A leading New Zealand mental health research foundation has rebranded and is targeting a portion of its funding towards anxiety and depression research as it works to meet the rising need for mental health research in New Zealand.

Over the past 57 years the Whau Mental Health Research Foundation, previously known as the Oakley Mental Health Research Foundation, has invested around $2.5 million in almost 200 research projects addressing a wide range of mental health issues in New Zealand.

Chairman Robert Kydd says in 2025, alongside the foundation’s usual support for a broad range of mental health projects, there will be a targeted fund dedicated to anxiety and depression research, with a strong emphasis on addressing these challenges among young people.

“This fund will support studies working to understand the factors that contribute to these conditions, as well as exploring effective treatments and interventions to improve mental health outcomes,” said Kydd.

“Many organisations from academic institutions to NGOs are conducting impactful work in these areas and we aim to strengthen their capacity through strategic funding and a commitment to rigorous evaluation. By empowering these groups to deliver meaningful, evidence-based results, we contribute to building a stronger, more effective mental health landscape in Aotearoa.”

Kydd says the need for impactful mental health research has never been greater, with nearly half of New Zealanders experiencing mental illness or distress during their lifetime. 

“New Zealand is facing a mental health crisis, with rising rates of mental illness and suicide, particularly among young people,” said Kydd.

“We have one of the highest youth suicide rates in the OECD, with Māori and Pasifika youth disproportionately affected. Mental distress is on the rise, with one in five young people aged 15 – 24 reporting high levels of psychological distress, according to the 2022/2023 New Zealand Health Survey. Mental health services are struggling to cope, with long wait times and staff shortages across the country. 

“The COVID-19 pandemic has further exacerbated these issues, increasing feelings of isolation, financial stress and anxiety. Despite a $1.9 billion investment in mental health by the government in 2019, progress in expanding services and addressing these challenges has been slow, leaving many in urgent need of care.” 

Kydd says the Whau Foundation is committed to meeting this need by expanding its fund, growing public support, and fostering strategic partnerships with like-minded organisations and corporate sponsors. 

“The Whau Foundation helps to address gaps in knowledge and service delivery by funding innovative research. Our work focuses on evidence-based practices and developing effective interventions. 

“We prioritise finding out what actually works in mental health care, ensuring that our initiatives are grounded in research and real-world outcomes. Through advancing understanding in the field, we aim to alleviate pressure on the healthcare system and offer better support to those in need.”

Previous grants from the Whau Foundation have led to significant scientific and clinical outcomes, supporting both emerging and established researchers in their pursuit of innovative solutions to mental health challenges.

Recent projects which received funding from the Foundation include Dr Karolina Stasiak’s computerised Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (cCBT), which developed new generation e-therapy for young people with mild to moderate depression. The research served as a prototype for SPARX – a video game that teaches young people CBT techniques for dealing with symptoms of depression.

The Foundation also contributed to research by Dr Rose Crossin which explored the negative effects of alcohol on New Zealander’s mental health.

Whau Foundation research grants for 2024 / 2025 include:

• Morgan Blind (University of Waikato): Project SOLVE and rangatahi in Aotearoa: Co-designing and evaluating a digital single-session intervention for adolescent mental health in New Zealand.
• Jai Whelan (University of Otago): Exploring Methamphetamine Treatment Options, Harm Reduction and Stigma in Aotearoa.
• Professor Bruce Arroll (Auckland City Mission/Calder Clinic): Written Exposure therapy: Effective, Briefer, Evidence-based treatment for PTSD conducted by a wider range of clinicians.
• Professor Dirk De Ridder (University of Otago): A triple network stimulation approach for the treatment of internalising psychopathology.

About Whau Foundation:

The Whau Foundation is dedicated to funding high-quality mental health research that enhances evidence-based knowledge, increases research capacity, and improves health outcomes, well-being, and equity for all New Zealanders. 

Over the past 57 years, the Foundation has invested approximately $2.5 million in over 180 research projects, addressing a wide range of mental health issues. These grants have led to significant scientific and clinical outcomes, supporting both emerging and established researchers in their pursuit of innovative solutions to mental health challenges.

