Year ended March 31,
Year ended March 31,
Year ended March 31,
Period-to-period change
Period-to-period change
% Change 
2018
2017
Amount
% Change
(dollars in thousands)
(dollars in thousands)
Operating expenses:                
Research and development
$38,373
$22,593
$15,780
70%
Sales and marketing
121,246
96,154
25,092
26%
General and administrative
36,989
27,875
9,114
33%
Impairment of long-lived assets  
1,712
—
1,712
nm 
Restructuring  
832
—
832
nm 
Total operating expenses 
$199,152
$146,622
$52,530
36%
operating expenses .
nm — not meaningful .
research and development expenses .
research and development expenses increased $ 15 .
8 million in the year ended march 31 2018 compared to the year ended march 31 2017 which was primarily attributable to increases in personnel-related costs of $ 10 .
1 million information technology and facility costs of $ 2 .
3 million professional services costs of $ 0 .
9 million share-based compensation expense of $ 0 .
7 million travel and other costs of $ 0 .
5 million and data center costs of $ 0 .
5 million .
research and development expenses for the year ended march 31 2018 as compared to the year ended march 31 2017 were negatively impacted by approximately $ 0 .
5 million primarily as a result of the weakening of the u .
s .
dollar relative to the british pound .
personnel-related cost increased primarily as a result of salaries and benefits associated with increased headcount throughout the year information technology and facility costs increased primarily as a result of increased headcount professional services costs increased primarily as a result of the use of research and development contractors and share-based compensation expense increased primarily as a result of share option grants since the prior year .
sales and marketing expenses .
sales and marketing expenses increased $ 25 .
1 million in the year ended march 31 2018 compared to the year ended march 31 2017 which was primarily attributable to increases in personnel-related costs of $ 13 .
5 million marketing costs of $ 4 .
7 million information technology and facilities costs of $ 3 .
6 million travel and other costs of $ 2 .
3 million and professional services of $ 0 .
8 million .
sales and marketing expenses for the year ended march 31 2018 as compared to the year ended march 31 2017 were negatively impacted by approximately $ 1 .
4 million primarily as a result of the weakening of the u .
s .
dollar relative to the south african rand and british pound .
personnel-related costs increased primarily as a result of salaries and benefits associated with increased headcount .
information technology and facility costs and travel and other costs increased primarily as a result of increased headcount .
general and administrative expenses .
general and administrative expenses increased $ 9 .
1 million in the year ended march 31 2018 compared to the year ended march 31 2017 which was primarily attributable to increases in personnel-related costs of $ 5 .
0 million share-based compensation expense of $ 1 .
2 million information technology and facilities costs of $ 1 .
0 million and professional services costs and material supplies of $ 0 .
6 million each .
general and administrative expenses for the year ended march 31 2018 as compared to the year ended march 31 2017 were negatively impacted by approximately $ 0 .
3 million primarily as a result of the weakening of the u .
s .
dollar against the british pound and south african rand .
personnel-related costs increased primarily as a result of salaries and benefits associated with increased headcount .
share-based compensation expense increased primarily as a result of share option grants since the prior year .
information technology and facility and material supplies costs increased primarily as a result of increased headcount .
restructuring and impairment of long-lived assets .
in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2018 upon the exit of our watertown massachusetts corporate office space we recorded a restructuring charge of $ 0 .
8 million for remaining non-cancelable rent and estimated operating expenses for the vacated premises net of sublease rentals and a non-cash impairment charge of $ 1 .
7 million primarily related to leasehold improvements .

Question: What was the increase in Research and development expense in 2018?
Answer: $15.8 million