PEDIATRIC PSYCHOPHARMACOLOGY RESEARCH UNIT
Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital
Joseph Biederman, M.D. (Program Director), Thomas Spencer, M.D., Tim Wilens, M.D. (Associate Directors), Janet Wozniak, M.D., Dina Hirshfeld-Becker, Ph.D., Larry Seidman, Ph.D., Stephen Faraone, Ph.D., Alysa Doyle, Ph.D., Ellen Braaten, Ph.D., Eric Mick, Sc.D., Robert Doyle, M.D., Ross Greene, Ph.D., Michael Monuteaux, B.A., Mary Ann Johnson, R.N., M.S., F.P.N.P., Louise Cohen, Pharm.D.
The Pediatric Psychopharmacology Research Unit seeks to advance the well being of children and families afflicted with mental illness through clinical care education and research. In particular, ongoing controlled studies are currently evaluating the outcome of Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in boys, ADHD girls and their siblings, children at risk for anxiety disorder, and methylphenidate treatment for adult ADHD. A major part of this program is also devoted to genetic linkage studies of ADHD, as well as a molecular genetic study to determine if adults with ADHD and substance use disorders show an association with the D2 receptor gene. Our program has also been investigating ADHD through the application of neuroimaging techniques such as positron emission tomography and functional magnetic resonance imaging in adults. Other short and long term investigations involve atypical neuroleptics and fish oil treatment in children with bipolar disorder, as well as stimulants and anti-depressants in the treatment of children with bipolar disorder and comorbid ADHD or depression. This program is also devoted to placebo-controlled studies evaluating the clinical safety and efficacy of various novel compounds for the treatment of pediatric and adult ADHD.
Key Words. ADHD, attention, hyperactivity, pharmacotherapy, pediatric.
Grant Support. NIH: (R01 HD36317-04) Long Term Outcome of ADHD (JB); NIH: (R01 MH 50657-09) Longitudinal Follow-Up of ADHD Girls and their Siblings (JB); NIH: (R01 DA 12531-04) Prevention of Cigarette Smoking in ADHD Youth: A Controlled Clinical Trial (JB); Stanley Foundation: Open Label Comparative Study of Concerta vs Adderall in the Treatment of ADHD in Youth with Bipolar I and Bipolar II Disorder (JB); Stanley Foundation: Open Label Comparative Study of Risperidone vs Olanzapine For Mania in Preschool Children 4 to 6 Years of Age with Bipolar I or Bipolar II Disorder (JB); Stanley Foundation: Open Label Comparative Study of Bupropion SR or Paroxetine for Depression/Dysthymia in Children and Adolescents with Bipolar I and Bipolar II Disorder (JB); Stanley Foundation: Open Label Comparative Study of Risperidone vs Olanzapine vs Quetiapine for Mania in Children and Adolescents with Bipolar I and Bipolar II Disorder (JB); Stanley Foundation: An Open Label Trial of Olanzapine plus Topiramate vs Omega-3 Fatty Acids for Mania in Bipolar I and Bipolar II Children and Adolescents (JW); NIH: (5R01 MH 57934-04) Testing the Validity of Adult ADHD (SF); NIH: (5R01 DA 12945-02) Substance Abuse in Juvenile Bipolar Disorder (TW); NIH: (5R01 HD 37694-03) A Genetic Linkage Study of Children with ADHD (SF); NIH: (5K08 MH 01538-04) Early Intervention for Children at Risk for Anxiety Disorders (DH); NIH: (5K08 DA 00416-02) Prevention of Substance Abuse in High Risk ADHD Children (RG); Stanley Foundation: Combined and Relative Effects of Pharmacotherapy and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy in the Treatment of Childhood Bipolar Disorder (RG); NIH: (5R29 MH 57511-03) A Double-Blind Comparison of Methylphenidate and Placebo in Adults with ADHD (TS); NIH: (1K08 MH 01765-01) Developmental Pharmacokinetics of Psychotropic Drugs (LC); NIH: (5R29 DA 11315-05) Drug Abuse and ADHD in Adults and Their High Risk Offspring (TW); NIH: (5K08 MH 01503-05) Developmental Subtypes of Juvenile Bipolar Disorder (JW); NIH: (5R01 DA 11929-03) Long-Term Drug Abuse Outcome in Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (TW); NIH: (5R01 HD 37999-03) Prevention and ADHD: An Ecogenetic Approach (SF); NIH: (1R01 MH 64019-01) A PET Study of DAT Binding in Adults with ADHD (TS); NIH: (1R01 MH HD 62152-01) Neuroanatomy of Adult ADHD: An MRI Morphometric Study (LS); Pfizer: Donepezil in the Treatment of Executive Functioning Deficits (EFD) in ADHD Youth (TW); Eli Lilly Corporation: Long-Term, Open-Label, Safety Study of Tomoxetine Hydrochloride in Patients, 6 Years and Older (JB/TS); Eli Lilly Corporation: A Randomized, Double-Blind Study of Tomoxetine Hydrochloride, and Placebo in Pediatric Outpatients with ADHD (JB/TS); Alza Corporation: Multicenter Study for Children with ADHD (JB); Eli Lilly Corporation: A Phase III Randomized, Double-Blind Comparison of Placebo Tomoxetine HCL in Adult Outpatients with ADHD (JB); Shire Pharmaceutical Development: A Randomized, Double-blind Placebo and Active Controlled Crossover Study of SLI 381 in Children with ADHD (JB); Shire Pharmaceutical Development: A 12 Month Open-Label Study of SLI 381 in Children with ADHD (JB)
Project Site. Massachusetts General Hospital, 55 Fruit Street, Warren Building 705, Boston, MA 02114.
Program Director. Joseph Biederman, M.D., Massachusetts General Hospital, 15 Parkman Street, WACC 725, Boston, MA 02114. Tel.: (617) 726-1731.
Contact Person. Heather Murphy, Research Coordinator. Tel.: (617) 503-1061. FAX: (617) 503-1060.
Representative Publications.
Biederman J., J. Rosenbaum, et al. (Submitted). "Patterns of psychopathology and dysfunction in a large sample of
high risk children of parents with panic disorder and major depression: A controlled study." Archives of
General Psychiatry.
Biederman J., T. Wilens, et al. (1999). "Pharmacotherapy of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder reduces risk for
substance use disorder." Pediatrics 104(2): e20.
Biederman J., S.V. Faraone, et al. (Submitted). "Differential effect of environmental adversity by gender: Rutter's
index of adversity in a sample of boys and girls with and without ADHD." American Journal of Psychiatry.
Images. http://www.mgh.harvard.edu/depts/pediatricpsych/index.htm