older, the way we move changes, and this can make it harder to do everyday activities like lifting objects, holding keys or cutlery, or standing up from a chair. However, the extent to which this occurs varies a lot between people; understanding what allows some people to retain a lot of motor function as they get older may allow us to help those that lose motor function faster. This project will look at how changes in the brain’s electrical activity (for example ‘brain waves’) contribute to the retention of motor function as we age.

Participants will be required to attend two sessions. The first will be held at the Neurophysiology of Human Movement Laboratories on Level 4 of the Helen Mayo South Building (Frome Road, Adelaide CBD). This will last approximately 2 - 3 hours and involve performance of a motor task while we record your brain activity with painless and non-invasive techniques. The second session will be held at the Clinical Research and Imaging Centre, located in the South Australian Health and Medical Research Centre (SAHMRI). This will last approximately 30 mins and involve imaging of your brain with MRI. Participants will receive a $45 honorarium for each successful session they complete.

Eligibility requirements

You may be eligible to participate in this study if you:

• are aged 18-40 or over 60 years
• are right handed
• have no history of neurological impairments (e.g. epilepsy) or brain injury
• are not using medications that affect neurological function (e.g. antidepressants, sedatives, antipsychotics)
• do not have a cardiac pacemaker

Contact details for registrations of interest

For further information, or if you would like to participate, please contact:

Ekaterina Voevodina
Email: ekaterina.voevodina@adelaide.edu.au

Dr George Opie
Email: george.opie@adelaide.edu.au

This research project is about young adult survivors of childhood cancer who experience ‘chemobrain’. ‘Chemobrain’ can include effects on everyday functions such as memory, learning and decision making. The aim of this research is to explore the experiences of young adult survivors of childhood cancer who experience ‘chemobrain’ and explore the past and current impacts it has had.

Read the Participant Information Sheet.

Eligibility criteria

You may be eligible if you meet the following criteria:

• you are between the age of 18 and 25 years old
• you have a previous diagnosis of childhood cancer under the age of 18
• you completed chemotherapy treatment, of any type or any duration, at least 6 months ago
• you are currently in remission or cancer-free
• you experience self-reported or clinically diagnosed cognitive issues following treatment (e.g., memory or attention issues)
• you reside in Australia and speak English fluently

You will not be eligible to participate if you,

• have a diagnosed learning disability prior to cancer diagnosis and treatment
• have a diagnosis of a neurological disorder
• are not fluent in English

What am I being invited to do?

You are being invited to participate in a one-on-one online Zoom interview. Prior to the interview, you will need to complete a short survey.

Once your survey is received you will be contacted to set up a time for the interview, if eligible.

A copy of the interview themes will be provided to you ahead of time. During the interview you will be asked about your past and current experiences of ‘chemobrain’, your experience with accessing support, and, if provided, where you believe more support needs to be implemented. Participants may choose to have a support person, such as family or a friend, present during the interviews for support.

Contact details

For further information, or if you would like to participate, please contact:

Miss Ines Semendric 
Email: cc_survivors@adelaide.edu.au.

Current surgical decision pathways rely heavily on x-rays to determine whether or not a child with a hip condition needs surgery. However, x-ray cannot always accurately represent the 3-dimensional shape of the hip and further, cannot predict hip function.

In this study, we want to investigate the use of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in taking images of still (static) and moving (dynamic) hips alongside gait analysis – wherein we record walking patterns and look at how joints and muscles move – to measure hip function in normal walking.

The aims of this study are to:

• Compare hip shapes in children/adolescents with hip conditions who have been recommended further surgery to those who have not, and to a group of children/adolescents without hip conditions
• Compare walking patterns (including speed, hip flexion, muscle activation patterns) in the same groups of children/adolescents
• Investigate the clinical use of information gained from dynamic movement in the MRI scanner

We hope that the results of this study could help us to better understand the changes in hip shape and function in children with hip conditions, and better determine which children will benefit from surgery.

What do participants have to do?

• Complete a 60-minute gait assessment at the Clinical Research Facility, Adelaide Health and Medical Sciences building, North Terrace, Adelaide
• Complete a 45-minute MRI assessment at Dr Jones and Partners, SAHMRI
• Both the participant and their parent or guardian will be asked to complete a questionnaire regarding the participant’s general health and function in daily life

Eligibility requirements:

You or your child may be eligible to participate if you/they are:

• Aged between 4 and 17 years (inclusive)
• Able to understand instructions given in written or spoken English
• Able to undergo an MRI assessment (check contra-indications for MRI here)
• Have not previously had a surgery on any part of the leg (e.g., knee, ankle, hip), and have not been injured within the last month
• Have not been diagnosed with any congenital, neurological, or musculoskeletal condition which affects the way they walk, or the way their bones develop. This includes developmental dysplasia of the hip, cerebral palsy, or muscular dystrophy, for example.

Contact details for more Information

If you are interested and would like to learn more about the study, please contact Matilda Krywanio, or register your interest via the REDCap survey.

Phone: +61 (08) 8313 0821

Email: matilda.krywanio@adelaide.edu.au

We are seeking children and parents to participate in a study assessing children’s emotion recognition and production abilities. This research is being conducted through the Develop Well laboratory at the University of Adelaide. If you are interested in participating, please see below.

Eligibility requirements: 

Your child must be aged 7 - 10 years, and their parent aged 18 + years. You and your child must speak proficient English. 

Contact Details for Registrations of Interest: 

If you are interested in participating, please complete this form.

