CLEVELAND – University Hospitals Case Medical Center is currently recruiting patients from its Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry as possible participants in a five-year study made possible by a recently awarded $4 million National Institutes of Health (NIH) grant.
Robert Findling, MD, Director, Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at University Hospitals Case Medical Center, is leading the four-site Longitudinal Assessment of Manic Symptoms (LAMS) study, as the principal investigator. Co-investigators of the study include University Hospitals Case Medical Center’s Sally Horwitz, Ph.D., Maria Pagano, Ph.D., and physicians from Ohio State University, University of Pittsburgh and the University of Cincinnati.
“Receiving this grant is a substantial indication from the NIH that University Hospitals Case Medical Center physicians are at the forefront of psychiatry research and patient care,” said Dr. Findling, also professor of Psychiatry with the Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine. “This grant will facilitate our efforts in accurately identifying symptoms of bipolar illness in our young patients which is vital for their mental health care.”
There is a growing body of scientific evidence that a large number of children who receive psychiatric care suffer from elevated symptoms of mania. Symptoms that are characteristic of mania, such as hyperactivity, impulsivity and aggression, have been described in diverse groups of children who receive a variety of diagnoses.
“Dr. Findling’s body of work in adolescent psychiatry is unparalleled,” said Robert J. Ronis, MD, MPH Interim Chairman, Department of Psychiatry University Hospitals Case Medical Center. “The NIH grant is evidence of their confidence and efforts to make strides in the mental health of our children.”
This study will be conducted over five years and will include approximately 2.5 years of active enrollment at University Hospitals Case Medical Center. Approximately 165 outpatient children and adolescents between the ages of 6 and 12 years old will be enrolled at each site for a total sample size of 660.
Accurately describing and identifying mood symptoms in children is an important first step for improving the assessment for youngsters undergoing mental health care. Patients will be recruited from children, ages 6-12 years, who are initially seen by a mental health professional as part of standard clinical care within the Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at University Hospitals Case Medical Center. Parents interested in scheduling a clinical evaluation for their child may call the Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at 216.844.3881.