Named after the Whau tree, the New Zealand native that provides shelter for other species of plants to grow and thrive, the Foundation aims to nurture ground-breaking discoveries and advancements in the mental health field. 

For more information and interview requests please contact:

Lewis Hampton
Payper Co-Founder
lewis@payper.co

Fiona Mathieson’s two Whau Mental Health Research Foundation-funded research projects are quite different but both involve the practitioner’s ability to make a difference to a patient’s experience. 

The first project involved adapting for Māori a brief mental health intervention, which clinicians can offer patients in primary health care. 

Fiona, Clinical Psychologist and Senior Lecturer at the University of Otago’s Department of Psychological Medicine, says there is disparity in contact with mental health services between Māori and non-Māori, and when contact does occur it is often with primary care services, such as GPs. 

‘Near threshold’ anxiety, depression, and substance use are common presentations in primary care settings and while not meeting the threshold for diagnosis, the symptoms can carry a significant burden and could develop into a diagnosable disorder. 

With input from patients, clinicians and researchers, including Dr Kara Mihaere (Rangitāne, Ngāti Kahungunu ki Wairoa, Ngati Rakaipaaka) an innovative ultra-brief intervention (UBI) was designed for people aged 18-65 with ‘near threshold’ mental health symptoms. 

The UBI consists of three brief sessions of guided cognitive behaviour therapy-based self- management, with a focus on problem-solving and behaviour change, and delivered by the primary care physician in a primary care setting. 

The sessions comprise one hour total and are supported by a treatment manual and self-help booklets on the topics of relationships, stress, and breaking habits. 

The clinician works as a coach and change facilitator rather than therapist, as patients develop a specific plan for change, which is printed out as a prescription and integrated into computerised patient management systems. There is one follow-up email or phone call to see how the plan is working. 

Clinicians were trained in a two-hour session and satisfaction ratings from patients and clinicians were very positive. 

“What was significant with the UBI (Ultra Brief Intervention) Māori study is we were able to find a way to adapt the intervention for Māori and it hasn’t really been that difficult. We found that we were able to adapt it in a way that had a high level of acceptability with the Māori clients who participated in this study and also with the clinicians, most of who weren’t Māori. 

It was only a small study but using the intervention with patients may have helped with the clinician’s cultural competence. Hopefully this study will encourage other researchers to go ahead and adapt tools even if they aren’t Māori – there are still ways you can do that. 

Fiona and her co-researchers have presented their research at local and international conferences and had their findings published in the Journal of Primary Health Care. 

Fiona’s latest research, also funded by the Whau Mental Health Research Foundation, is looking at the impact on patients when mental health staff undergo postgraduate cognitive behavioural therapy training. It examines whether as well as students developing knowledge and skills, were their patients getting better with regards to reduced stress and improved functioning. 

Fiona says the funding for both projects has enabled the research to be completed, and the funding for the second study on patient outcomes allowed her to employ a research assistant to collect the data in a timely and efficient way. 

“Because I am trying to do this research on top of teaching, it is great to get that kind of support. I am fairly new to research and getting those grants has helped me find my feet and gain confidence. 

“It’s been a positive experience and I felt supported, especially with the patient outcome study where you have to report back annually about how the study is going. Recruitment has been quite difficult for that study but I didn’t feel criticised. I felt supported to try and work it through, which was helpful.” 

Fiona says her research deals with issues that have everyday benefits for clinicians and patients. 

“We want to know for staff going on intensive training courses, is that benefiting patients in a real way? And being able to have intervention at primary care level fits really well with meeting people’s needs in the community, many who wouldn’t go and see a counsellor or be eligible for secondary care services. It is real-world applicability which benefits end users.” 

The sessions comprise one hour total and are supported by a treatment manual and self-help booklets on the topics of relationships, stress, and breaking habits. 

The clinician works as a coach and change facilitator rather than therapist, as patients develop a specific plan for change, which is printed out as a prescription and integrated into computerised patient management systems. There is one follow-up email or phone call to see how the plan is working. 

