For Release October 1, 2003

7 New Grants Total More Than $8 Million over 5 Years

Today, the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), National Institutes of Health, announced it has awarded 7 grants to study the impact of childhood psychiatric conditions on the potential for drug use later in life, as well as whether early age mental health interventions can modify the risk for later drug use. The grants, which total more than $8 million over 5 years, were awarded in response to a request for application (RFA) issued by the Institute in October 2002.

"A growing body of evidence shows associations between psychological disorders in children in relation to future substance abuse disorders. But important questions about these relationships have yet to be addressed. The studies we have selected for funding will address this knowledge gap and work toward developing interventions with certain pediatric populations considered to be at high risk of drug abuse and addiction," says Dr. Nora D. Volkow, NIDA Director.

Previous research has shown that conduct disorder and anxiety disorders are more clearly associated than other disorders with later drug use. The coexistence of more than one childhood psychiatric disorder greatly increases the risk for later drug use.

"However," notes Dr. Volkow, "even when a psychiatric disorder predates a substance abuse disorder, a causal relationship is not automatically established, nor should a clinician assume one exists. These research projects will help clarify shared and unique risk and protective factors and improve our understanding of how these factors connect and contribute to drug abuse and drug addiction through childhood and adolescence."

The grantees are:

• Robert Miranda, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, $466,500.00 over 3 years
  Mechanisms Relating Conduct Disorder and Drug Abuse.
  DA 16904-01
• Naomi R. Marmorstein, Rutgers University, (New Brunswick), New Jersey, $77,750.00 over 2 years
  Child Psychopathology and Risk for Drug Abuse Disorders.
  DA 16892-01
• Kenneth A. Dodge, Duke University, Raleigh, North Carolina, $2,400,090.00 over 5 years
  Development and Prevention of Substance Abuse Problems.
  DA 16903-01
• Francis Castellanos, New York University (School of Medicine), New York, New York, $2,715,614.00 over 5 years
  Childhood Stimulant Exposure Impact on Later Drug Use.
  DA 16979-01
• Ping Wu, Columbia University, New York City, New York, New York, $628,383.00 over 3 years
  PTSD and Substance Use/Abuse in Youth.
  DA 16894-01
• Colleen Halliday-Boykins, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC $146,000.00 over 2 years
  Substance Outcomes for Youth in Psychiatric Crisis.
  DA 16899-01
• Elizabeth Costello, Duke University, Raleigh, North Carolina, $1,731,006.00 over 3 years
  Multi-site Longitudinal Analysis-Psychiatric Risk of SUD.
  DA 16977-01

The National Institute on Drug Abuse is a component of the National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. NIDA supports more than 85 percent of the world's research on the health aspects of drug abuse and addiction. The Institute carries out a large variety of programs to ensure the rapid dissemination of research information and its implementation in policy and practice. Fact sheets on the health effects of drugs of abuse and further information on NIDA research can be found on the NIDA web site at http://www.drugabuse.gov.