NEUROLOGY

Department of Neurology

Director - Professor Bruce Campbell


The Department of Neurology is recognised as one of the strongest in Australia and has international recognition for its work in stroke, epilepsy and multiple sclerosis in particular.


The Department has active research programs which augment each of the clinical, specialised programs undertaken by the department alone, and in conjunction with the Department of Neurosurgery.


The specialised clinical programs include:

RMH Department of Neurology

Stroke, Epilepsy, Multiple Sclerosis, Parkinson’s Disease, Movement Disorders, Neuro-ocular disorders, Neurophysiology, Peripheral Neuropathy and specialised programs in neuroradiology and neurovascular.


Stroke Research

The RMH Comprehensive Stroke Centre is the most active in Australia and treats over 1200 acute stroke patients each year, as a Statewide Centre for Endovascular Clot Retrieval and  operator of Australia's first Mobile Stroke Unit ambulance, in partnership with Ambulance Victoria.  Our major research program underpins the clinical service and involves a team of neurologists, neuroradiologists, MRI physicists, statisticians and research nurses, and is supported by an NHMRC program grant and The Royal Melbourne Hospital Neuroscience Foundation. 

Patients participating in research trials contribute to world leading programs in emergency stroke care and secondary prevention.

Research led by the Royal Melbourne Hospital team has changed practice in acute stroke therapies globally, including the introduction of endovascular clot retrieval as standard therapy and expansion of access to thrombolysis using advanced brain imaging to identify patients with salvageable brain tissue beyond 4.5h after stroke onset.


Multiple Sclerosis Research

The Multiple Sclerosis Unit cares for approximately 471 patients with multiple sclerosis per year at The Royal Melbourne Hospital. Apart from the inpatient and outpatient care of patients with multiple sclerosis, the MS Unit has a major commitment to the conduct of randomised clinical trials of new medication and potential therapies for multiple sclerosis. This activity allows our patients access to the latest advances in therapy and keeps medical and nursing staff up-to-date with current trends. Most of the trials also have an MRI component which strengthens our links with the neuro-radiologists and Department of Radiology at The Royal Melbourne Hospital. 


Epilepsy Research

The RMH Epilepsy Program conducts a wide range of clinical and basic translational research programs, particularly focused on the areas of new anti-epileptic drug development, brain imaging, neuropsychiatric co-morbidities and evaluating the long-term outcomes of epilepsy and its treatment.  The objectives are to always improve the care and quality of life of patients with newly diagnosed and chronic epilepsy and improve clinical quality feedback and practice. 
Australian Pregnancy Register

DEMENTIA Research

The RMH Dementia Research Unit runs a range of clinical trials that are particularly aimed at looking for gold standard pharmacological treatment approaches for various types of dementias. It is hoped that these studies will eventually lend towards the identification of drugs that can help to treat or delay the progression of dementia. Currently, the unit is actively recruiting participants for Alzheimer’s, Vascular and Fronto-temporal dementia studies. For further information regarding these studies, please refer to the RMH clinical trials website (filter by trial type: Dementia) or contact the team at DementiaTrials@thembc.org.au.


MOVEMENT DISORDERS RESEARCH

The Movement Disorders research program is focused on clinically relevant research that will lead to improved patient care and to enhance quality of life of patients with Parkinson’s and other movement disorders. Current initiatives include undertaking to investigate the prevalence and impact on quality of life and functioning of pain syndromes in Parkinson’s disease, the role of continuous dopaminergic stimulation in reducing the incidence of the neurobehavioural effects of medications, the development of a deep brain stimulator program for the management of Parkinson’s patients and other movement disorders, and enhanced care of patients with a variety of spasticity disorders.

Clinical Neurophysiology and Peripheral Neuropathy Research

The Department of Clinical Neurophysiology has a major commitment to the conduct of randomised controlled trials of new treatments for a variety of peripheral neuropathies. Particular areas of interest have been the diabetic neuropathies, chemotherapy induced neuropathies and the demyelinating neuropathies. An important role of the department is in the safety monitoring of new drugs (either TGA approved or research related) with potentially neurotoxic side effects. Adverse events such as peripheral neuropathy or optic neuropathy can be identified at a subclinical stage using neurophysiologic techniques. Current initiatives include enhancing the assessment of small fibre neuropathies with utilisation of quantitative sensory testing and development of further tests to evaluate autonomic function.

NeW HUNTINGTON'S DISEASE Research

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