Dr Velandai K Srikanth

Dr. Srikanth is a Senior Lecturer at the Department of Medicine at Monash University (Monash Medical Centre, MMC). He is the head of the Stroke and Ageing Research Group within Neurosciences. His expertise is in the neuroepidemiology of ageing, with emphasis on the major disease syndromes of ageing including dementia, cerebrovascular disease and falls. He heads the stroke surveillance component of a large non-communicable disease program initiative in Vietnam funded by Atlantic Philanthropies. He also holds the position of Honorary Member and Research Fellow at the Menzies Research Institute, Hobart.

In his clinical role, he is a specialist geriatrician in the Department of Neurology at Southern Health (MMC) involved in the post-acute care of patients admitted to the acute stroke unit. He conducts a comprehensive stroke clinic aimed at rapid assessment and secondary prevention of transient ischaemic attack (TIA) and stroke, and a cognitive disorders clinic in Monash Neurology.

• Research Projects
• Awards and Achievements
• Committees
• Publications
• Higher Degrees by Research Supervision and related data

Research Projects

National

• The Tasmanian Study of Cognition and Gait (TASCOG) - is a population-based longitudinal study of brain ageing (NHMRC project grants 403000, 491109, 2006 - 2013) using MRI phenotypes, focusing on subclinical cerebrovascular disease (white matter hyperintensities) and neurodegeneration (brain atrophy) as primary outcome measures. Collaborations are with the Menzies Research Institute, Baker-IDI, University of Western Sydney, DEPM Monash, Murdoch Childrens Research Institute and the Centre for Advanced Imaging Queensland.
• The Cognition and Type 2 Diabetes in Older Tasmanians (CDOT) study (NHMRC project grants 436797, 2007-2011). Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (DM) is considered to be a risk factor for Alzheimer’s dementia. CDOT uses MRI to examining the effects of DM on subclinical cerebrovascular disease and brain atrophy, and the contribution of advanced glycation endproducts (AGEs) to cognitive decline associated with DM. Collaborations are with the Menzies Research Institute, Baker-IDI, University of Western Sydney, DEPM Monash, and the National Heart and Lung Institute, Imperial College London.
• Twin study of brain changes in Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (Diabetes Australia Research Trust Grant, 2008) - this is a co-twin study in collaboration with the Australian Twin Registry exploring the effect of DM on hippocampal structure and function in older twins who are discordant for DM.
  
• Neural and vascular basis of dementia in rat models of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (National Heart Foundation, Grant-in-Aid 2009-2011) – led by the collaborators at the Department of Physiology, Monash University.

International

• Stroke in Vietnam - In collaboration with the Menzies Research Institute, the Baker-IDI Research Institute, the World Health Organisation and the Vietnam Ministry of Health. The aim is to set up a hospital-based surveillance system for stroke at 2 major centres in Ha Noi and in Ho Chi Minh City using the STEPS approach developed by the World Health Organisation.
• Surveillance of vascular diseases and risk factors in rural India (The Rishi Valley Project) – in collaboration with lead investigator A/Prof Amanda Thrift (Baker-IDI), Dr Roger Evans (Monash University) and the Rishi Valley Education Centre in India (Dr Kartik Kalyanram and Dr Kamakshi Kartik). This study will be used to determine the extent of common non-communicable diseases and the risk factors for these diseases in a rural region of Andhra Pradesh (among approximately 38,000 residents of approximately 40 villages).
• Genetic determinants of brain ageing – genome-wide association studies (GWAS) of stroke and dementia, in particular with MRI endophenotypes such as brain atrophy and subclinical cerebrovascular disease in collaboration with the Framingham Study Investigators (A/Prof Seshadri) and others.

