OPA is the Professor of Geriatric Psychiatry at the University of Western Australia (UWA). He completed his medical training in 1986 at the University of Sao Paulo, Brazil, and his PhD at the Institute of Psychiatry (London) in 1993. He is a Fellow of the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists. He has edited 5 books and published over 200 papers and book chapters. His current research interests include the identification of modifiable risk factors for cognitive decline, as well as the neuropsychology and neuroimaging of mental disorders of later life. In association with colleagues in the UK, OPA contributed to improve the knowledge about the clinical characteristics, risk factors, cognitive and brain mechanisms associated with late onset of schizophrenic symptoms, for which he received the Jansen Award for Schizophrenia Research in 1994. In Brazil, he established two services for elderly patients with mental disorders. In addition, he was involved with the development of research looking at the clinical and biological aspects of Alzheimer's disease (one of the first groups to show that apoE4 is not as prevalent amongst patients in Latin America) and other psychiatric disorders of later life. He took up his position at UWA in August 1998, and has since been involved with the setting-up and running of several NHMRC-funded projects (over A$5,000,000) looking at the contribution of different risk factors to the development of cognitive impairment and depression in later life, as well as with the training and supervision of undergraduate and postgraduate students (including PhD students, and Advanced Trainees in Psychiatry). OPA reviews grants (several agencies) and scientific papers (several journals) regularly. Since 1999, OPA has given over 40 invited lectures (including several keynote addresses) and published 15 invited papers on topics related to ageing and mental health. OPA has served as a member of the Board of Research of the Royal Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry (2002-4) and as Head of the School of Psychiatry and Clinical Neurosciences of the University of Western Australia (2002-4). OPA has been the chairperson for the Mental Health Strategic Plan for Western Australia in the Faculty of Old Age Psychiatry (2003-2008). Since 1996, OPA has worked as an Associate Editor for International Psychogeriatrics (the scientific journal of the International Psychogeriatric Association).

Outside work, OPA loves spending time with his family and friends, reading, riding his bike and running. He continues to be passionate about rugby union, but has finally accepted that he is too old to play the game now!

neuroimaging, epidemiology, clinical trials

Successful ageing (mental health)

From 2001:

Source: Raine Medical Research Foundation – 2000/2001
Project: Effects of testosterone on mood and cognition
Amount: A$ 111,717.00 (2000-2001)
Investigators: OP Almeida, L Flicker, R Martins, N Sry

Source: Medical Research Foundation – 2000
Project: Effects of oestrogen on well-being, mood and cognition of women aged 70 or over (seed grant)
Amount: A$ 10,000.00 (2000-2001)
Investigators: OP Almeida, L Flicker, S Vasikaram, P Leedman

Source: Royal Perth Hospital – 2000
Project: Heart failure and mental functioning
Amount: A$ 60,000.00 (2000-2001)
Investigators: OP Almeida

Source: Healthway – 2000/2002
Project: An intervention study to reduce cognitive decline in older men
Amount: A$ 218,000.00 – not accepted, project funded by NHMRC
Investigators: L Flicker, OP Almeida, R Clarnette, R Martins

Source: Australian Menopause Society – 2001
Project: Oestrogen, mood and cognition in later life
Amount: A$ 35,000.00
Investigators: OP Almeida, L Flicker, S Vasikaram, P Leedman

Source: Enhancing Mental Health Services, WA – 2001/2002
Project: Screening for psychiatric morbidity in residential care
Amount: A$ 49,000.00
Investigators: OP Almeida, H McGowan

Source: NHMRC Project Grant – 2001/2003
Project: An intervention study to reduce cognitive decline in older men
Amount: A$ 285,000.00
Investigators: L Flicker, OP Almeida, R Clarnetter, R Martins

Source: NHMRC Project Grant – 2001/2003
Project: Diabetes and cognitive impairment in later life
Amount: A$ 315,000.00
Investigators: D Bruce, OP Almeida, R Clarnette, T Davies

Source: NHMRC Project Grant – 2001/2003
Project: Perth Elderly Cohort Study (PECS)
Amount: A$ 750,000.00
Investigators: K Jamrozik, P Norman, G Hankey (L Flicker, OP Almeida – Associate Investigators)

Source: Pfizer – 2001/2002
Project: Treating the dementia of schizophrenia
Amount: A$ 65,000.00
Investigators: OP Almeida, J Hallmayer

Source: NHMRC Project Grant – 2002/2004
Project: Effects of oestrogen on mood, memory and quality of life of women aged 70 years or over
Amount: A$ 175,000.00
Investigators: OP Almeida, L Flicker, S Vasikaram, P Leedman