Clinicians were trained in a two-hour session and satisfaction ratings from patients and clinicians were very positive. 

“What was significant with the UBI (Ultra Brief Intervention) Māori study is we were able to find a way to adapt the intervention for Māori and it hasn’t really been that difficult. We found that we were able to adapt it in a way that had a high level of acceptability with the Māori clients who participated in this study and also with the clinicians, most of who weren’t Māori. 

Dr Karolina Stasiak tackled the issue while completing her PhD. Using computerised Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (cCBT), she developed new generation e-therapy for young people with mild to moderate depression. 

Traditionally cCBT has taken the form of static self-help texts that centre on reading content off computer screens. Yet Karolina believed a more effective approach would be one that took advantage of teens’ enthusiasm for video games. The result was The Journey, a 2-D animated ‘magical book’. It featured interactive exercises and quizzes, animated characters who talked about problems and solutions and video vignettes with teen actors. A pilot randomised controlled trial showed that adolescents who engaged with The Journey showed greater symptom improvement on the Children’s Depression Rating Scale-Revised (CDRS-R) than those treated with a placebo programme. 

Whau Foundation awarded Karolina a grant that allowed her to hire a digital graphic designer to help bring The Journey to life on screen. 

“Design was outside my realm of expertise, and it wasn’t possible to fund someone out of my PhD scholarship. Getting the Oakley grant was a god-send. The project couldn’t have gone forward without it.” 

The Journey served as a prototype for the next step in cCBT’s evolution: SPARX, a 3D video game that teaches young people cognitive behavioural therapy techniques for dealing with symptoms of depression. The project, funded by the Ministry of Health and led by Professor Sally Merry at the University of Auckland, included Karolina as study manager as well as several research fellows, clinical psychologists, learning technology experts and clinicians. Two PhD and one DClinPsy project resulted, as did numerous conference presentations and publications in peer-reviewed journals, including the British Medical Journal. UNESCO awarded SPARX a 2013 Netexplo Award, given to “the ten most innovative and promising digital initiatives of the year. In April 2014 SPARX was rolled out nationally as part of the Prime Ministers Youth Mental Health Project and is freely available online at www.sparx.org.nz

Karolina continues to work in the e-therapy research area and has been a co-recipient of two other relevant grants. The first grant, with Dr Stephanie Moor (Otago University) is to investigate the effectiveness of BRAVE-ONLINE (Australian cCBT for children with anxiety) in the post-earthquake context in Christchurch. The second is with Hiran Thabrew (University of Auckland) to investigate the feasibility of developing a computer program to help children with chronic illness better cope psychologically. Karolina says, “I would like to acknowledge the Foundation’s ongoing support for the line of work our team is dedicated to.”

Could you share a summary of your research project and what inspired you to pursue it?

The primary aim of the Gauging Risk and Resilience in Teenagers (GRIT) Study is to examine the mental health and developmental needs of children affected by parental substance dependence and identify trajectories to both later risk and resilience. The study design consists of a 17-year prospective longitudinal study of 100 children born to pregnant women with an opioid use disorder alongside a regionally representative comparison group of 110 non-opioid-exposed children. We are currently undertaking a 16–18-year follow-up with funding support from both the Whau Mental Health Research Foundation and the Canterbury Medical Research Foundation. All study participants and their parents are completing a range of measures including an interview about each young person’s current personal circumstances, health, education, behaviour, and mental health. They also complete a brief IQ test and computer-based cognitive and risk-taking measures. Observing the multi-domain challenges this high-risk group was more likely to experience in early and middle childhood inspired us to pursue the adolescent phase of this study to better understand the nature and extent of their risk and their support needs.

How did the Foundation support your research?

The Foundation awarded us a grant-in-aid to support a study research coordinator for our 17-year GRIT follow-up evaluation. The role has been critical in tracking and tracing, as well as recruiting our participants, many of whom have complex needs and often require considerable support to attend appointments. The coordinator has been vital in building rapport with the participants, and ensuring we provide extra support for young people and their families who often face numerous barriers to research participation.

