Terms of Reference (24 March 2003)

1. Describe the major brain-and-mind disorders, their burdens, costs and associated trends in the Australian population.

2. Describe the contribution of neurosciences, both in Australia and overseas, over the past 10 years to the understanding and amelioration of brain-and-mind disorders.

3. What are the likely developments in neurosciences, both in Australia and overseas, that will have an impact over the next 10 years on the burden and amelioration of these disorders?

4. What are the optimal organisational structures to promote the national neuroscience effort?

5. What are the likely public health equity and bioethical public health issues

6. Outline the care needed to avoid such conditions and the issues affecting public health and health delivery policy in better management of neuropsychiatric disorders, especially in the early childhood phase.

7. In the light of these developments, what are the effective strategies in the short, medium, or long term to deal with brain-and-mind disorders of major public health significance, including:

o Depression and mood disorders; bipolar disorder

o Psychotic disorders ­ schizophrenia, drug-induced

o Addiction ­ illicit drugs, alcohol and nicotine

o Anxiety / post traumatic stress disorder / obsessive compulsive disorder

o Chronic neurodegenerative disorders (Alzheimerís & Parkinsonís diseases, Motor Neurone disease)

o Stroke

o Neurotrauma

o Childhood developmental disorders ­ e.g. autism, ADHD, dyslexia
 

Membership of Working Group

* Dr Leanna Read, Managing Director, TGR Biosciences Pty Ltd  (Chair)

* Professor Fred Mendelsohn (Deputy Chair) Director of the Howard Florey Institute for Experimental Physiology and Medicine.

* Associate Professor Christos Pantelis, Cognitive Neuropsychiatry Research and Academic Unit, Department of Psychiatry, University of Melbourne

* Professor Assen Jablensky,  School of Psychiatry & Clinical Neuroscience
University of Western Australia

* Professor Max Bennett AO, Department of Physiology, University of Sydney

* Professor Edward Byrne, Centre for Neuroscience, University of Melbourne

* Professor Peter Schofield, Neurobiology Research Program, Garvan Institute of Medical Research

* Professor Ian Hickie, CEO, beyondblue (the national depression initiative)