Melbourne Neuropsychiatry Centre

Clinical Neuropsychiatry at RMH

Research Areas & Approach

The Neuropsychiatry Unit has a long history of clinical collaboration with Clinical
Neurosciences at the Royal Melbourne Hospital.

In close collaboration with A/Prof Terence O’Brien and Dr Raju Yerra of the Comprehensive Epilepsy Program a number of research projects in the neuropsychiatry of epilepsy have commenced.

The studies include:

  • A retrospective study examining co-morbid neuropsychiatric disorders in patients with focal epilepsy. This includes comprehensive neuropsychiatric, neuroimaging and neurological evaluations undertaken over the last ten years
  • Dr Sophia Adams is undertaking her doctoral thesis in a prospective follow-up study of these patients that will provide important information about the course of epilepsy and the relationship between epilepsy and neuropsychiatric disorders
  • The outcome of patients with first seizures compared with concurrently treated patients with non-epileptic seizures is also being investigated

    • Phylis Chua is undertaking her PhD examining pre-onset Huntington’s disease individuals identified by genetic screening. She has assessed them comprehensively using neuropsychological, clinical and brain imaging techniques.

    Case Studies: The clinical populations at the Neuropsychiatry Unit include patients with rare or atypical conditions, which provide insights into the relationship between brain pathology and mental or cognitive symptoms.

    Clinical tools designed by the RMH team

    The clinical team at RMH has developed three useful screening tools, the Neuropsychiatry Unit Cognitive Screen (NUCOG) the Behavioural Assessment Tool for Cognition and Higher function (BATCH) and the CogRisk.

  • The NUCOG is a bedside battery that has been used in neuropsychiatric populations to assess cognition in medical or psychiatric patients. It assists clinicians in their assesment of cognitive deficits
  • The BATCH uses systematic observation and recording of ward-based behaviours to assess cognitive function in patients who cannot be formally tested
  • The CogRisk is a carer questionnaire that provides information on the patient’s demographics, cognitive risk factors and cognitive symptoms

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