Welcome to Brain Awareness Week 2023

On this page, you will find resources about concussion and acoustic neuroma. There are two videos about concussion & traumatic brain injury, with Dr Jamie Beros giving an overview of brain injury and Dr George Opie sharing some updates on the latest research. These diseases and injuries affect many Australians – whether they experience it themselves, or if it is one of their loved ones.

Thank you to the researchers who have created these videos. We hope you find them helpful, and that you learn something new about these brain diseases.

Concussion & Traumatic Brain Injury

There are over 200,000 diagnosed cases of traumatic brain injury (TBI) in Australia every year, and probably many more that go undiagnosed. TBI is incredibly complex – the causes, symptoms, and recovery vary significantly in each case. Dr Jamie Beros explains the reason for this variation, and what we can do to improve diagnosis and treatment in the future.

Learn more about TBI:

• Acquired brain injury – a detailed explanation of brain injury
• Recent research papers – find Australian research from the last 5 years
• Brain Injury Australia – the national peak advocacy organisation representing the needs of the over 700,000 Australians with a brain injury, their families and carers.
• National Assistance Card – a personalised card to assist people with disability and health conditions in the community.

For years, concussion has been understood as a mild traumatic brain injury. But recent research shows that they aren’t always mild – they can have serious long-term effects. Researchers like Dr George Opie are now investigating new ways to diagnose, understand and treat this brain injury.

Learn more about concussion:

• Concussion – a detailed explanation of concussion
• Concussion fact sheet – one page summary (available for PDF download)
• Recent research papers – find Australian research from the past five years

What is Acoustic Neuroma?

Acoustic neuroma is a type of non-cancerous tumour that grows on the nerve connecting the inner ear to the brain. It can affect your hearing and sense of balance, and if left untreated, it can be fatal. Associate Professor Rebecca Lim explains what an acoustic neuroma is and some of the exciting treatments on the horizon.

Learn more about acoustic neuroma:

• Acoustic neuroma – a detailed explanation of this type of tumour
• Recent research papers – find Australian research from the last 5 years

About the experts

Dr Jamie Beros, University of Western Australia

Jamie is a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the University of Western Australia. He was awarded his PhD in 2020 for his thesis investigating the mechanisms underlying developmental retinal ganglion cell death in pre-clinical models. Jamie is currently working in a brain plasticity research group led by A/Prof Jennifer Rodger. He received a Brain Foundation research grant last year for research into traumatic brain injury (TBI). His team will be testing the efficacy of light stimulation therapy after TBI to see if this intervention can promote the survival of damaged brain cells, prevent the spread of injury and improve brain function and repair.

Researcher profile | Brain Foundation research grant

Dr George Opie, University of Adelaide

George is a research fellow located within the neurophysiology of human movement laboratory at The University of Adelaide. His research utilises non-invasive brain stimulation and imaging techniques to mechanistically understand the brain, with particular emphasis on motor function. He has authored or co-authored 41 journal articles, including articles in prominent publications such as The Journal of Physiology and Brain Stimulation. Currently, his main research interests revolve around mild forms of traumatic brain injury (mTBI) with specific focus on identifying how these injuries influence the brain. George received a Brain Foundation research grant for his upcoming research into how the brain’s electrical activity is altered by mTBI, which will inform our understanding of the side effects people experience after brain injury. 

Researcher profile | Brain Foundation research grant

A/Prof Rebecca Lim, University of Newcastle

Rebecca is an Associate Professor and chief investigator at the University of Newcastle who specialises in sensory system function. In particular, Rebecca’s work focuses on understanding how cells of the inner ear responsible for balance, also known as the peripheral vestibular system, function normally and what happens to them in disease states including Diabetes, Meniere’s Disease, and Vestibular Schwannoma. Her aim is to produce treatments and prosthetic devices to replace damaged and diseased cells to restore balance, hearing, and vision. She received a Brain Foundation research grant to investigate a type of brain tumour called an acoustic neuroma. Her team is developing the first targeted therapy for the treatment of acoustic neuroma which affects both hearing and balance.

Researcher profile | Brain Foundation research grant