Were there any unique or surprising findings in your research?

Although our data collection is ongoing, preliminary findings support our original hypotheses that young people born to mothers with an opioid use disorder are at increased risk for mental health problems, with around half of the cohort experiencing clinically significant levels of conduct/behaviour problems, hyperactivity, and inattention. We have also found a significantly increased risk for problematic substance use, with close to two out of three high-risk young people vaping daily. Alarmingly, their risk for alcohol use disorder was twice as high, and risk for cannabis use disorder almost three times higher than the comparison group of their same age peers. Despite these high rates of significant mental health problems, it is concerning that few are in treatment or have support to access treatment.

What impact did receiving support from the Foundation have on your career or future research opportunities?

Receiving support from the Foundation significantly impacted my career and future research opportunities. The grant-in-aid was crucial for continuing the GRIT study, my debut research project as an early career academic. This experience has enhanced my research skills, leadership and project management capabilities. Additionally, the support facilitated a successful postdoctoral experience, during which I have had access to numerous learning opportunities that deepened my academic growth. It helped me develop a clear plan for future research projects, positioning me to pursue impactful work, such as developing and evaluating early and ongoing integrated wrap-around support interventions for families affected by substance use disorder and associated early adversity.

How has this project contributed to the field, or impacted the wider community?

Longitudinal studies of this high risk population of children are extremely rare both in New Zealand and internationally. Most studies to date have focused on the newborn and early infancy period, with few studies following these children into the early childhood and school years when many problems often only begin to emerge in development. The GRIT Study is the first longitudinal study of a large group of young people born to mothers with an opioid use disorder worldwide to describe their health, well-being and behaviour outcomes to late adolescence in detail, and highlight the long-term support required by a large proportion of high-risk youth. Thus, our findings will be very important in highlighting the longer term mental health needs of these young people and the critical importance of early developmental monitoring and follow-up support for families affected by parental substance dependence. The developmental trajectory to intergenerational mental ill health and substance use for this high-risk group are particularly concerning and of clear public health concern.

How would you describe the significance of support from Whau Mental Health Research Foundation for researchers in mental health?

The Whau Mental Health Research Foundation plays an essential role in fostering research projects that ultimately aim to improve the lives of individuals affected by mental health challenges. Having a dedicated funding body that supports mental health research and identifies unique studies in the field that may be overlooked and underfunded ensures that researchers have the resources to fill critical gaps in knowledge and develop evidence-based interventions.

Have there been any specific end users or groups who have directly benefited from your research findings?

Young people born to parents with substance use disorders appear to be falling through the cracks, with one in five experiencing significant distress yet little support to access treatment and achieve optimal well-being. Although treatment was not available as part of our observational study, we have made GP referrals for our high-risk young people experiencing severe well-being challenges for further mental health evaluation and treatment. The study’s preliminary findings strongly emphasise that ongoing monitoring and wrap-around support are necessary for these children and families, and indicate that routine early interventions will be crucial to assist in parental recovery and promote optimal child developmental trajectories.

Could you share a summary of your research project and what inspired you to pursue it?

My PhD research explored the experiences of rainbow people who had accessed mental health support in Aotearoa. I was inspired to pursue this when I began my training as a clinical psychologist and realised we weren’t learning about gender, sexuality, or how to make our practice culturally safe for rainbow and takatāpui people. I wanted to provide some guidance for mental health professionals in their work, grounded in the voices of rainbow people. 

How did the Foundation support your research?

The Foundation provided funding so that I could acknowledge my participants’ time with a koha, hire research assistants to take a team approach to the project, and work with a designer to create an accessible resource for mental health professionals.

Were there any unique or surprising findings in your research?

We learned a lot about how peoples’ rainbow identities intersect with their other important identities and experiences. For example, what colonisation has meant for Māori rainbow people – which makes the research findings totally unique to Aotearoa. I remember being surprised by the fact that mental health professionals must take explicit actions to show that they’re trustworthy – which maybe shows how green I was at the time! I learned that we don’t just get peoples’ trust by doing our jobs, we have to earn it with our actions, and that might take time. I was also surprised by how much little things go a long way, like a small visual sign of support, sharing our gender pronouns when we introduce ourselves, and using inclusive language.