Awards and Achievements

• Distinctions in Neuroanatomy (1983), Physiology (1984) and Pharmacology (1984), Madras Medical College, India
• Melbourne Abroad Travelling Scholarship, University of Melbourne, to attend the first International Congress on Vascular Dementia, Geneva 1998.
• The Bristol Myers-Squibb Young Investigator Prize, the Australian Society of Geriatric Medicine Annual Scientific Meeting, Cairns, Australia 2000.
• The Peter Bladin Investigator’s award, Stroke Society of Australasia, Annual Scientific Meeting, Auckland, New Zealand 2001.
• National Stroke Foundation New Investigator award for excellence in research, Stroke Society of Australasia Annual Scientific Meeting, Queensland, Australia 2002
• Roche Poster Prize, the Australian Society of Geriatric Medicine Annual Scientific Meeting, Melbourne, Australia 2003.
• Post-Doctoral travelling scholarship, Australian National University, to attend the Symposium on Dynamic Processes in Ageing, Canberra, Australia, September 2003.
• The Lundbeck Fellowship (Australian Society for Geriatric Medicine), the Lundbeck Institute, Copenhagen (July 2004).
• Roche Poster Prize, the Australian Society of Geriatric Medicine Annual Scientific Meeting, Christchurch, New Zealand 2006.
• Dean’s Award for Excellence in Research, Early Career Researcher, Faculty of Medicine, Monash University, 2007
• Stroke Society of Australasia, Overseas Travelling Scholarship, 2008

Committees

• Chair Nomination Committee, International Society for Vascular Cognitive and Behavioural Disorders (VAS-COG) -2008-present
• Honorary Secretary, Stroke Society of Australasia - 2007-present
• Scientific Research Committee, Southern Clinical School, Monash University - 2008- present

Major Publications

1. Srikanth V, Beare R, Blizzard L, Phan TG, Stapleton J, Chen J, Callisaya M, Martin K, Reutens DC. Cerebral White Matter Lesions, Gait and the Risk of Incident Falls. Stroke , 2009 Jan 40(1) 175-80
2. Thrift AG, Dewey HM, Sturm J, Srikanth V, Gilligan A, Gall S, MacDonell R, McNeill J, Donnan G. Incidence of stroke subtypes in the North East Melbourne Stroke Incidence Study (NEMESIS): differences between men and women. Neuroepidemiology 2009;32:11-18.
3. Pandian J, Srikanth V, Read S, Thrift AG. Poverty and Stroke in India – a time to act. Stroke (Special Report 2007, 38:11;3063-9) (subject of an editorial in the same issue, “Stroke Prevention in Poor Countries. Time for Action”, Bonita R & Beaglehole R”; abstract nominated by Journal as abstract for presentation at the NIH summit on Global Themed Issues, October 2007).
4. Srikanth V, Quinn S, Donnan GA, Saling MM, Thrift AG. Long-tem cognitive transitions, rates of cognitive decline and predictors of dementia in a population-based first-ever stroke cohort. Stroke 2006; 37: p. 2479-2483.
5. Srikanth V, Anderson JF, Donnan GA, Saling MM, Didus E, Alpitsis R, Dewey HM, Macdonell RA, Thrift AG. Progressive dementia after first-ever stroke: a community-based follow-up study. Neurology 2004;63(5):785-92.
6. Srikanth V, Thrift AG, Saling MM, Anderson JFI, Dewey HM, Macdonell RA, Donnan GA. Increased Risk of Cognitive Impairment 3 Months After Mild to Moderate First-Ever Stroke. Stroke 2003;34:1136-1143.

