Fall, Winter, and Spring Sessions. Eight-Week Session Only

Course Coordinator:
Judith Rapoport, MD

Course Description
The eight-week pediatric psychopharmacology elective is arranged for two students in each rotation who have particular interest in biological child psychiatry and psychopharmacology. Because this is a small course, individualized programs will vary widely in accordance with the needs and interests of each student.

Students will discuss clinical workups and clinical research methodology with a tutor on a daily basis and will attend clinical or research meetings on wards where pediatric studies are being conducted. In addition, students will participate in protocol preparation and will prepare informal presentations on the use of drug or other biologic aspects of child psychiatry. Students will participate in the clinical evaluation of children and adolescents with a variety of conditions such as hyperkinesis, Kleinfelter's disorder, and childhood schizophrenia. The use of structured interviews, rating scales, and psychiatric diagnosis will be covered, as well as measures of drug effects on cognitive function. The use of psychopharmacologic agents in child psychiatry will be discussed in didactic seminars. Drugs under study include stimulants, antipsychotics, and research drugs that specifically alter neurotransmitter levels in the brain. Brain imaging studies are also underway to examine effects of drugs on brain function. Follow-up studies are ongoing to identify children at high risk for later major psychiatric disorders.

Staff

• Judith Rapoport, MD
• Jay Giedd, MD
• Nitin Gogtay, MD
• Julia Tossell, MD