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Research InterestsProfessor Marie-Paule Austin | | (Position Details) | | Phone Please contact School/Unit | | Qualifications MB BS Monash, MD, FRANZCP |
| | | School/Unit |
| School of Psychiatry | |
| | Broad Research Areas | |
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Psychiatry
Clinical Research
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| | | | Specific Research Keywords | |
| Women & Health
Perinatal Mental Health
Public Health
depression
Anxiety Disorders
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| | | | Research Interests | |
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Professor Austin's doctoral thesis examined the cognitive, imaging and neurochemical correlates of depression. Over the last 10 years Austin has focussed on the detection of, treatment and impact on infant outcomes, of mood disorders arising in the perinatal period. During this time she has undertaken a number of prospective studies: the first assessed the mental health of 2,000 mothers antenatally and then at 2, 4, 6 months postpartum. This study also allowed the evaluation of the association between antenatal maternal depression & anxiety and obstetric outcomes and infant temperament at 4 months. The Pregnancy Risk Questionnaire was developed and validated as a useful psychosocial risk assessment tool and independently tested in a furhter 2,400 women. Austin has conducted two RCTs: an antenatal CBT intervention and an RCT examining the use of Omega-3 in the treatment of antenatal depression and its role in the aetiology of this condition. In conjunction with her Developmental Psychology colleagues, Austin has undertaken a prospective trial following up 84 mothers recruited in pregnancy and evaluating the endocrinological, neurodevelopmental and behavioural correlates for the infant, of maternal pregnancy anxiety. The infants are now turning 3 and the team have developed expertise in the assessment of infant stress reactivity and maternal sensitivity. Austin is also currently undertaking a study of the effects of selective serotonin Reuptake inhibitors (SSRI’s) taken in pregnancy on infant outcomes at 18 months using the Bailey scales. Planned studies will examine outcomes of women with bipolar disorder postpartum; genotyping studies in women with postpartum depression and psychosis; as well as examining for the presence of 5HTTP polymorphisms in infants with high stress reactivity; and the role of reproductive hormones in the development of mother-infant attachment. Publications:Austin has published over 90 peer-reviewed papers (35 as first author) in the field of mood disorders.Citation count at Nov 2007: total 1962 with 892 as first author.
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| | | | Teaching Interests | |
| Teaching psychiatric,obstetric,GP midwifery and allied health about perinatal mental health and mother-infant attachment issues. This ranges from training in antenatal psychosocial screening and management to supervision of medical students and Registrars in the OP perinatal mental health clinic at Royal Hopsital for Women. | |
| | | | Society Memberships & Professional Activities | |
| St John of God Chair Perinatal and Women's Mental Health (UNSW).
Immediate Past President Australasian Marce Society
Information Editor International Marce Society
RANZ College of Psychiatry advisor to the National Advisory Committee on Maternal Mortality Review Working Group.
Chair NHMRC clinical practice guidelines for perinatal mental health(beyondblue auspiced).
Clinical Associate of Black Dog Institute, POWH.
Assessor for a number of Psychiatric Journals and NHMRC grants. | |
| | | | Funding Sources | |
| -NHMRC Program grant
Pfizer Fellowship
Kinsman PND Scholarship.
Rotary | |
| | | | Other Postgraduate Research | |
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Thesis co-Supervisor for Psychology student Macquarie University: stress in pregnancy and infant outcomes. | |
| | | | Key works/Publications | |
| PEER REVIEWED JOURNALS
Austin, M-P. (1992) Recurrent puerperal affective psychosis: The case for lithium prophylaxis. British Journal of Psychiatry 161: 692-694.
Austin, M-P. and Mitchell, P. (1998). The use of psychotropic medications in breast-feeding women: acute and prophylactic treatment. Austin M-P (2003) Psychosocial assessment and the management of depression and anxiety in pregnancy: key aspects of antenatal care for general practice. Australian Family Physician 32: 119-126.
Austin M-P (2004) Antenatal psychosocial screening, assessement and prevention for “perinatal” distress, depression & anxiety: where to from here? Archives of Women’s Mental Health, 7: 1-6.
Austin M-P, Hadzi-Pavlovic D, Leader L, Saint K , Parker G. (2005) Maternal anxiety, depression, cognitive style and Life Event stress in Pregnancy: relationship with infant temperament Early Human Development; 81: 183-190.
Austin, M.-P., Hadzi-Pavlovic, D., Leader, L., Saint, K., Parker, G. (2005). Antenatal screening for the prediction of postnatal depression: validation of a psychosocial pregnancy risk questionnaire. Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica 112: 310-317.
Austin, M-P., Leader, L., Reilly, N. (2005). Prenatal stress, the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, and fetal and infant neurobehaviour. Early Human Development 81: 917-926.
Egliston, K-A, Austin, M-P , McMahon, C (2007) Stress in Pregnancy and Infant HPA Axis Function: Conceptual and Methodological Issues Relating to the Use of Salivary Cortisol as an Outcome Measure. Neuropsychoendocrinology 32:
Austin, M.-P., et al.(2007). "Perinatal maternal mortality and psychiatric morbidity- challenges and opportunities for prevention in the Australian setting. MJA, 186(7), 364-367.
Austin, M. P., et al (2008). Brief antenatal cognitive behaviour therapy group intervention for the prevention of postnatal depression and anxiety: A randomised controlled trial. JAD. 105(1-3): 35-44.
Rees A-M, Austin M-P , Parker G (2008) Omega-3 levels are lowered in perinatal depression (in press)
OTHER PUBLICATIONS
Austin M-P. Deaths from Psychiatric Causes (clinical commentary). In: Slaytor EK, Sullivan E, King JF (2004). Maternal Deaths in Australia 1997-1999. Sydney: AIWH National Perinatal Statistics Unit (Maternal Deaths Series # 1), pp 44-48.
Austin M-P. Deaths from Psychiatric Causes (clinical commentary). In: Kildea S, Sullivan E, King JF (2006). Maternal Deaths in Australia 2000-02. Sydney: AIWH National Perinatal Statistics Unit (Maternal Deaths Series # 2).
Austin M-P, Priest, SR, Sullivan E. (2008) Antenatal psychosocial assessment for reducing perinatal mental health morbidity Cochrane review.
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