For additional information, please contact Imogen Holdsworth.

What is the purpose of the trial?

The use of low-calorie (or “non-nutritive”) sweeteners has increased greatly in recent decades because they are perceived as healthy replacements for sugar. However, large population studies suggest that regular intake of these sweeteners can increase the risk of developing type 2 diabetes. This study is designed to investigate whether different low-calorie sweeteners are more or less prone to affect blood glucose control. We will also test which sweeteners affect glucose absorption from the intestine, and whether they alter the types and amount of bacteria present in the intestine.

Upon completion of our study (Approx. 5 week duration from beginning to end with four half day study visits), participants will receive an honorarium of up to $350 via EFT transfer.

Eligibility requirements

• have not been diagnosed with any form of heart disease or diabetes
• no significant health issues or medications that that may influence gastrointestinal motor function, body weight or appetite
• no kidney, liver or iron deficiencies
• aged 18-70, healthy, BMI 189-30kg/m2
• smokes less than 10 cigarettes a day
• not pregnant, breastfeeding

Contact details for registrations of interest

For further information, or if you would like to participate, please contact: Michelle or Jacqui on 8313 6676 or Email: diabetes@adelaide.edu.au  (“Sweet N Sour Study” in the Subject) or fill out the online form to check your eligibility.

The ability to express emotions is an important communicative skill, and one which develops throughout childhood. Because of this slow timeline, children generally find it harder to express emotion with other people, and consequently, adults have difficulty understanding what children are trying to tell them through facial expressivity.

We are interested in strengthening our understanding of how emotional expressions are communicated and understood between children and their siblings or parents. Specifically, we aim to understand how well children and parents typically interpret each other’s facial expressivity. To test this, you are invited to participate in a series of fun and interactive emotion guessing games with your child.

Participation will take place in the Develop Well Lab at the University of Adelaide’s North Tce campus, and is expected to take approximately half an hour of your time.

Your child will receive a small gift and certificate for their participation.

Eligibility Requirements

Children aged between 4 and 10 years, and their parent, are invited to participate.

Contact Details for Registrations of Interest

If you are interested in participating in our study, please visit our participant information sheet and booking form. 

For further information, please contact:
Kye Palmer
Email: kye.palmer@adelaide.edu.au

Donate your poo and help us develop therapies that save lives.

Poo contains a complex community of tiny, microscopic organisms that could make a difference in the lives of millions of people. The healthy microbial communities collected in the stool samples you donate to BiomeBank will be used to:

• make donor derived microbiome-based therapies to treat people with recurrent C. difficile infection
• learn how and why different microbial species influence our health
• discover and develop next generation microbiome-based therapies to treat chronic disease.

HERE'S HOW


STEP 1: Check eligibility online/in person and answer questionnaire


STEP 2: Schedule a visit at our North Terrace facility for a 30min Clinical Assessment (blood, stool, nasal swabs)


STEP 3: Once approved, you can donate in a 60 day period

HERE'S WHY


• Directly contribute to improving people's daily lives through restoration of the gut microbiota.

• Have coffee, breakfast or a healthy snack on us after you donate.
• Access to recipes, meal plans, and well-being tips from a leading dietician.
• Welcome pack, monthly prize draw - including supermarket vouchers.
• You will be reimbursed for your donations

BiomeBank’s state-of-the-art facility is open at 21 North Terrace, in the CMAXX building, making donation convenient.

Visit biomebank.com to get started.

Manual wheelchair training is important for the safety, independence and community participation of manual wheelchair users. Having good training can reduce health service use and reduce reliance on carer partners. However, many wheelchair users receive insufficient training or training that is not appropriate to their needs. This research project seeks to understand the experiences and perceptions of people introduced to wheelchair use as an adult or older adult due to chronic or progressive conditions and healthcare professionals’ experiences and perceptions of wheelchair training for adults/older adults with chronic and progressive conditions.

This knowledge will help enhance understanding of what training approaches exist, who they work for and why so that recommendations and guidelines can be developed for people providing wheelchair training to ensure wheelchair training is delivered and centred around users’ needs.

Eligibility requirements:

You may be eligible to participate if you meet the following eligibility:

Providers of Wheelchair Training

- Experience in the provision of manual wheelchair training to manual wheelchair users who commence manual wheelchair use as an adult (over aged 18 years) due to chronic, progressive or age-related conditions.

Wheelchair Users

- Wheelchair users/caregivers must have commenced manual wheelchair user as an adult (over aged 18 years) due to chronic, progressive or age-related conditions.

Contact details:

Kimberly Charlton: Kimberly.charlton@adelaide.edu.au 

Alyra Biotech has developed a new intrauterine device (Alyra Device) to help people with difficult to manage period and pelvic pain, including people with endometriosis. Professor Louise Hull and the great team of doctors and nurses at PARC Research Centre located within the Royal Adelaide Hospital invite you to be part of this important trial. They will care for you throughout the study period, and you can withdraw from the trial at any time if the device doesn’t suit you. The first 12 participants are required to have at least one child to assist with insertion of the device. After this, the trial will be available to a wider group of people. 

Alyra Biotech is an Adelaide-based company and this is a South Australian initiative. 

The trial involves:

• One overnight stay and additional visits to PARC
• Insertion of an intrauterine device
• Recording your experience on a phone app each day

Trial benefits for you:

• Being part of a trial especially designed to help people with difficult to manage pain
• $2000 payment for time spent at the clinic
• Pelvic ultrasound
• A consultation and pain management plan for your future pain needs

Eligibility requirements

In order to be eligible for participation in this study, you must be 18 to 45 years of age, be able to speak/read English fluently, have period pain and have had a baby. You must not be using hormonal or opioid medications.