Other Publications

• Beare R, Srikanth V, Phan TG, Chen J, Stapleton J, Lipshut R, Reutens DC. Morphological segmentation of age-related cerebral white matter hyperintensities. Neuroimage (provisionally accepted March 2009)
• Martin K, Blizzard L, Wood A, Thomson R, Garry M, Srikanth V. Visuospatial ability and memory are independently associated with falls risk in older people – a population-based study of older people. Dementia and Geriatric Cognitive Disorders (accepted Dec 30, 2008)
• Callisaya M, Blizzard L, Schmidt M, McGinley J, Lord S, Srikanth V. Sensorimotor correlates of gait in older people – A population-based study. Age and Ageing (epub before print, March 2009)
• Phan TG, Fong A, Donnan GA, Srikanth V, Reutens DC. Digital probabilistic atlas of the border region between the middle and posterior cerebral arteries. Cerebrovascular Diseases (accepted Nov 19, 2008)
• Thrift AG, Srikanth VK. Risk Factors for Dementia. (Editorial Comment) Neuroepidemiology. 2008;31(1):68.
• Fitzgerald S, Srikanth V, Evans RA, Thrift AG. Benefits and Challenges of Stroke Research in Developing Countries. Brain Impairment 2008;9(2) 198-204.
• Anderson J, Saling MM, Srikanth V, Thrift AG, Donnan GA. Individuals with first-ever clinical presentation of a lacunar infarction syndrome: Is there an increased likelihood of developing mild cognitive impairment in the first 12 months after stroke?" Journal of Neuropsychology 2008 (2):373-385.
• Callisaya M, Blizzard L, Schmidt M, McGinley J, Srikanth V. Sex Modifies the Relationship between Age and Gait - a Population-based Study of Older Adults. J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci. 2008 Feb;63(2):165-70.
• Callisaya M, Blizzard L, Schmidt M, McGinley J, Srikanth V. Subject-matter considerations in assessing the fit of a linear regression model. Australasian Epidemiologist 2007; 14.2:35-37.
• Srikanth V, Fryer J, Venn A, Blizzard L, Newman L, Cooley H, Albion A, Jones G. The association between non-melanoma skin cancer and osteoporotic fractures – a population-based record linkage study. Osteoporosis International 2007 May;18(5):687-92. (This article received a commentary in Nature Clinical Practice Endocrinology & Metabolism (2007) 3, 558-559)
• Stapleton J. Thrift AG, Saling MM, Srikanth V. How useful are the MMSE and the IQCODE in diagnosing cognitive impairment in stroke patients? Research and Practice in Alzheimer’s Disease 2007; 12:117-121.
• Shaw K, Srikanth V, Fryer J, Blizzard, L, Dwyer T, Venn A. Dual X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) body composition and aging in a population-based older cohort. International Journal of Obesity 2007; 31(2):279-84.
• Phan TG, Srikanth V, Reutens DC Borderzone infarction: stroke topography does not easily equate with stroke mechanism. Stroke. 2006 Nov;37(11):2658.
• Foley S, Lord S, Srikanth V, Cooley H, Jones G. Falls Risk is associated with Pain and Dysfunction but not Radiographic Osteoarthritis in Older Adults: Tasmanian Older Adult Cohort Study. Osteoarthritis and Cartilage 2006;14(6):533-539..
• Zhai G, Blizzard L, Srikanth V, Cooley H, Ding C, Cicuttini F, Jones G. Correlates of knee pain in older adults. Arthritis and Rheumatism 2006;55(2):264-271.
• Thrift A, Dewey H, Sturm J, Paul S, Gilligan A, Srikanth V, Macdonell R, McNeil J, Macleod M, Donnan G. Greater incidence of both fatal and non-fatal strokes in disadvantaged areas: the north east Melbourne stroke incidence study (NEMESIS) Stroke 2006;37: 877-882..
• Srikanth V, Fryer J, Thrift AG, Saling MM, Dewey HM, Sturm J, Donnan GA. The validity of screening cognitive instruments in the diagnosis of dementia and cognitive impairment after first-ever stroke. International Psychogeriatrics, 2006; 18 (2):295-305.
• Phan TG, Srikanth V, Reutens DC. Therapeutic Implications for Routine Transthoracic Echocardiography in Acute Ischemic Stroke Patients (letter) Stroke, Jan 2006; 37: 11 – 12.
• Srikanth V, Fryer J, Zhai G, Winzenberg T, Hosmer D, Jones G. Meta-analysis of sex differences in osteoarthritis. Osteoarthritis and Cartilage 2005;13(9):769-81).
• Srikanth V, Anderson JF, Donnan GA, Saling MM, Didus E, Alpitsis R, Dewey HM, Macdonell RA, Thrift AG. Progressive dementia after first-ever stroke. (letter) Neurology 2005;64(5):932-3.
• Zhai G, Cicuttini F, Srikanth V, Cooley H, Ding C, Jones G. Factors associated with hip cartilage volume measured by magnetic resonance imaging: The Tasmanian Older Adult Cohort Study. Arthritis Rheum 2005;52(4):1069-76.
• Sturm JW, Donnan GA, Dewey HM, Macdonell RA, Gilligan AK, Srikanth V, Thrift AG. Quality of life after stroke: the North East Melbourne Stroke Incidence Study (NEMESIS). Stroke 2004;35(10):2340-5.
• Srikanth V, Winzenberg T, Zhai G, Fryer J, Jones G. Sex differences in osteoarthritis prevalence. International Journal of Sex Differences in Health, Disease and Aging (Online publication). 2004;2 (1):1-11.
• Srikanth V, Thrift AG, Saling MM, Donnan GA. Early risk of cognitive impairment after a single non-aphasic stroke. Research and Practice in Alzheimer’s Disease, 2004;9:140-145 (short review)
• Gilligan AK, Markus R, Read S, Srikanth V, Hirano T, Fitt G, Arends M, Chambers BR, Davis SM, Donnan GA. Baseline Blood Pressure, and not Early CT change, predicts Major Hemorrhage after Streptokinase in Acute Ischaemic Stroke. Stroke 2002; 33 (9): 2236-2242.

