Dr Rob Adam
Trials Medical Specialist
UQ Centre for Clinical Research
+61 7 334 66081
Researcher biography
Dr. Robert James Adam MA(Cantab) MBBS (London) PhD(UCL) FRACP FRCP (London)
Behavioural neurologist with interests in cognition and movement disorders. Clinical lead for deep brain stimulation at The Royal Brisbane & Women's Hospital, Senior Lecturer and Clinical Trials Specialist at UQCCR.
Movement disorders and advanced Parkinson's clinics in addition to Statewide Huntington's Disease, Friedreich's Ataxia and Metro North Deep Brain Stimulation services https://metronorth.health.qld.gov.au/news/deep-brain-stimulation-parkinsons. Young onset dementia clinic at STARS https://metronorth.health.qld.gov.au/stars/.
Principal investigator in 2 Phase 1b/2a clinical trials of novel antisense oligonucleotides for Huntington's Disease, PRECISION-HD1 & 2 and their open label extensions. I am part of a nationwide and statewide effort to investigate drug repurposing - particularly in Parkinson's Disease. I collaborate widely in investigator led research with both clinical scientists, basic scientists and allied health practioners both at UQ and beyond. Former research officer in PISA (Prospective Imaging Study of Aging) https://www.qimrberghofer.edu.au/pisa/ and the clinical lead for ADNet in QLD. ADNet is an NHMRC funded project to screen and register patients with cognitive impairment https://www.australiandementianetwork.org.au/.
I was trained in the US (NYU Medical Centre), UK (National Hospital for Neurology & Neurosurgery in Queen Square, UCLH, Cambridge University Hospitals) and Australia (Royal North Shore and Westmead Hospitals, Sydney). My PhD (UCL 2014) Thesis, "Dopamine and Oculomotor Decisions In Health & Disease", investigated the use of eye movement recordings during behavioral tasks to monitor decision making in patients with focal lesions, Parkinson's disease, impulse control disorders and healthy volunteers both under the influence and without the effects of dopaminergic modulators. I teach both medical undergraduates and graduates, supervise higher degree candidates and have written chapters in medical textbooks.
Book Chapters
Adam, Robert, Marshall, Charles and Birns, Jonathan (2020). Neurology. In Rupa Bessant, Jonathan Birns and Charlotte Ford (Ed.), Medicine for MRCP (pp. Unknown-Unknown) Oxford, United Kingdom: Oxford University Press.
Quinto-Pozos, David and Adam, Robert (2015). Sign languages in contact. Sociolinguistics and Deaf Communities. (pp. 29-60) Cambridge University Press. doi: 10.1017/CBO9781107280298.003
Journal Articles
Marsh, Georgia, Aung, Ohnmar, Ceslis, Amelia, Adam, Robert, Mosley, Philip, Fripp, Jurgen and Robinson, Gail A. (2024). Generation of novel ideas: creativity in Alzheimer’s disease, mild cognitive impairment, and healthy older adults. Creativity Research Journal, 1-16. doi: 10.1080/10400419.2024.2304498
Dissanayaka, Nadeeka, Pourzinal, Dana, Byrne, Gerard J., Yang, Jihyun, McMahon, Katie L., Pontone, Gregory M., O'Sullivan, John D., Adam, Robert, Littleford, Roberta, Chatfield, Mark, Lehn, Alexander, Mari, Zoltan and Bakker, Arnold (2023). Levetiracetam for the treatment of mild cognitive impairment in Parkinson's disease: a double-blind controlled proof-of-concept trial protocol. Pilot and Feasibility Studies, 9 (1) 189, 189. doi: 10.1186/s40814-023-01406-y
Horne, Kristina S., Ceslis, Amelia, Mosley, Philip, Adam, Robert and Robinson, Gail A. (2023). The Role of Apathy in Spontaneous Verbal and Nonverbal Behaviors: A Transdiagnostic Pilot Study in Neurodegeneration. Cognitive and Behavioral Neurology, Publish Ahead of Print (3), 178-193. doi: 10.1097/wnn.0000000000000345
Adam, Robert J. (2023). Advanced Parkinson’s disease: a clinical challenge. Medicine Today, 24 (1-2), 12-21.