Source: Australian Rotary Health Research Fund – 2002
Project: A randomised, placebo-controlled clinical trial to prevent depression amongst stroke patients
Amount: A$ 47,878.00
Investigators: OP Almeida, G Hankey

Source: Commonwealth of Australia, Department of Health and Aged Care – 2002
Project: Identifying and Managing Suicidal Risk in Aged Patients: A Desktop Reference Guide for WA GPs
Amount: A$ 56,684.00
Investigators: OP Almeida, J Pfaff

Source: NHMRC Equipment Grant – 2002
Project: Pyrosequencer for High Throughput SNP Typing/Sequencing
Amount: A$ 86,850.00 (from a total of $192,403)
Investigators: F Christiansen, I Puddey, L Beilin, K Croft, G Watts, A Jablensky, S Mallal, G Waterer, F van Bockxmeer, P Norman, L Flicker, O Almeida, D B Iacopetta, M Stacey, C Mamotte

Source : Faculty of Medicine, UWA – 2002/2003
Project: Latent Semantic analysis of prose recall in patients from non-English speaking background
Amount: A$ 9,270
Investigators: N Lautenschlager, J Dunn, OP Almeida

Source : University of Western Australia – 2003/2004
Project: Poststroke behavioural abnormalities and cognitive impairment
Amount: A$20,000.00
Investigators: N Lautenschlager, G Hankey, OP Almeida

Source: Healthway WA Inc. – 2003/2005
Project: Smoking cessation and cognitive decline in older men
Amount: A$ 185,121.00 – not accepted, project funded by NHMRC
Investigators: OP Almeida, G Hulse, L Flicker, N Lautenschlager, K Jamrozik

Source: NHMRC Project Grant – 2003/2005
Project: Smoking cessation and the risk of cognitive decline in older men
Amount: A$ 350,000.00
Investigators: OP Almeida, G Hulse, L Flicker, N Lautenschlager, K Jamrozik

Source: NHMRC Healthy Ageing Project Grant – 2003/2004
Project: The assessment and prevalence of dementia in Aboriginal and Torres Strait islander people in the Kimberley region
Amount: A$ 200,000.00
Investigators: DC LoGiudice, L Flicker, OP Almeida, N Lautenschlager, S Brown

Source: Diabetes Australia Research Trust – 2003/2004
Project: Cerebrovascular lesions, cognitive impairment and depressed mood in older diabetic subjects
Amount: A$ 40,000.00
Investigators: D Bruce, V Grange, G Casey, OP Almeida, T Davis, R Clarnette, J Foster

Source: Alcohol Education and Rehabilitation Foundation – 2003/2004
Project: Managing Licit Drug Use in Later Life: Impact on Quality of Life, Cognitive Function and Mood
Amount: A$ 211,820.00
Investigators: OP Almeida, G Hulse, M Sim, R Tait, L Flicker, N Lautenschlager, S Roach, M Rosenberg, R Kotynia

Source: Healthway – 2004/2006
Project: Promoting physical activity in later life: impact on memory and mood
Amount: A$ 284,234.00
Investigators: OP Almeida, L Flicker, M Rosenberg, N Lautenschlager, G Hulse, M Sim

Source: Healthway – 2004/2006
Project: A trial of physical activity for vulnerable older adults with mild cognitive impairment
Amount: A$ 290,677.00
Investigators: N Lautenschlager, OP Almeida, KL Cox, L Flicker, JK Foster

Source: Rotary Health Research Fund – 2004
Project: Physical activity: improving mental health outcomes for Alzheimer’s Disease
Amount: A$ 60,000.00
Investigators: N Lautenschlager, OP Almeida, KL Cox, L Flicker, J Foster

Source : NHMRC Project Grant – 2004/2006
Project: A randomised clinical trial of physical activity for the treatment of older adults with mild cognitive impairment
Amount: A$274,625.00
Investigators: N Lautenschlager, OP Almeida, KL Cox, L Flicker, JK Foster

Source : LA Owen Infrastructure Funds – 2004
Project: Setting up of Neuroimaging Laboratory
Amount: A$20,000.00
Investigators: S Starkstein, OP Almeida

Source : Australian Research Council (ARC Seed Funding) – 2003
Project: Ageing well research network
Amount: A$30,000.00
Investigators: H Kendig and others (OP Almeida – official collaborator).