Invited Reviews

• Bateman G, Srikanth V. Vascular Dementia. BMJ Point of Care (Online Monograph and teaching resource, March 2008.
• Paul S, Srikanth V, Thrift AG. The large and growing burden of stroke. Current Drug Targets 2007 Jul;8(7):786-93.
• Srikanth V, Thrift AG, Saling MM, Donnan GA. Cerebrovascular disease and dementia. Drugs of Today 2005 Dec;41(12):815-25.

Invited Book Chapters

• Srikanth V, Phan TG. Stroke – Clinical Presentation, Management and Organisation of Services. Brocklehurst Text Book of Geriatric Medicine 7th ed. Eds. Rockwood, Fillit et al. (accepted July 2008).
• Thrift AG, Srikanth V. Epidemiology and Pathology of Stroke. Brocklehurst Text Book of Geriatric Medicine 7th ed. Eds. Rockwood, Fillit et al. (accepted July 2008)
• Srikanth V, Saling MM, Thrift AG. Vascular Cognitive Impairment. Neurobiology of Disease 2006; Ch 21; Ed. S Gilman, Elsevier, San Diego.
• Srikanth V, Donnan GA, Cerebrovascular System and the Ageing Brain. The Ageing Brain (Ed. P. Sachdev), Swets and Zeitlinger 2003;153-169.

Other relevant publications

• Woodward M, Brodaty H, Budge M, Byrne G, Flicker L, Hecker J, Srikanth V. Dementia: Can it be prevented? Canberra: Alzheimer's Australia; 2005 August (Position statement, revised 2008)
• Srikanth V. Dementia after First-ever Stroke – a longitudinal population-based study. (PhD Thesis). University of Melbourne (August 2003).

Higher Degrees by Research Supervision and related data

• Michele Callisaya (Part-time Masters 2005 – 2007, Full-time PhD commencing 2008) – Michele is a physiotherapist who commenced her part-time (one day/week) Master’s in Epidemiology at the University of Tasmania investigating “Ageing and gait in a population-based sample” in the Tasmanian Study of Cognition and Gait (TASCOG).
• Kara Martin (PhD commenced 2006) – Kara is enrolled in a PhD studying “The relation between cognitive function, falls and gait in a population-based sample” in the Tasmanian Study of Cognition and Gait (TASCOG).
• Jennifer Stapleton (Masters, Neuropsychology) commenced 2008) – Jennifer is a graduate neuropsychologist who is studying “The effects of white matter hyperintensities on cognition” in the Tasmanian Study of Cognition and Gait (TASCOG).
• Maree Williams (Masters in Public Health, DEPM completed 2008) – Maree conducted her thesis on “Natural history and predictors of urinary incontinence in stroke survivors”.
• Helena Ng (Advanced Trainee, Geriatric Medicine, 2007-) – Helena has conducted a study on “The effect of footwear on gait and balance”, as a research project for her advanced training. She is currently analyzing the data in readiness for submission 2009.