What impact did receiving support from the Foundation have on your career or future research opportunities?

The support I received from the Foundation gave me confidence and experience in writing grant applications, which has been really valuable as I’ve continued to do research. It also gave me the ability to do my research in a way that felt authentic and respectful.

How has this project contributed to the field, or impacted the wider community?

The resource that came out of this project has been downloaded and shared thousands of times across Aotearoa. We did several print runs too and ran out of copies each time. We’ve received great feedback from rainbow and mental health communities, and I still see the posters we made about rainbow-friendly spaces around – which always gives me warm fuzzies. If you’d like to check out the resource, you can still find it at rainbowmentalhealth.nz.

How would you describe the significance of support from Whau Mental Health Research Foundation for researchers in mental health?

The Whau Mental Health Research Foundation took a chance on my project when I was a student with very little funding experience – this support gave me a leg up to do meaningful, community-based research that aimed to make the world a better place.

Have there been any specific end users or groups who have directly benefited from your research findings?

Te hunga āniwaniwa o Aotearoa – Rainbow people in New Zealand

An Update from Dr Rose Crossin on her Research

The objective of my research was to quantify and characterise the relationship between alcohol and suicide in New Zealand. Two specific questions were addressed:

• How prevalent is alcohol intoxication within suicide deaths in New Zealand and what are the characteristics of suicides involving alcohol?
• Is there a causal link between alcohol misuse and suicidal ideation in a New Zealand birth cohort?

My rationale for this project was that despite a growing body of international evidence that alcohol plays a significant role in suicide, there is limited attention paid to alcohol harm reduction strategies as a means of suicide prevention. This represents a missed opportunity from a policy and health promotion perspective, whereby a significant modifiable risk factor for suicide is being overlooked.

By quantifying and characterising the relationship between alcohol and suicide in New Zealand, it was hoped that this project would provide targets for intervention, including alcohol policy, primary prevention, health promotion, and clinical intervention strategies.

The Whau Mental Health Research Foundation supported this research with a grant. This provided operational costs for the research and also enabled me to employ an Assistant Research Fellow to help with the research.

Whilst our findings for New Zealand were broadly consistent with the international literature, one of the important findings was that women in New Zealand had an equivalent risk of alcohol involving suicide, as males. This was in contrast to international studies, all of which had shown males to be at substantially higher risk.

The grant from the Foundation was integral to the success of this project and I would not have been able to conduct it without the funding.

The research findings have been really impactful, for policy makers, health advocates, and the wider public. When the studies were released they received significant media attention, which highlighted the importance of alcohol as a risk factor for suicide. The most recent draft of the National Suicide Prevention Action Plan cited this research, as part of the evidence based for change.

This project provides baseline knowledge for New Zealand about alcohol within the context of mental health and suicide, which can be built in into the future.

I felt very well supported by the Foundation and as a researcher, they were easy to work with, and had clear processes and goals.

As part of our rebrand from Oakley to Whau Mental Health Research Foundation, we wanted to develop new hero imagery that not only reflected our mission, but also told the story of our origins and journey. We collaborated with talented artist and illustrator Sara Moana to create imagery that reflected our mission and journey. Sara’s personal experiences with mental health deeply influence her art, making this collaboration especially meaningful.

The final artwork beautifully captures the essence of our rebrand, symbolising both our transition and commitment to advancing mental health in Aotearoa. It highlights elements such as the Whau River (reflecting our origins), the Whau tree (a symbol of growth and shelter), and themes of community, generosity, and hope.

We asked Sara a few questions about her creative process and what this project meant to her:

Can you share the inspiration behind the image you created?

I was inspired to create an illustration that both resonates with Whau Foundation’s kaupapa and to also acknowledge the next chapter for the foundation.

How did the Foundation’s mission and values influence your artistic direction?