Source : Medical Health Infrastructure Research Fund – 2004
Project: Research infrastructure
Amount: A$12,698
Investigators: OP Almeida

Source : NHMRC Enabling Grant – 2004/2008
Project: A national, population-based epidemiological, biospecimen and bioinformatic resource
Amount: A$1,900,000
Investigators: L Palmer et al. (OP Almeida – Associate Investigator)

Source : Commonwealth Department of Health – 2004/2006
Project: Preventing falls in later life: an add-on study to the Clear Mind Project
Amount: A$65,331.00
Investigators: OP Almeida

Source : Commonwealth Department of Health – 2004/2005
Project: Collaborative development of resources to decrease suicidal risk in older patients
Amount: A$38,000.00
Investigators: OP Almeida, JJ Pfaff

Source : Medical Health Infrastructure Research Fund – 2005
Project: Research infrastructure
Amount: A$22,993
Investigators: OP Almeida

Source: Healthway – 2005/2006
Project: Highlighting the health care needs of older Indigenous Australians living in the Kimberley (not accepted, as the same project was funded by the NHMRC)
Amount: A$ 205,800.00
Investigators: L Flicker, D LoGiudice, OP Almeida, N Lautenschlager

Source : NHMRC Project Grant – 2005/2007
Project: Insight and cognitive decline in older adults with mild cognitive impairment
Amount: A$393,700.00
Investigators: N Lautenschlager, OP Almeida, L Flicker

Source : NHMRC Project Grant – 2005/2007
Project: Reducing depression and suicide amongst older Australians: a clustered randomised clinical trial in primary health care
Amount: A$753,275.00
Investigators: OP Almeida, J Pfaff, N Kerse, J Snowdon, R Goldney, J Pirkis




Source : NHMRC Project Grant – 2005/2007
Project: Assessing the health needs of older Indigenous Australians living in the Kimberley
Amount: A$223,500.00
Investigators: D LoGiudice, L Flicker, OP Almeida, N Lautenschlager

Source : NHMRC Project Grant – 2006/2008
Project: Maintaining and developing the Health in Men Study
Amount: A$395,000.00
Investigators: P Norman, K Jamrozik, L Flicker, OP Almeida

Source : NHMRC Project Grant – 2006/2008
Project: Congestive heart failure: a longitudinal study of its impact on brain function and structure in later life.
Amount: A$595,875.00
Investigators: OP Almeida, L Flicker, L Arnolda, NT Lautenschlager, Christopher Beer

Source : Centre for Alzheimer’s Disease Research and Care – 2006/2008
Project: Lifestyle interventions.
Amount: A$288,685.00
Investigators: OP Almeida, NT Lautenschlager, L Flicker

Source : Department of Health and Ageing; Commonwealth of Australia – 2006/2009
Project: Western Australia Dementia Study Training Centre.
Amount: A$1,480,600.00
Investigators: B Horner, J Downie, L Flicker, OP Almeida, NT Lautenschlager, C Toye, M Sim, C Rudd, F Shaper, D Gribble, J Burton

Source : NHMRC – ARC Ageing Well, Ageing Productively Program – 2006/2011
Project: Predictors of ageing well in the Australian Longitudinal Study on Women’s Health and the Perth Health in Men Study.
Amount: A$1,800,000.00
Investigators: A Dobson, K Jamrozik, P Norman, OP Almeida, L Flicker, W Brown, N Pachana, G Hankey

- Visiting Professor, University of Newcastle upon Tyne, UK (2001)
- Associate Professor, University of Western Australia (1998-2001)
- Associate Professor of Psychiatry, Santa Casa Medical School, Brazil (1996-1998)
- Assistant Professor of Psychiatry, University of Sao Paulo, Brazil (1994-1996)

- Promoting physical activity in later life: impact on memory and mood

- A trial of physical activity for vulnerable older adults with mild cognitive impairment

- Preventing falls in later life: an add-on study to the Clear Mind Project

- Insight and cognitive decline in older adults with mild cognitive impairment

- Reducing depression and suicide amongst older Australians: a clustered randomised clinical trial in primary health care

- Assessing the health needs of older Indigenous Australians living in the Kimberley
- Maintaining and developing the Health in Men Study

- Congestive heart failure: a longitudinal study of its impact on brain function and structure in later life.
- Lifestyle interventions to reduce cognitive decline in later life.

- Predictors of ageing well in the Australian Longitudinal Study on Women’s Health and the Perth Health in Men Study.

- Undergraduate medical students (UWA)

- Postgraduate students (UWA and RANZCP)

Geriatric Psychiatry, depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia with late onset, health promotion

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