Contact details for registrations of interest

Complete this short questionnaire and leave your details. 

Alternatively, contact A/Prof Susan Evans
Email: susan.evans@adelaide.edu.au
Phone: 0418849895

This research project is about understanding how our bodies respond to the influenza vaccine. We already know that following the administration of a vaccine, our innate (inborn/natural/inherent) immune system responds as it tries to make sense of the vaccine. Some people feel mild symptoms after they receive the influenza vaccine. It has been reported in the Australian Immunisation Handbook that approximately 1-10% of people will experience mild fever, malaise (general feeling of illness/discomfort) and myalgia (muscles aches and pains). These symptoms form part of our bodies defence system (our innate immune system) and we call this an illness response. This illness response results in you feeling unwell, like you may be coming down with a cold (or ironically, the flu), and also has the potential to impair your thinking and cognitive processing. These mind and body changes, though acute, can significantly impact some individuals’ ability to perform their normal daily activities.

If you are eligible for our study, you will be volunteering to attend the Advanced Cognitive and Experimental Psychology (ACEP) Clinic in the Hughes building on two separate occasions for approximately 10 hours on each study day. By the end of the study, after you have attended the ACEP Clinic twice, you will have received a placebo (saline) injection and an influenza injection, but you will not be told which treatment you received during the study days. During both study days, you will be asked to perform a range of cognitive, speech and physical tasks at specified timepoints. We will also be measuring your brain electrophysiological activity using an electroencephalograph (EEG; a cap that you wear over your head with electrodes that is attached to a computer), your heart rate, and we also take blood samples from you. Due to the amount of times we are taking blood from you, we will insert a cannula (a thin tube that can be inserted into a vein for easy blood sampling) into your non-dominant arm.

This study has been approved by the Bellberry Human Research Ethics Committee (HREC) and The University of Adelaide’s HREC (approval number 2023-03-238). Universal Trial Number U1111-1293-1315. The trial has also been registered with the Australian and New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry (ACTRN12623000650695) and can be viewed via the following link https://www.anzctr.org.au/Trial/Registration/TrialReview.aspx?id=385973&isClinicalTrial=False.

Eligibility requirements

You may be eligible to participate in this study if you are:

• are healthy and between 18 and 40 years of age.
• have no history of seizures, head injury or head physiognomy (head shape) that would preclude electroencephalograph (EEG) cap placement.
• are able to provide written and informed consent in English.
• are willing to receive the influenza vaccination during the trial.
• have a body weight greater than 50 kg (minimum blood donation weight set by the Red Cross Blood Bank; BMI index between 18.5-24.9).
• are a non-smoker or have ceased smoking for more than 3 months.

Upon successful completion of our study (attending one pre-screening session and attending the ACEP Clinic on two separate occasions approx. 4-8 weeks apart), participants will receive an honorarium $400 gift card for your time.

Contact details for registrations of interest

For more details on the inclusion/exclusion criteria and to check your eligibility, contact

Dr Juliana Bajic
Juliana.bajic@adelaide.edu.au
0424 724 916

Dr Bajic will send you more information on the study, if you remain interested in participating in our study, you will be invited to attend a pre-screening session held at the university (approx. 1h) which will give you the chance to meet some of the research team, ask questions about the study, check your eligibility and provide consent. If you are eligible and consent to being enrolled in the study, during this session we will take some measurements and run a few simple pre-baseline tests on you, that you will be asked to repeat on the study days.

In a recent study, we found that exercise is effective for some, but not others, in the treatment for chronic neck pain. This difference could be due to the presence of central sensitisation (i.e. altered pain sensitivity) in some individuals. We also found that exercise-derived lactate may play a potential role in the hypoalgesic (i.e. decreased pain sensitivity) effect of exercise.

In this new study, we aim to investigate the effect of two different exercise-intensity in people with chronic neck pain, and the role of exercise-derived lactate in altering pain sensitivity.

It is widely acknowledged that exercise is important for maintaining a good physical and mental health, mood and cognition. The effectiveness on health outcomes in individuals with chronic pain, however, has shown to vary across different populations and different types of exercise.

Participants in this study will engage in 2 assessment sessions conducted by an exercise physiologist, and it is possible that you will experience positive effects on your health outcomes. Participants will undergo assessments for measures of central sensitisation, and perform a 30-minute cycling exercise, during each session. Participants can choose to receive a plain language summary of the study results.

All aspects of this study, including the exercise physiologist-delivered exercise session, are FREE – there are no costs involved for the participant. Upon successful completion of the study, participants will receive a $20 gift voucher as an honorarium for their time.

Eligibility requirements

You may be eligible to participate in this study if you:

• have chronic neck pain for more than 12 weeks
• are aged 19-65 years.

In addition to the above, you will be ineligible to participate in this study if you:

• have had surgery to the neck
• have known or suspected serious spinal pathology
• have confirmed fracture or dislocation at time of injury
• have nerve root compression
• have had history or presentation of psychosis, bipolar disorder, organic brain disorder or severe depression
• are currently or had history of taking anti-depressant or anticonvulsant medication
• have comorbidities preventing from regular exercise.