As I worked with the Foundation for this piece, it influenced the illustration by exploring their kaupapa towards mental health and their community. Their approach is to extend a helping hand to others, welcoming anyone who seeks support, and making it less intimidating to discuss mental health, which can often be a challenging topic. I found I resonate well with that kaupapa, so I enjoyed creating an illustration that links to making connections with others.

Were there any themes you wanted to highlight?

A theme that carries across the illustration is awareness, specifically for the viewer itself that will see the image when they visit the website. Creating a welcoming gesture for the viewer was a focus for the mahi.

What is your creative process?

When creating for projects like Whau Foundation, my process is seeing the mahi toi (artwork) as more of a collaboration. Working with Sophie (Head of Marketing and Fundraising), I gathered all of the elements that make Whau Foundation: reflecting on past, their goals today, and the future of the foundation inspired my process greatly.

How do you hope viewers will feel when they see this image?

Welcomed, and at peace.

What role do you think art plays in storytelling, especially in the context of mental health?

In my own art practice as an Illustrator, art is simply another way to communicate with the viewer. Another medium that can convey a message or a headspace. A message I wanted to convey with this particular illustration is to make your journey with mental health to be an encouraging experience, compared to the heaviness of taking about mental health.

What does this artwork mean to you personally?

I enjoyed the entire process of creating this mahi toi and creating an illustration that focuses on mental health while also having an uplifting perspective.

Kua hinga he totara i te wao nui a Tane – A totara has fallen in the forest of Tane

The Whau Mental Health Research Foundation would like to honour the legacy of Phil Recordon, who left an indelible mark on the Foundation and the community.

Phil Recordon served on the board of the Foundation from 2015 until his passing in 2024 and was a long-time supporter of mental health.

Phil practised as a lawyer in South Auckland for 30 years before being appointed to the District Court Bench in 2003. He was originally at the Waitakere District Court and then the Manukau District Court. Phil worked in a variety of areas of the law, particularly family law, disability law, criminal law and youth law. Phil’s passion for mental health advocacy was evident in his role as a District Inspector for Mental Health for 20 years. He also dedicated his time to various trusts focused on mental health and Maori health, leaving a lasting impact on the community he served. 

The Foundation is deeply grateful for Phil’s invaluable contributions and will remember him for his kindness, dedication and remarkable spirit.

The Oakley Foundation Grant to Refugees as Survivors NZ (RASNZ) is a greatly appreciated contribution towards our research programme. The research project completed, informs our future service provision to ensure we are providing the best possible support for clients from refugee backgrounds during COVID 19.

New Zealand research in the area of refugee mental health is limited. As a small specialist mental health NGO, we are very keen to contribute to the expansion of services for people from refugee and asylum seeker backgrounds and to increase an understanding of this population’s mental health and wellbeing needs.

During the COVID 19 lockdowns, RASNZ has had to switch from face to face therapeutic modalities to online tele-mental health services. This has provided an opportunity for us to learn more about reaching the communities we serve, and in particular our hard to reach clients, including solo mothers, older people, young people, and asylum seekers.

The funding has allowed us to research the challenges and benefits of working remotely with clients from former refugee and asylum seeker backgrounds. Most importantly, we have found that for many clients who have trouble accessing our service, online contact has been more convenient. We will continue to provide a remote service for our Auckland based clients and hope to expand our services to other parts of New Zealand where specialist mental health services for people from refugee backgrounds are not available.

The RASNZ COVID 19 response study summary and full reports can be found on the RASNZ website resource pages:

RASNZ COVID-19 Response study: Remote psychosocial service provision to former refugee and asylum seeker communities in Auckland during lockdown. (August, 2020). 

