Neurological and Neurodevelopmental Disorders

What are they?

Neurological and neurodevelopmental disorders are dysfunctions in part of the brain or nervous system that result in physical or psychological symptoms that can affect a child’s behaviour, memory, or ability to learn. Common neurological and neurodevelopmental disorders are:

• ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder)

• Autism

• Brain Tumours

• Traumatic Brain Injury

• Cerebral Palsy

• Dyslexia

• Epilepsy

• Foetal Alcohol Syndrome

• Hydrocephalus

• Migraines

• Motor Neuron Disease

• Multiple Sclerosis (MS)

How do they happen?

Most neurological disorders are present at birth either due to genetic or environmental factors, e.g. spina bifida or hydrocephalus (fluid in the brain) or Foetal Alcohol Syndrome. Disorders that are acquired after birth are rarer and can be caused by serious infections or traumatic injuries.

What is neurological and neurodevelopmental research?

Basic research

Scientists investigate the biology of the brain and nervous system, how they work together and the pathology (nature and cause) of the disease or disorder

Clinical research

Via lab-based research, scientists and physicians can trial and test new ways of preventing, treating, slowing or curing neurological conditions, e.g. developing new drugs, trying new surgical techniques, gene therapy, immunology or stem cell treatments.

Translational research

Taking the findings from basic science and clinical research in the lab into real-world scenarios and practice.

WHAT ARE WE DOING TO HELP?

Here are just some of the research projects we are funding to help improve neurological and neurodevelopmental health for New Zealand kids.

Improving the lives of children with hydrocephalus

Hydrocephalus is an abnormal build-up of fluid around the brain. Approximately 100 paediatric patients in New Zealand are diagnosed with hydrocephalus every year making it the most common paediatric neurosurgical condition. Professor Malpas and his team are developing a much-needed ‘pressure sensor device’ to let parents and caregivers monitor their child’s brain pressure remotely. The tool will reduce hospitalisations and radiation exposure from CT scans, and greatly relieve the anxiety of parents around the care of their children.

A quest to find the genes responsible for childhood epilepsies

Epilepsy is the most common serious neurological illness of children and young people. And although kids with epilepsy may live relatively unaffected lives, one third will have seizures with major social, psychological, physical and cognitive consequences. Many of these seizures cannot be controlled by medication and severe epilepsies starting in childhood have a mortality rate of 25% by 20 years of age. 

Professor Lynette Sadleir is a paediatric neurologist specialising in epilepsy. Lynette and her team are studying families where several individuals have epilepsy or where a certain child has an especially severe form. The purpose being to analyse each family’s history and determine the mode of inheritance of the epilepsy

Developing a mindfulness treatment for children with ADHD (attention deficit disorder)

ADHD is a common and debilitating neurodevelopmental disorder that affects 5 to 10% of New Zealand children. It is associated with higher rates of mood disorders, anxiety disorders, defiance disorders, risk-taking behaviour, and criminal offending.

Dr Mairin Taylor and her team will adapt an established mindfulness programme (MyMind) into a proposed ADHD treatment programme called MindKiwi. Their work will adapt a Kaupapa Māori framework – including Te Reo Māori and Tikanga principles – and once successfully adapted, the research team will examine its effectiveness with New Zealand children.