Contact details for registrations of interest

For further information, or if you would like to participate, please contact:

Kenneth Chen
Email: kexunkenneth.chen@adelaide.edu.au (include 'NECK PAIN' in the email subject line)

Type 2 diabetes, a condition typically seen in adults, is becoming more common in adolescents and young people. There are no studies evaluating the emotional impact of Type 2 Diabetes on adolescents and young people, which is called 'diabetes distress'.

Participate in this study investigating how Type 2 Diabetes impacts young people. This will also help us develop ways to better support young people living with Type 2 diabetes.

You will need to complete three short questionnaires (total duration of less than 30 minutes) about your experience living with diabetes and your wellbeing in general. These surveys can either be completed from home (online or via mail/email) or in-person, depending on your preference.

Your participation in this study will give us important information about how living with Type 2 Diabetes affects young people and how we best support the emotional wellbeing of this patient group.

Eligibility requirements

You may be eligible to participate in this study if you:

• are aged 10-19
• have been diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes

Contact details for registrations of interest

For further information, or if you would like to participate, please contact:

Alexia S Peña
Phone: 8161 8134 or 0405 373 297
Email: alexia.pena@adelaide.edu.au

Patients taking lithium medication need to get regular blood tests to ensure they are on effective and safe dose. This study aims to look at whether we can reliably measure lithium levels in saliva, a much less invasive alternative to collecting blood. 

Participants will be required to provide a blood through a blood draw and a saliva sample through drool collection. We will look at whether the lithium levels in both samples match each other. 

Samples may be provided at a number of SA Health sites across Adelaide, or at the Adelaide Health and Medical Sciences building on North Terrace in the Adelaide CBD. A convenient location will be organised with participants once recruited for study.

The sample collection will take between 30 minutes to 1 hour and participants will receive a $20 Coles/Myer gift voucher honorarium after successful completion of the study.

Eligibility requirements

You may be eligible to participate in this study if you:

• are aged 18-65
• are currently taking lithium medications

Contact details for registrations of interest

For further information, or if you would like to participate, please contact:

Phone: (08) 8313 7676
Email: psychiatry_res@adelaide.edu.au

We are looking for healthy volunteers to investigate how the brain functions to control skilled hand movements, its ability to change its connections (neuroplasticity), and how this changes with age.

The study will involve an assessment of the pathway from the brain to the muscles by giving a series of brief (painless) magnetic pulses that make the hand twitch briefly. The electrical activity in these muscles is measured with electrodes placed on the skin. 

Participants will be required to attend several (2 to 4) sessions at the Neurophysiology of Human Movement Laboratories on Level 4 of the Helen Mayo South Building on Frome Road in the Adelaide CBD. Each session will last from 2-3 hours participants will receive a $30 gift voucher honorarium for each successful session they complete.

Eligibility requirements

You may be eligible to participate in this study if you:

• are aged 18-35 or 60-80 years
• are right handed
• have no history of neurological impairments (e.g. epilepsy) or brain injury
• are not using medications that affect neurological function (e.g. antidepressants, sedatives, antipsychotics)
• do not have a cardiac pacemaker

Contact details for registrations of interest

For further information, or if you would like to participate, please contact:

Neurophysiology of Human Movement Group
Email: neuromotor_lab@adelaide.edu.au

Augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) systems are becoming more prevalent in both our personal and working lives. However, we do not yet have a good understanding about how visual performance using these systems changes when we are interacting with the environment (standing or walking).

This study will help us understand how the placement of visual information in an AR / VR setting may impact visual processing and the ability to perform movements, interact with the environment and to deploy attention, especially when you are sitting, standing, or walking.

As part of this study, participants will be required to:

• Complete one testing session of about two hours at the Gait Analysis Laboratory, located in the Adelaide Health and Medical Sciences building on North Terrace
• Complete a pre-screen fitness test similar to the Australian Army basic entry requirements (including push-ups, sit-ups, and shuttle run)
• Have their eye movements and body position recorded using special sensors / cameras 
• Complete a visual processing task (on screen or in VR) while sitting, standing, or walking
• Upon successful completion of this study, participants will receive an honorarium of $50.

Eligibility requirements

You may be eligible to participate in this study if you:

• are aged 18-50 years
• are free from major visual deficits 
• have a good understanding of the English language

Contact details for registrations of interest

For further information, or if you would like to participate, please contact:

Active Vision Lab
Phone: (08) 8313 4321
Email: activevisionlab1@gmail.com

Factors that control food intake, sugar levels in our blood, and the function of the stomach and small intestine are complex, and our understanding of them is far from complete. People vary in their eating habits, and this may also affect their ability to maintain a healthy digestive and metabolic system, and a healthy body weight. The composition of the foods that we eat can play an important role in regulating these factors, thereby keeping us healthy. 

Our studies investigate the effects of various dietary nutrients, and taste compounds, on factors such as the contractions of the gut wall, the rate at which a meal empties from the stomach, the release of intestinal hormones, and the blood glucose response to a meal.

Upon successful completion of our studies, participants will receive an honorarium of up to $400 (dependent on the requirements of the particular study) via EFT transfer.

Eligibility requirements

Our research group is conducting a number of various studies with the following eligibility requirements. You may be eligible to participate in our studies if you are:

• aged 18-60, healthy, BMI 19-25kg/m2
• aged 18-70, type 2 diabetic (T2D), BMI 19-35kg/m2
• a non-smoker
• not pregnant, breastfeeding, or taking hormonal contraception
• not vegan/vegetarian (consumption of a beef or tuna meal is required)

Contact details for registrations of interest

For further information, or if you would like to participate, please contact:

Nutrients GI Research team
Email: nutrientresearch@adelaide.edu.au (include 'T2 DIABETIC' or 'HEALTHY' in the email subject line)

In a recent study, we found several differences in the structural and functional characteristics of the brain between people with chronic neck pain and pain-free controls. We also found that exercise therapy appeared to have different effects on the brain in people with chronic neck pain.