Jewell, Shannon, Roper, Kerry, Woodhouse, Helen, Adam, Robert, O'Sullivan, John and Gordon, Richard (2022). LC-MS based urine metabolomic profiling indicate altered gut microbiome and host lipid metabolites in Parkinson's disease. The FASEB Journal, 36 (S1). doi: 10.1096/fasebj.2022.36.S1.R2928
Borne, Léonie, Lupton, Michelle K., Guo, Christine, Mosley, Philip, Adam, Robert, Ceslis, Amelia, Bourgeat, Pierrick, Fazlollahi, Amir , Maruff, Paul, Rowe, Christopher C., Masters, Colin L., Fripp, Jurgen , Robinson, Gail A. and Breakspear, Michael (2022). A snapshot of brain and cognition in healthy mid-life and older adults. bioRxiv. doi: 10.1101/2022.01.20.476706
Zech, Michael, Kumar, Kishore R., Reining, Sophie, Reunert, Janine, Tchan, Michel, Riley, Lisa G., Drew, Alexander P., Adam, Robert J., Berutti, Riccardo, Biskup, Saskia, Derive, Nicolas, Bakhtiari, Somayeh, Sheng, Chih Jin, Kruer, Michael C., Bardakjian, Tanya, Gonzalez-Alegre, Pedro, Sarmiento, Ignacio J. Keller, Mencacci, Niccolo E., Lubbe, Steven J., Kurian, Manju A., Clot, Fabienne, Méneret, Aurélie, de Sainte Agathe, Jean-Madeleine, Fung, Victor S.C., Vidailhet, Marie, Baumann, Matthias, Marquardt, Thorsten, Winkelmann, Juliane and Boesch, Sylvia (2021). Biallelic AOPEP loss-of-function variants cause progressive dystonia with prominent limb involvement. Movement Disorders, 37 (1), 137-147. doi: 10.1002/mds.28804
Swayne, Andrew, Warren, Nicola, Prain, Kerri, Gillis, David, O'Gorman, Cullen, Tsang, Benjamin K-T., Muller, Claire, Broadley, Simon, Adam, Robert J., McCombe, Pamela, Wong, Richard C. and Blum, Stefan (2021). An Australian state-based cohort study of autoimmune encephalitis cases detailing clinical presentation, investigation results, and response to therapy. Frontiers in Neurology, 12 607773, 607773. doi: 10.3389/fneur.2021.607773
Lupton, Michelle K., Robinson, Gail A., Adam, Robert J, Rose, Stephen, Byrne, Gerard J., Salvado, Olivier, Pachana, Nancy A., Almeida, Osvaldo P., McAloney, Kerrie, Gordon, Scott D., Raniga, Parnesh, Fazlollahi, Amir, Xia, Ying, Ceslis, Amelia, Sonkusare, Saurabh, Zhang, Qing, Kholghi, Mahnoosh, Karunanithi, Mohan, Mosley, Philip E., Lv, Jinglei, Borne, Léonie, Adsett, Jessica, Garden, Natalie, Fripp, Jurgen, Martin, Nicholas G., Guo, Christine C. and Breakspear, Michael (2020). A prospective cohort study of prodromal Alzheimer’s disease: Prospective Imaging Study of Ageing: genes, brain and behaviour (PISA). NeuroImage: Clinical, 29 102527, 102527. doi: 10.1016/j.nicl.2020.102527
Ketheesan, Sarangan, Bertram, Georgia, Adam, Robert, Stark, Anne and Scott, James G. (2020). Muddying the waters? A false positive case of autoimmune psychosis. Australasian Psychiatry, 29 (3) ARTN 1039856220965041, 1039856220965041-281. doi: 10.1177/1039856220965041
Tjokrowijoto, Priscilla, Ceslis, Amelia, O'Sullivan, John D., Adam, Robert, Mellick, George, Silburn, Peter and Robinson, Gail A. (2020). Differential patterns of internally generated responses in parkinsonian disorders. Neuropsychologia, 146 107569, 107569. doi: 10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2020.107569
