Research on Psychopathology in Intellectual Disabilities (Mental Retardation)

The summary for the Research on Psychopathology in Intellectual Disabilities (Mental Retardation) grant is detailed below. This summary states who is eligible for the grant, how much grant money will be awarded, current and past deadlines, Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) numbers, and a sampling of similar government grants. Verify the accuracy of the data FederalGrants.com provides by visiting the webpage noted in the Link to Full Announcement section or by contacting the appropriate person listed as the Grant Announcement Contact. If any section is incomplete, please visit the website for the National Institutes of Health, which is the U.S. government agency offering this grant.

Research on Psychopathology in Intellectual Disabilities (Mental Retardation): This Program Announcement replaces PA-01-028. The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) invites research grant applications for research designed to elucidate the epidemiology, etiology, treatment, and prevention of mental disorders, including emotional and behavioral problems, in persons of any age with intellectual disabilities (mental retardation). This announcement uses the preferred term intellectual disabilities to designate conditions that in the past have been referred to with the term mental retardation, thus these two terms are to be understood as equivalent. Though precise epidemiological data regarding persons with both mental illness and intellectual disabilities are not available, clinical experience has shown that the full range of psychiatric disorders can be found among individuals with intellectual disabilities. This includes co-occurrence with schizophrenia, affective disorders, obsessive-compulsive disorder, anxiety disorders, and behavior disturbances with injurious and aggressive behavior directed towards self, others, or objects. Proper identification and effective treatment of these mental disorders are especially important for people with intellectual disabilities. In fact, while it is usually not possible to correct and reverse the underlying cognitive deficits, treatment of the behavioral and emotional problems often associated with intellectual disabilities can significantly improve functioning and quality of life. Both basic research into the pathogenesis of mental disorders among individuals with intellectual disabilities and studies aimed at clinical diagnosis, treatment, rehabilitation, and service delivery are of interest. This initiative calls for more research on: (1) the prevalence rates of mental and emotional disturbance among persons with intellectual disabilities; (2) the improvement of current diagnostic categories and the development of appropriate psychiatric assessment instruments for use with persons who are mentally retarded; (3) the precursors of childhood behavioral and emotional disorders in children who are mentally retarded or who are at risk for intellectual disabilities; (4) the effectiveness of mental health services for persons with intellectual disabilities, including the monitoring of drug effects and methods for enhancing treatment compliance while living in the community or attending special education classes; (5) early intervention programs designed to prevent emotional and behavioral problems in infants with intellectual disabilities; (6) integrated service delivery models that provide a range of supportive and therapeutic services to those suffering from both mental illness and intellectual disabilities; and (7) translation of basic neuroscience findings into clinical applications and development of novel approaches to diagnosing and treating mental illness in the context of intellectual disabilities. Although intellectual disabilities and autism often co-occur, a separate program announcement is relevant for investigators interested in autism: RESEARCH ON AUTISM AND AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDERS (PA-01-051). (See http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PA-01-051.html ) The research objectives of this PA have been stimulated by meetings held during the past few years. These include: A workshop entitled Emotional and Behavioral Health in Persons with Mental Retardation/Developmental Disabilities (November 29 -December 1, 2001) was convened by the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD), the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Office of Rare Diseases, and the Joseph P. Kennedy Jr. Foundation. A report of this workshop can be found at http://www.ninds.nih.gov/news_and_events/emotional_behavioral_health_2001.htm A workshop entitled Mental Health Aspects of Fragile X Syndrome: Treatment Research Perspectives (November 16-17, 2001) was convened by the NIMH and the FRAXA Foundation. A report of this workshop can be found at http://www.nimh.nih.gov/research/fragilex.cfm A conference entitled Closing the Gap: A National Blueprint to Improve the Health of Persons with Mental Retardation (2002), was convened by the United States Surgeon General. A report of the Surgeon General's Conference on Health Disparities and Mental Retardation can be found at http://www.nichd.nih.gov/publications/pubs/closingthegap/index.htm