In this new study, we aim to investigate those exercise-induced brain changes in people with chronic neck pain. In order to do that, participants will have an MRI scan at baseline, then participate in an 8-week exercise program, and then have their follow-up MRI scan to assess specifically what effects physical exercise has on the brain in people with chronic neck pain. 

It is widely acknowledged that exercise is important for maintaining a good physical and mental health, mood and cognition. The effectiveness on health outcomes in individuals with chronic pain, however, has shown to vary across different populations and different types of exercise. 

Participants in this study will engage in an 8-week exercise program, delivered by a physiotherapist from myPhysioSA Payneham, and it is possible that you will experience positive effects on your health outcomes. Each participant will also undergo two 30-min brain MRI scans at the South Australian Health & Medical Research Institute (SAHMRI) on North Terrace, Adelaide. Participants can indicate they wish to receive images of their brain. Participants can choose to receive a plain language summary of the study results.

All aspects of this study, including the physiotherapist-delivered exercise program and the brain MRI scans, are FREE – there are no costs involved for the participant.

Eligibility requirements

You may be eligible to participate in this study if you:

• have chronic neck pain at moderate intensity (>12 weeks)
• are aged 18-55 years 
• currently have a low level of physical activity
• are able to lie in an MRI scanner on your back for 30 minutes
• are free from metal implants or pacemaker (or other MRI contraindicators)
• have English proficiency level to understand Participant Information Sheet

In addition to the above, you will be ineligible to participate in this study if you:

• have a history of migraine headaches
• have had surgery to the neck
• have diabetes
• are currently receiving treatment for your neck pain (e.g. physiotherapy, chiropractic, acupuncture, or similar) 
• have comorbidities preventing from regular exercise
• are pregnant or breastfeeding
• are claustrophobic

Contact details for registrations of interest

For further information, or if you would like to participate, please contact:

Dr Rutger de Zoete
Email: rutger.dezoete@adelaide.edu.au (include 'NECK PAIN' in the email subject line)

Brain plasticity is essential for learning and memory in humans. Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) is a powerful tool for non-invasively inducing plasticity in the human brain, opening exciting possibilities for its therapeutic application in depression and other psychiatric disorders.

However, despite the popularity of TMS in clinical research, its effects on brain activity and behaviour can vary dramatically from one individual to the next.

In this study, we will examine whether a novel TMS paradigm (termed repetitive paired-pulse TMS) is able to induce brain plasticity in humans, more reliably. The results will have important implications for guiding the therapeutic application of TMS.

Participants will be required to attend 3 sessions, 2 hours each where you will undergo non-invasive brain stimulation procedure to interpret how particular TMS protocols affect plasticity in the brain. This study will be conducted at the Clinical Research Facility, located on the 4th floor of the Adelaide Health and Medical Science building on North Terrace. All individuals who participate in this study will receive an honorarium of $20 per session ($60 in total).

Eligibility requirements

You may be eligible to participate in this study if you:

• are aged 18-50 years
• have not been diagnosed with neuropsychological disorder
• have not been diagnosed with head trauma
• have not been implanted with a medical device
• have not undergone or experienced spinal cord surgery and/or injury

Contact details for registrations of interest

For further information, or if you would like to participate, please contact:

• Suraj Suresh
  Email: suraj.suresh@adelaide.edu.au
• Dr Mitchell Goldsworthy
  Email: mitchell.godlsworthy@adelaide.edu.au

Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is a neuromodulation technique that has been used previously to enhance fatigability and improve performance in simple motor tasks. However, its effect on brain excitability and motor performance after exercise in young and older adults is yet to be determined

In this experiment, participants will receive three separate treatments of tDCS over a three-week period at the Helen Mayo South Building (Frome Road, Adelaide) and will be required to perform a sustained submaximal isometric fatiguing exercise of the elbow flexor muscles during each session. Brain excitability will be measured using transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), a painless, non-invasive method of brain stimulation. Each session will last ~2.5 hrs and participants will be compensated $15 per hour in Coles/Myer gift cards as reimbursement for their time.

Eligibility requirements

You may be eligible to participate in this study if you:

• are aged 18-35 or 60-85 years 
• have no history of epilepsy or seizures
• are not currently on any psychoactive medication such as antidepressants, antipsychotics, or sedatives
• have no history of a stroke or metal implants in the skull
• have no history of arthritis in the wrist or elbow
• have no cardiac pacemakers

Contact details for registrations of interest

For further information, or if you would like to participate, please contact:

Miss Lavender Otieno
Email: lavender.otieno@adelaide.edu.au (include 'FATIGUING STUDY' in the email subject line)

In this study, we are investigating how a protein supplement at dinner time may improve your blood glucose control overnight.

As part of the study, you will need to attend one of our clinical research facilities on 5 separate occasions over a 6-week period at the South Australian Health & Medical Research Institute (SAHMRI) on North Terrace, Adelaide. You will be reimbursed for your time with a $200 honorarium via direct EFT deposit after you have attended all sessions.