Barker, Megan S., Nelson, Nicole L., O'Sullivan, John D., Adam, Robert and Robinson, Gail A. (2018). Energization and spoken language production: evidence from progressive supranuclear palsy. Neuropsychologia, 119, 349-362. doi: 10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2018.09.004
Heyes, Stephanie Burnett, Adam, Robert J., Urner, Maren, van der Leer, Leslie, Bahrami, Bahador, Bays, Paul M. and Husain, Masud (2017). Impulsivity and rapid decision-making for reward. Frontiers in Psychology, 3 (MAY) Article 153. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2012.00153
Tai, Yi-cheng, Yin, Yun Wo Katie, Ha, Ainhi D., Adam, Robert, Mahant, Neil, Sue, Carolyn M. and Fung, Victor S. C. (2016). Neurophysiological features Of Hemiballism. Movement Disorders Clinical Practice, 4 (1), 116-120. doi: 10.1002/mdc3.12356
Axinte, Laura T., Fiddes, Barnaby D., Donaghy, Alastair, Whyte, Adam, Allen, Chris, Sawcer, Stephen, Adam, Robert J. and Stacpoole, Sybil R. L. (2015). Experience from two decades of the Cambridge Rapid Access Neurology Clinic. Clinical Medicine, 15 (5), 437-441. doi: 10.7861/clinmedicine.15-5-437
Adam, Robert J., McLeod, Robert, Ha, Ainhi D., Colebatch, James G., Menzies, Graham, de Moore, Gregory, Mahant, Neil and Fung, Victor S. C. (2014). Resolution of Othello Syndrome after subthalamic nucleus deep brain stimulation in 3 patients with parkinson's disease. Movement Disorders Clinical Practice, 1 (4), 357-360. doi: 10.1002/mdc3.12084
Adam, Robert, Priglinger, Miriam, Harrington, Timothy, Gottlieb, David and Krause, Martin (2014). An unusual cause of cerebellar hemorrhage in a young patient: Essential thrombocythemia. Journal of Stroke and Cerebrovascular Diseases, 23 (5), E373-E374. doi: 10.1016/j.jstrokecerebrovasdis.2013.12.013
Adam, R., Leff A., Sinha N., Turner C., Bays P., Draganski B. and Husain M. (2013). Dopamine reverses reward insensitivity in apathy following globus pallidus lesions. Cortex, 49 (5), 1292-1303. doi: 10.1016/j.cortex.2012.04.013
Adam, Robert, Bays, Paul M. and Husain, Masud (2012). Rapid decision-making under risk. Cognitive Neuroscience, 3 (1), 52-61. doi: 10.1080/17588928.2011.613988
Orfanidou, Eleni, Adam, Robert, Morgan, Gary and McQueen, James M. (2010). Recognition of signed and spoken language: Different sensory inputs, the same segmentation procedure. Journal of Memory and Language, 62 (3), 272-283. doi: 10.1016/j.jml.2009.12.001
Adam, Robert J. and Manohar, Sanjay G. (2007). Does reward modulate actions or bias attention?. Journal of Neuroscience, 27 (41), 10919-10921. doi: 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.2957-07.2007
Conference Papers
Jayabalan, Nanthini, Roper, Katherine Kerry, Woodhouse, Helen M., Adam, Robert J., O'Sullivan, John D. and Gordon, Richard (2022). A Novel Role for Glucocerebrosidase 1 (GBA1) in Parkinson's Disease. Experimental Biology Meeting 2022, Philadelphia, PA United States, 2-5 April 2022. Hoboken, NJ United States: John Wiley and Sons. doi: 10.1096/fasebj.2022.36.S1.R5391
Dissanayaka, N., Byrne, G. J., Mitchell, L. K., O'Sullivan, J. D., Padmassini, A., White, E. X., Yang, J. H. J., Forbes, E., Thangavelu, K., Au, T., Lehn, A., Adam, R. and Pachana, N. A. (2020). Improving diagnosis and treatment of anxiety in Parkinson’s disease: IDATA-PD study update. Herston Health Precinct Symposium 2020, Brisbane, QLD Australia, 7-11 December 2020.
