A/​Prof Justine Gatt is leading a project that focuses on identifying the longitudinal neural trajectories of vulnerability versus resilience in adult twins. This project involves a 10-year and 12-year follow-up of our adult twin cohort who previously participated in our TWIN‑E Study. Changes in mental health outcomes since baseline will be evaluated over multiple time points to characterise different profiles of risk versus resilience over time. We will then evaluate the parallel changes in neurocognitive performance and brain structure and function that correspond to these risk and resilience profiles. By comparing identical to non-identical twins, we will determine the role of genetics and environment in these pathways over time.

Team Members & Collaborators

The investigators on this project include A/​Prof Justine Gatt as CIA (NeuRA and UNSW, Australia), Dr Robin Turner as CIB (University of Otago, New Zealand) and Professor Leanne Williams as CIC (Stanford University, USA). The postdoctoral fellow on this project is Dr Haeme Park, and the PhD students involved in this project include: Miranda Chilver (PhD), Javad Jamshidi (Scientia PhD), and Arthur Montalto (PhD). The twin participants to be recruited for this project will be drawn from the Twins Research Australia (TRA) twin registry (https://​www​.twins​.org​.au/).

Grant Funding

This project is currently supported by a NHMRC Project Grant (APP1122816, 2017 – 2021).

Key Outcomes & Publications

Recruitment for this project is underway.