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Research
CHERI (The Childrens Hospital at Westmead Education Research Institute) is currently conducting the following research. to participate please contact CHERI on:
Suite 11, Level 2,
Children's Hospital Medical Centre,
Hainsworth St, Westmead
NSW 2145, Australia.
Locked Bag 4001
Westmead, NSW 2145.
PH: 61 (0)2 9845 0418
Email: info@cheri.com.au
Web: www.cheri.com.au
Does the cognitive and psychosocial profile of children with velocardiofacial syndrome (VCFS) differ from an IQ matched control group?
Investigators: Dr Belinda Barton, Head, Children’s Hospital Education Research Institute (CHERI), Children’s Hospital at Westmead (CHW); Neil Nicoll, Psychologist, CHERI; Susan van den Berg, Doctorate of Clinical Neuropsychology Student, Macquarie University; Dr David Dossetor, Head, Department of Psychological Medicine, CHW; Sharon Watt, Neuropsychologist, Neurogenetics Research Unit, CHW; Dr Arthur Shores, Associate Professor, Macquarie University; Dr Meredith Wilson, Head, Clinical Genetics, CHW.
Funding: Perpetual Foundation (2005 – 2006)
Building on our previous research, this study aims to obtain a more detailed profile of specific cognitive and psychosocial functioning of children with VCFS. Studies of children with VCFS have confirmed a wide variation in intelligence, with a high percentage of IQ scores falling in the mental retardation range. Deficits in executive functioning, memory and sustained attention are also reported. However, it is not known whether these deficits are specific to VCFS or due to lower intellectual abilities in individuals with VCFS. This study will compare the cognitive and psychosocial profile of children with VCFS to an IQ-matched control group of children. This will allow us to determine whether some cognitive deficits found in children with VCFS are specific to the disorder or due to lower general intellectual functioning. There is also a high frequency of psychiatric illness such as schizophrenia and bipolar disorder in individuals with VCFS. Prepsychotic or prodromal phases of schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders are characterised by a change in premorbid functioning. As part of this study, children will be screened for symptoms of prepsychotic or psychiatric disorders.
Linda.E.Campbell@newcastle.edu.au
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The University of Newcastle are conducting the following research. Should you wish to paticipate please contact Dr Linda Campbell (details below).
Dr Linda Campbell
Centre for Brain and
Mental Health Research
University of Newcastle
James Fletcher Hospital
Newcomen Street
Po Box 833
Newcastle 2300
Ph: (02) 4924-6648
Fax: (02) 4924-6608
Email: Linda.E.Campbell@newcastle.edu.au
When children with VCFS (22q11.2 deletion syndrome) are young the main focus of parents and professionals are to remediate the physical problems such as cardiac anomalies and cleft palate experienced by the children. However, as the children grow up other areas of concern arise. Some children have educational problems and some children experience behavioural problems, such as attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder and autism spectrum disorder. In the last decade it has been found that approximately 30% of children born with VCFS develop a psychotic disorder in adolescence or early adulthood. It has been proven, within schizophrenia research, that early intervention can improve quality of life for both the person with mental health problems, for the family and also reduce the burden of disease in the community. In order to identify children with a high-risk of developing severe mental health problems researchers are trying to find specific ‘markers’ that can be used to predict future problems. One such potential ‘marker’ could be a progressive impairment of intellectual functioning. However, this research has only recently begun internationally and no such research has been done in Australia.
Our team will be meeting with children from the age of 6 up to 20 to investigate processes such as intelligence, memory, facial processing and motor ability. We would also like to have a look at the children’s and functional and structural brain anatomy using magnetic resonance imaging. This is not harmful and does not involve any damaging radiation but will provide further clues to as what can predispose some children to develop mental health problems.
We would like to meet both children who do and don’t have any problems and we would also like to invite one of their siblings to participate in the study. After our initial meeting, we would like to keep in touch with the participants at an annual or biannual basis over the telephone in order to see how the children are developing. The base of our research is the 'Centre for Brain and Mental Health research' at the University of Newcastle, New South Wales but testing will most likely also be carried out in Orange, Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Perth so if you are living far away you can still participate in the research.
If you are interested in receiving more information about the study - please contact:
Linda Campbell- linda.e.campbell@newcastle.edu.au
or
Kate Leadbeater - kate.leadbeater@newcastle.edu.au
This project has been approved by the Hunter New England Human Research Committee ref number 06/10/25/5.06
