Youth mental health, stroke, Parkinson’s and dementia were topics covered in a series of public talks in partnership with the Town of Cambridge at The Boulevard Centre in Floreat recently. They were held in the lead up to the Hole in One series of events for Telethon and youth mental health research at the Perron Institute.
The series started with the topic of ‘Parkinson’s and Dementia’ with Professor John Mamo, Head of Neurovascular and Metabolic Diseases at the Perron Institute and Curtin University.
Professor Mamo specialises in brain microscopic capillary blood-vessel function, pivotal for brain health and a key risk factor for neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.
In his talk, he shared updates on developments spanning genetic and cell studies, disease models, and provided insights that inform the clinical trials and broader population studies he leads.
The second topic title was ‘One Size Doesn’t Fit All: Personalising Youth Mental Health Treatments with Genetics and Brain Science’.
A panel of leading researchers from the Perron Institute explored the latest scientific advances in youth mental healthcare and how cutting-edge research is shaping more effective, tailored approaches to treatment, diagnosis, and support for young people.
Professor Jenny Rodger, Head of Brain Plasticity at Perron Institute and UWA, chaired the informative discussion. PhD candidate Bradley Roberts discussed how pharmacogenetics can guide personalised prescribing for young people with anxiety and depression. Research Fellow, Dr Aleksandra Miljevic, provided an update on non-pharmacological treatment options for young people, including non-invasive brain stimulation, and her research into brain and behaviour-based biomarkers.
The last talk in the series was titled’ The Next Stroke Revolution: Predicting and Personalising Recovery’.
Professor Erin Godecke, an internationally recognised leader in stroke rehabilitation research, shared various insights about stroke recovery, including the Perron Institute Community Stroke Study, which is tracking stroke recovery and personal factors to develop better, personalised treatments.
Stroke survivor Bruce Simcock spoke about his lived experience and journey with aphasia (a communication difficulty that often follows stroke). He said, “I will never forget the consideration and kindness of the allied health staff”.
Each talk was followed by a question-and-answer session with an engaged audience.