Eligibility requirements

You may be eligible to participate in this study if you:

• are female
• are aged 35-65 years
• are overweight or obese (BMI 28-35 kg/m2)
• work night shifts (either in a rotating, permanent, or split shift schedule)

Contact details for registrations of interest

For further information, or if you would like to participate, please contact:

Dr Amy Hutchison
Phone: (08) 8128 4862
Email: dietstudy@adelaide.edu.au (include 'SHIFT' in the email subject line)

Neurodevelopmental disorders like epilepsy, intellectual disability, autism and cerebral palsy affect the way your brain develops. Since people often have more than one neurodevelopmental disorder, scientists believe that they sometimes have a common cause.

This study invites monozygotic (identical) twins who are differently affected by one or more of these disorders to participate. We want to understand the causes of the differences in these twin pairs.

We hope that this will help us to predict babies at risk of developing a neurodevelopmental disorder, so that doctors can more closely watch these babies develop and design better therapies or treatments for them.

For further information and eligibility requirements, visit the Neurodevelopmental Disorder Study page.

Quality of life and mental health are an increasingly important aspect of life. In particular, the quality of life and mental health of adolescents is important in better understanding the current situation and whether these factors differ across different populations, including those with health conditions. This study aims to find out more information about quality of life and mood in healthy adolescent girls and to compare the findings to girls who have specific health conditions, such as polycystic ovary syndrome.

Eligibility requirements

1. Females between 12 and 22 years old who are healthy (i.e. do not have any medical condition that requires ongoing medical follow up).
2. Females willing to complete two questionnaires about mood and quality of life. 

Contact details for registrations of interest

For further information, or if you would like to participate, please contact:

Dr Alexia Pena
Phone: 8161 8134 or 0405 373 297
Email: alexia.pena@adelaide.edu.au

If you have encountered depression, anxiety, stress or chronic fatigue in your daily life, consider contributing to research at SAHMRI (external link). 

This study compares the effects of a gut hormone called glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1), when given by either intravenous or subcutaneous infusion. We aim to provide an optimal therapeutic effect with minimal adverse consequences, by comparing different delivery methods of a glucose lowering hormone GLP-1. 

After successfully completing the trial, a minimum of $360 is paid via EFT transfer  to participants as an honorarium for their time.

Eligibility requirements

To be eligible for this study, you should be:

• diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes without any other significant illness 
• on long acting type insulin except (degludec)
• aged 18-79 years
• have a 20-35kg/m2 BMI

Contact details for registrations of interest

For further information, or if you would like to participate, please contact:

Michelle Bound
Phone: (08) 8313 6676
Email: diabetes@adelaide.edu.au

The gut hormone, glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP), stimulates insulin secretion after meals, lowering blood glucose but it tends to be ineffective in people with type 2 diabetes. We are using a GIP antagonist to determine whether its glucose-lowering effect can be improved when type 2 diabetes is tightly controlled by 12 weeks of the oral anti-diabetic drug, called sitagliptin. We will evaluate the effects of GIP (using the GIP antagonist) at both the beginning and end of the intervention, by the use of an intraduodenal glucose infusion.

After successfully completing the trial, a minimum of $400 is paid via EFT transfer to participants as an honorarium for their time.

Eligibility requirements

To be eligible for this study, you should be:

• diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes (diet controlled or metformin only)
• on long acting type insulin except (degludec)
• aged 18-79 years
• have a 20-35kg/m2 BMI
• NOT taking Sitagliptin (DPP-IV Inhibitor) medication

Contact details for registrations of interest

For further information, or if you would like to participate, please contact:

Michelle Bound
Phone: (08) 8313 6676
Email: diabetes@adelaide.edu.au

Adult volunteers are needed for a research project investigating how general cognitive function changes with age. We know that many aspects of cognitive function are to some extent determined by our genetics. Genes (DNA) that affect the expression of certain chemicals and receptors in the brain influence our ability to perceive and process information in our environment, form new memories, and make decisions.

This project will try to further refine our understanding of how our genetics influences our cognitive function across our lifespan. This project will lead to a deeper understanding of how cognitive function evolves over the course of healthy ageing, and could eventually lead to the development of a tool that could use information about an individual’s genetics to predict how their cognitive function may change over their lifespan. Importantly, this could help to identify individuals who are at risk for cognitive decline or dementia earlier, which could ultimately lead to more successful therapeutic interventions.

What do participants have to do?

• Complete a 30-minute online questionnaire www.borrowmybrain.org
• Attend a face-to-face session of approximately 2.5 hours duration at our city-based laboratory, which involves:
  • A series of tests of general cognitive function (memory, vocabulary, attention)
  • A saliva sample, which will be used for DNA testing in order to determine whether genotypes that influence neurological functioning are related to cognitive function.

(All tests are non-invasive and should cause no discomfort).

Honorarium

Participants will receive a $50 Coles Myer gift card on completion of the survey and laboratory visit.

Eligibility requirements

We are looking for healthy participants who are:

• aged 18 years or older
• fluent English speakers
• not diagnosed with a neurological disorder and with no prior history of brain injury
• not experiencing a drug or alcohol dependency, either a current or previous condition
• not smoking more than five cigarettes per day
• not using medication that affects neurological function (e.g., sedatives, antipsychotics)
• not suffering from an uncorrected visual disorder
• not diagnosed with a learning disability.

For more information and to get started, visit www.borrowmybrain.org.

Volunteers are needed for a research project investigating Parkinson’s subtype and cognitive function in Parkinson’s disease. This project will examine how general cognitive function differs in two different subtypes of Parkinson’s disease: tremor-dominant and akinetic-rigid. It has been shown that these two subtypes of Parkinson’s disease are associated with different cognitive outcomes, yet the reasons for this are still unclear.