Summary report: https://rasnz.co.nz/resources/

RASNZ COVID-19 Response study: Remote psychosocial service provision to former refugee and asylum seeker communities in Auckland during lockdown. (August, 2020). Full report: https://rasnz.co.nz/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/RASNZ-COVID-19-Response-Study-2020.pdf

The reports are being disseminated to the following sectors:

• RASNZ Board and funders: CMDHB and MoH
• Available on the RASNZ website to stakeholder organisations, former refugee communities and sector contacts
• RASNZ Clinical teams, Cross Cultural Facilitators, Youth Teams and Family Services
• Refugee Resettlement Sector agencies including: Red Cross Refugee Services, Belong Aotearoa, Aotearoa Resettled Community Coalition (ARCC)
• Immigration NZ Refugee Services Branch
• The Mental Health sector including: the Mental Health Foundation, Te Pou o te Whakaaro Nui
• DHB Refugee Service Providers
• Asian, Migrant and Refugee research centres eg AUT Centre for Migrant and Refugee Research, University of Auckland, Centre for Asia Pacific Refugee Studies (CAPRS)
• Ministry of Social Development- E Tu Whanau, Refugee and Migrant Services
• Ministry of Education- Senior Advisors: Refugee and Migrant Support

We wish to sincerely thank you for the support you have given us which has enabled us to complete the study and to gain valuable insights into how best to respond during COVID-19 to the children, young people, parents and adults who use our services.

• Annette Mortensen, Manager Research and Training, Refugees as Survivors NZ

Funding for addiction-related research is hard to obtain. Bruce Russell is particularly grateful for the support Whau has given for his team for studies on pharmacological approaches to methamphetamine treatment. 

Bruce explained, “I think mental health – in particular addictions – tends to get overlooked in New Zealand unless it is something to do with smoking or alcohol. With methamphetamine addiction it is treated as a law and order problem rather than mental illness. 

“There are a lot of clinicians that view people with methamphetamine and alcohol in the same way. They think it is just a social problem. ‘Just harden up and stop taking the stuff’. It isn’t that easy because addiction does cause long term changes in the brain and those changes don’t go away. 

Funded by the Whau Mental Health Research Foundation, the research by Russell and his team at The University of Auckland’s School of Pharmacy, looked at whether methylphenidate could be used in replacement therapy for people with methamphetamine or P addiction, in a similar way to which methadone is used as a replacement for opiate addiction. 

“The Whau Foundation made a huge difference. Whau gave us nearly $20,000 and helped us recruit a research nurse for six to eight months. We completed the trial and got some useful results.” The study’s findings were published in Addiction in July 2013. 

Bruce says that there are currently no pharmaceutical treatments for addiction, which is a big problem in New Zealand. With Whau funding the research team was able to release statistical results demonstrating that methylphenidate showed potential as a methamphetamine substitute, although probably at higher doses than those used in the trial. 

“International researchers have since picked up on the research and have recently shown that methylphenidate is actually quite a useful substitute therapy in the way that methadone is for opiates. In terms of assisting with mental health, that is one very good example of trying to treat addictions when there are no currently available treatments.” 

Bruce is the recipient of another Whau Foundation grant for a related study looking at damage done to the brains of methamphetamine addicts, using magnetic residence imagining (MRI). 

The second study came about when his team recruited active methamphetamine users for the first study. When he performed MRI scans on their brains, he didn’t find the damage he was expecting and that other researchers said occurred. 

They realised that the main difference was that other research had been done with abstinent methamphetamine users, while theirs involved active users and they are currently working with the idea that some of the brain damage occurs post-withdrawal. 

“Most of the community support and treatment programmes involve sudden or rapid withdrawal. Usually you go to a centre for two or four weeks and you stay there and abstain. I think the rapid withdrawal might be causing some of the damage that other people are finding.” 

Whau Foundation funding is supporting a study with active users to test whether a treatment programme, rather than rapid withdrawal, may lessen some of the damage that occurs. 

Bruce appreciates the on-going support of the Whau Foundation, which helped establish his reputation as a researcher. 

“When I started work with the University of Auckland at the start of 2005 I had some research experience but most of my working life since finishing my PhD had been as a pharmacist in a completely different field overseas. I was an unknown quantity as far as the funding in New Zealand was concerned. The Whau Foundation kindly gave me that money, which helped raise my profile as a successful researcher, which is useful to other funders and the public in general.”