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Projects with ongoing benefits
Motor Neuron Disease Clinical Database
Motor Neuron Disease remains a major challenge for medical research . It is a fatal disorder for which there is no treatment, lagging behind research into the other major fatal diseases. Diagnosis is accompanied by a sense of hopelessness. In 1995, the Foundation funded the establishment of a clinical database as a first essential step for epidemiological studies, genetic studies and for all clinical research projects . The completion of the database in 2004 has marked a very important forward step for Australian neuroscience research.
The Use of Videofluoroscopy in the assessment of the swallowing capacity of patients with Motor Neuron Disease.
Speech pathologist Amanda Scott received funding from the Foundation to complete a doctorate on swallowing difficulites in patients with MND. Dysphagia is a particularly distressing aspect of MND which results in a progressive reduction in quality of life and frquently contributes to the demise of the patient. Dr Scott's work in this area has proved groundbreaking. The use of videofluoroscopy in the assessment of swallowing difficulties of patients with MND is now routine in the management of this condition in Australia and the United Kingdom .
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