This project will try to understand how patterns of cognitive performance differ between the two subtypes of Parkinson’s disease. In addition, we will investigate whether specific genetic information could be used to predict particular patterns of cognitive performance. Importantly, this understanding may improve our ability to predict who is at risk for the development of cognitive problems in people with Parkinson’s disease. Ultimately, this may lead to more personalised and effective treatment recommendations for cognitive dysfunction in Parkinson’s disease.

What do participants have to do?

• Attend two 2.5-3 hours sessions, in our city-based laboratory. 
  In the first session, individuals will be tested while taking their normal Parkinson’s medications. In the second session, individuals will be tested after 12-24 hours of not taking Parkinson’s medications.
• Complete an online questionnaire before attending each session.
• Complete a series of tests of general cognitive function (memory, vocabulary, attention).
• Provide a saliva sample, which will be used for DNA testing in order to determine whether genotypes that influence neurological functioning are related to cognitive function.

(All tests are non-invasive and should cause no discomfort).

Eligibility requirements

We are looking for participants who:

• have a diagnosis of Parkinson’s disease
• are fluent English speakers
• have no previous diagnosis of dementia or a learning disability.

Honorarium

Participants will receive a $20 gift card after each of the two in-person sessions.

Contact details for registrations of interest

If you are interested and would like more information, please contact us:

Phone: (08) 8313 0012
Email: cns_laboratory@adelaide.edu.au

We are looking for adult volunteers to investigate how a series of electronic messages delivered via the phone can affect our eating behaviour and thereby improve glucose control in people living with type 2 diabetes.

Participants will be required to visit the South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute (SAHMRI) in the Adelaide CBD three times over 4 weeks (less than 3 hours in total). Using a continuous glucose monitor and sleep monitor (both devices will be provided to you at no cost) – we will track your blood sugar levels and night-time sleep over a 2-week baseline period. If you are eligible for the intervention, as determined by examination of your baseline data, you will go through the same procedure for another 2 weeks whilst receiving 7 digital messages through your mobile.

All individuals who participate in this study will receive an $80 honorarium. If you are ineligible and excluded after the baseline monitoring period at V1, or if you chose not to continue further a $40 honorarium will be provided as compensation.

This study is not directly assessing a treatment for a disease, and as such, participants will not directly benefit from participating. However, some of the outcomes we measure (such as blood glucose and sleep parameters) may be indicators of your health. If these measures are outside of the normal ranges, you will be notified and provided with the relevant information to take to your GP for further evaluation.

At the end of the study, participants will be invited to return for an information evening where we will tell participants about the outcomes of the research. The outcomes of the study represents potential benefit to the community and potentially this proposal offers the novel opportunity to optimise glycaemic control in patients with T2DM.

Eligibility requirements

You may be eligible to participate in this study if you:

• are aged 18 to 75 years
• have type 2 diabetes and managing it without insulin and/or sulfonylureas
• own a smart mobile phone
• are willing to provide a proof of having been vaccinated against COVID-19
• are willing to provide the consent form to participate in the trial

Contact details for registrations of interest

For further information, or if you would like to participate, please contact:

Dr Lijun Zhao
Email: nudge@adelaide.edu.au

This research project is about understanding the extent of brain adaptation (plasticity) in regions of the brain related to pain processing. This knowledge is critical to understanding the processes that result in pain and holds the promise of identifying new and effect treatment targets. Our objective is to use non-invasive brain imaging, stimulation and recording techniques to determine the role of brain changes in persistent low back pain. We hope to identify areas of brain adaptation that may respond to restorative brain stimulation techniques in future studies.

Participants will receive an honorarium of $80 for completion of the study.

This study will require attendance of up to four sessions of approximately 1-3 hours each at the South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute (SAHMRI, level 4) and Clinical Research and Imaging Centre (North Pod of SAHMRI) – Adelaide CBD.

There are three sessions before the opt in for clinical trial (only for those with back pain) and we can provide $20 gift vouchers at the end of the first two sessions, and then $40 gift card on completion. There is no cost to the participant for an MRI of the head or for the recovery coach trial should they opt in, but there is also no remuneration for the recovery coach part. 

This study is categorised as low risk and has been approved by the Human Research Ethics Committee at the University of Adelaide.

Eligibility requirements

You may be eligible to participate in this study if you:

• are aged 18-80 years
• live in Adelaide
• have lower back pain
• have an interest in brain function

Contact details for registrations of interest

For further information, or if you would like to participate, please contact:

Dr Carolyn Berryman
Phone: (08) 8313 1305
Email: carolyn.berryman@adelaide.edu.au 

Concussions are extremely common injuries and are increasingly recognised to cause significant ongoing side effects in a large proportion of patients. However, the changes within the brain that drive the side effects of injury are not well understood. This project will use safe and non-invasive techniques to further investigate how brain function is altered after a concussion, and how changes in the brain drive side effects of injury.

To participate, we require people who have experienced a concussion within the past 24 months.

Participants will receive an honorarium of $45 per session. This study will require attendance of up to two sessions.

This study has been approved by the Human Research Ethics Committee at the University of Adelaide.

Eligibility requirements

You may be eligible to participate in this study if you:

• have experienced a concussion within the past 24 months 
• are aged 18 – 60 years

Contact details for registrations of interest

For further information, or if you would like to participate, please contact:

Dr George Opie
Phone: (08) 83134157
Email: george.opie@adelaide.edu.au

We are testing whether financial incentives help pregnant women to quit smoking.