Pourzinal, D., Bakker, A., Byrne, G. J., McMahon, K., O'Sullivan, J., Adam, R., Copland, D., Yang, J. H. J., Au, T., Littleford, R., Chatfield, M., Pontone, G., Mari, G. and Dissanayaka, N. (2020). Therapy to reduce dementia risk in Parkinson’s disease (TRIP): proof-of-concept protocol. Herston Health Precinct Symposium 2020, Brisbane, QLD Australia, 7-11 December 2020.
Pourzinal, D., Bakker, A., Byrne, G. J., McMahon, K., O'Sullivan, J., Adam, R., Copland, D., Yang, J. H. J., Au, T., Littleford, R., Chatfield, M., Pontone, G., Mari, Z. and Dissanayaka, N. (2020). Therapy to Reduce dementia risk In Parkinson’s disease (TRIP): proof-of-concept protocol. UQ Faculty of Medicine Higher Degree by Research Student Symposium, Brisbane, QLD Australia, 23-27 November 2020.
Pourzinal, D., Bakker, A., Byrne, G., McMahon, K.L., O'Sullivan, J.D., Adam, R., Lehn, A., Copland, D., Yang, J.H., Au, T., Littleford, R., Chatfield, M., Pontone, G., Mari, Z. and Dissanayaka, N.N.W. (2020). Therapy to Reduce dementia risk In Parkinson’s disease (TRIP): Proof-of-concept protocol. Macquarie University BioNetwork 3rd Annual Research Symposium on Dementia, Online, 14-15 September 2020.
Yin, Y.W.K., Chang, F.C.F., Mahant, N., Fung, V.S.C., Tsui, D., Aldaajani, Z., Adam, R. and Hely, M. (2016). 2. Antecollis associated with Parkinson’s disease improved following apomorphine therapy. Proceedings of the 16th Biennial Clinical Neurophysiology Workshop of the Australian and New Zealand Association of Neurologists, Gold Coast, QLD, Australia, 27–30 September, 2015. Elsevier BV. doi: 10.1016/j.clinph.2015.11.022
Chang, F. C. F., Mahant, N., Fung, V. S. C., Tsui, D. S. Y., Aldaajani, Z., Adam, R. and Hely, M. A. (2015). Antecollis associated with Parkinson's disease improved following apomorphine therapy. 19th International Congress of Parkinson's Disease and Movement Disorders, San Diego, CA, United States, 14-18 June 2015. Hoboken, NJ, United States: John Wiley & Sons.
Fiddes, Barnaby, Adam, Robert, Donaghy, Alastair, Whyte, Adam and Allen, Chris (2013). The changing face of urgent neurology outpatient referrals. Annual Meeting of the Association-of-British-Neurologists, Glasgow, Scotland, 21-24 May 2013. London, United Kingdom: B M J Group. doi: 10.1136/jnnp-2013-306573.54
Adam, R. J., Bays, P. M., Singh-Curry, V., Bain, P. G. and Husain, M. (2009). Oculomotor Impulsivity in Parkinson'S Disease. ABN Joint Annual Meeting/Spanish-Society-of-Neurology, Liverpool England, Jun 22-26, 2009. B M J PUBLISHING GROUP. doi: 10.1136/jnnp.2009.191759r
Adam, R., Bays, P. M., Singh-Curry, V., Bain, P. and Husain, M. (2009). A novel task to probe impulsivity in Parkinson's disease. 13th International Congress of Parkinsons Disease and Movement Disorders, Paris, France, 7-11 June 2009. Hoboken, NJ, United States: John Wiley & Sons.