QUIT-HELP is a clinical trial to test whether offering pregnant women financial incentives (vouchers) will help them quit smoking. To participate you need to be in the early stages of pregnancy and smoke. In this clinical trial, pregnant women are randomly allocated to the incentives group, or to the control group. The trial is being conducted at the Lyell McEwin and Modbury Hospitals. Participation involves 5 visits, usually on the same day as your clinic visit. At each visit we will ask you to complete a brief questionnaire and a breath carbon monoxide (CO) test.

All women participating in the study and completing the visits will receive $100 in vouchers. Women in the intervention group have the opportunity to receive up to $650 in vouchers, depending on when they quit smoking, and if they manage to stay smoke-free.

Access the detailed participant information sheet.

Eligibility requirements

You may be eligible to participate in this study if you:

• are currently pregnant (less than 20 weeks),
• a smoker wanting to quit, and
• receiving antenatal care at Lyell McEwin or Modbury Hospital

Contact details for registrations of interest

For further information, or if you would like to participate, please contact:

Suzette Coat
Mobile: 0466 458 274
Email: suzette.coat@adelaide.edu.au

This collaborative research is being undertaken by the Gastrointestinal & Enteric Neuroscience and the Bone and Joint Osteoimmunology research groups in conjunction with industry partner Jones Radiology.

This research aims to investigate the potential functional role(s) of a commonly unknown abdominal muscle that some regard as vestigial (serving no purpose) – the pyramidalis muscle.

Taking part in this research involves participating in three studies, namely, shear-wave elastography, electromyography and force strain gauge.

Shear-wave elastography
Shear-wave elastography is a widely accepted medical ultrasound technology used to measure tissue density / “stiffness”. This research will use shear-wave elastography to measure tissue specific “stiffness” in the abdominal wall during non-strenuous movements, as a hypothesized functional role of the pyramidalis muscle.

Electromyography
Electromyography is a commonly used methodology designed to record muscle activity (contraction). This research project will use electromyography to measure pyramidalis muscle activity during non-strenuous functional movements of the trunk e.g., bending down to touch your toes (flexion), leaning backwards/arching your back (extension), side bending (lateral flexion) and twisting (rotation).

Force Strain Gauge
Force strain gauge is technology designed to measure magnitudes of force (i.e., how strong you are!). This project will use a force strain gauge machine to measure the amount of force you can produce during a trunk rotation movement (twisting your torso from one side to the other).

Additional Study Measure: Brief Pain Questionnaire (i.e., the Brief Pain Inventory (BPI))
Throughout this study you will be asked to complete a Brief Pain Inventory (BPI). The BPI is used to record the level of participant comfort and discomfort.

Acknowledgment of Appreciation
Upon completion of all three studies, participants will receive a $40 honorarium in the form of a gift voucher.

Eligibility Criteria

You may be eligible to participate in this research project if you:

• Have no previous medical history of abdominal surgery or abnormality, e.g. hernia, caesarean section, appendix/gallbladder removal.
• Have a BMI <30

Ethics

This study has been approved by Human Research Ethics Committee (H-2022-139)

Contact details for registrations of interest

For further information, or if you would like to participate, please register your interest by clicking the box below or contact the research team directly:
Email: craig.short@adelaide.edu.au

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is one of the leading causes of death and disability worldwide. However, it is more than a single, one-off event. Many people who have a TBI may experience long-lasting changes in their everyday function that can last for months, or even years, after the initial injury. TBI may also increase the risk of developing certain neurodegenerative disorders, such as dementia or Parkinson’s disease. Despite this, scientists don’t yet understand the factors that predict who is at risk for long-term impairment or neurodegenerative disease development following a TBI. 

This study seeks to understand whether we can use a combination of behavioural tests, brain scans and markers in the blood/saliva in order to predict this risk. If we can predict who is at risk of experiencing lasting difficulties following TBI, we may be able to better tailor care for individuals after receiving an injury. 

We are looking for adult volunteers who have experienced a concussion or other traumatic brain injury to participate in a study at our labs in the Adelaide CBD. 

You will need to attend two separate appointments to complete cognitive tests, motor tests, and an MRI scan. We will also ask you to provide blood and saliva samples. 

To be eligible, you must have experienced a medically-diagnosed concussion or traumatic brain injury after age 10 and be aged 18+, a fluent English speaker, not suffering from uncorrected visual or hearing disorders and eligible for MRI scans (not suffering from claustrophobia, suspected to be pregnant, or have metal implants). 

You will receive a $50 gift card after the lab session, and a $25 gift card after the MRI scan as a thank you for participating. You will also have contributed to research by providing valuable information to improve the diagnosis, treatment or care of people with traumatic brain injury and Parkinson’s disease in the future. By understanding the factors that predict who is at risk of experiencing lasting difficulties following TBI, or who might go on to develop Parkinson’s disease or other neurodegenerative conditions, we may be able to better tailor care for individuals after receiving an injury. 

What are the contact details if someone would like more information?

Complete an expression of interest, after which a member of the study team will get in touch.

FIND-TBI Team
Cognition, Ageing & Neurodegenerative Disease Laboratory (CANDL)
Faculty of Health & Medical Sciences
THE UNIVERSITY OF ADELAIDE
North Terrace Campus | Adelaide SA 5005
T: +61 8 8313 4352 
E: find_tbi@adelaide.edu.au
W: https://borrowmybrain.org/tbi