Research Archives - Page 5 of 7 - Foundation of Hope

15 05, 2023

The Effect of Addressing Children’s Early Life Social Needs on Behavioral Health | Gertner | $39,900

The Effect of Addressing Children’s Early Life Social Needs on Behavioral Health 2023 Award: $39,900 In October 2021, the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, and the Children’s Hospital Association declared a national emergency in child and adolescent mental health. Early life adverse childhood experiences increase risk for the of mental illness throughout the life course. This project will study how NC Integrated Care for Kids, a novel integrated care management program aimed at children with complex medical and social needs, affects the behavioral health of children up to age 5. This study is the first step in a research agenda to understand how whole health interventions could alter children’s behavioral health trajectories. Need/Problem: In 2019, more than 1 in 3 high school students reported persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness, a more than [...]

15 05, 2023

The Other Postpartum: Depression, Anxiety, and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder following Stillbirth and Neonatal Death | Riddle | $45,791

The Other Postpartum: Depression, Anxiety, and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder following Stillbirth and Neonatal Death 2023 Award: $45,791 Each year, 1% of all live birth will be stillborn or result in neonatal death. The women and families that suffer these losses are at increased risk of anxiety, depression, and PTSD; however, their outcomes remain understudied, underrecognized, and undertreated. The grant allows us to begin to prospectively follow these women to begin to lay the groundwork for further investigation into biological risks, prevention, and best interventions. Need/Problem: Stillbirth and neonatal demise affects 1% of all live births. The repercussions of these losses have been understudied and undertreated, leaving many women and families to suffer without clear guidance and treatment options. Grant Summary: We will prospectively map the course depression, anxiety, and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) following stillbirth and neonatal loss and, for [...]

15 05, 2023

Identifying Treatment Targets for Children of Mothers Who Experienced Sexual Violence | Roubinov | $199,000

Identifying Treatment Targets for Children of Mothers Who Experienced Sexual Violence 2023 Award: $199,000 Children whose caregivers have been exposed to trauma are at high risk for developing posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). In this project, we will examine the factors that increase risk for and the factors that protect against the onset of PTSD among offspring of trauma-exposed caregivers. Findings from this study will support future work to develop novel programs to prevent and treat youth PTSD. Need/Problem: Children whose caregivers are exposed to severe trauma are at high risk for developing posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Most research focuses on the adult who was exposed to trauma, and scarce research has examined when and how caregiver PTSD may lead to offspring PTSD. Thus, there is limited understanding of how to prevent and intervene in the development of PTSD in [...]

9 05, 2023

The Carolina Recovery from Depression Protocol (CARED): A Novel Rapid Treatment Paradigm for Depression | Frohlich | $146,110

The Carolina Recovery from Depression Protocol (CARED): A Novel Rapid Treatment Paradigm for Depression 2023 Award: $146,110 Researchers at UNC are developing a new, intensive therapy to treat depression that combines non-invasive brain stimulation and psychotherapy. The Carolina Recovery from Depression Protocol (CARED) is designed to reduce depression symptoms in just one day and may be a more accessible treatment option for those with financial and logistical constraints. This pilot study aims to test the feasibility and effectiveness of this novel approach to treating depression. Need/Problem: The mental health crisis continues to affect many people, and there is an urgent need for new treatments for conditions like depression. While some treatments, like transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) and psychotherapy, have shown promise, they are often difficult to access due to their cost and time requirements. Grant Summary: Recent research has shown that [...]

9 05, 2023

Establishing the Validity of a Wearable Technology of Objective Arousal Measurements Across Development | Grzadzinski | $40,000

Establishing the Validity of a Wearable Technology of Objective Arousal Measurements Across Development 2023 Award: $40,000 Atypical sensory reactivity is reported by parents in pre-symptomatic infants that go on to develop ASD. We propose to validate a practical, wearable technology that simultaneously measures arousal in response to well-controlled stimuli and lays the foundation for future studies measuring arousal in naturalistic contexts. The results from this study have the potential to facilitate pre-symptomatic interventions and new screening options for infants at elevated likelihood for developing autism. Need/Problem: Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder that affects socialization, communication, and daily living skills. Symptoms of ASD emerge gradually over the first few years of life, though the average age of a diagnosis of ASD is older than 4 years. Prior to the first symptom emergence of ASD (e.g. decreases in [...]

9 05, 2023

Investigation of the GLP-1 receptor agonist semaglutide on alcohol effects: relevance for the treatment of alcohol use disorder | Besheer | $70,152

Investigation of the GLP-1 receptor agonist semaglutide on alcohol effects: relevance for the treatment of alcohol use disorder 2023 Award: $70,152 Alcohol use disorder (AUD) is a devastating disease that affects many individuals and families. There is an urgent need to identify medications to help with the treatment of AUD. The goal of the present work is to determine whether semaglutide (an FDA-approved antidiabetic and weight management medication) blunts the subjective/interoceptive effects of alcohol. This is an important question as these effects have the capability to influence alcohol drinking behavior and relapse. Need/Problem: Alcohol use disorder (AUD) is a significant health and societal burden. However, there are only three FDA-approved medications for treating AUD and while these medications work well for some, they do not work for all individuals. Therefore, there is the need to identify new medications to [...]

9 05, 2023

Mechanisms of Brexanolone Therapeutics in Post-Partum Depression: Expanded follow-up study | Patterson | $100,000

Mechanisms of Brexanolone Therapeutics in Post-Partum Depression: Expanded follow-up study 2023 Award: $100,000 Brexanolone is the first FDA approved medication for postpartum depression. This medication has a different mechanism of action than typical antidepressants and we will be investigating brexanolone’s impact on the systemic inflammatory pathways. Better understanding of why brexanolone is so effective for postpartum depression may provide a better understanding of postpartum depression itself and development of more accessible therapeutics. Need/Problem: Brexanolone is recently the first FDA approved medication for postpartum depression, which happens to be the most common complication of childbirth. This medication is an exciting development in psychiatry, in that it is rapidly acting, given by IV infusion over 60 hours, and has a vastly different mechanism of action than typical antidepressants. Despite these successes, there are limitations in that it requires a multiple day [...]

9 05, 2023

Probing the neurophysiological mechanisms underlying sex-specific testosterone-mood relationships during puberty: A randomized controlled trial using a smartphone-based training program | Andersen | $45,080

Probing the neurophysiological mechanisms underlying sex-specific testosterone-mood relationships during puberty: A randomized controlled trial using a smartphone-based training program 2023 Award: $45,080 Female and male adolescents may respond differently to pubertal changes in testosterone. This study will examine whether brain activity associated with emotion regulation may link testosterone change with different symptom profiles. Further, we will test the effects of a smartphone-based training program on brain dynamics underlying emotion regulation and symptoms of depression – the first step in developing new intervention and treatment approaches for adolescent psychopathology. Need/Problem: The pubertal transition marks an abrupt divergence between the sexes in rates of depression and other internalizing disorders in female adolescents, and externalizing disorders (i.e., attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)) in male adolescents. The COVID-19 pandemic has further widened the gender gap in adolescent mental health, with a concerning escalation in depression, [...]

11 05, 2022

Data Driven Brain Shape Analysis Framework and Explainable AI | Prieto | $66,691

Data Driven Brain Shape Analysis Framework and Explainable AI 2022 Award: $66,691 Specific shape aspects are associated with individual differences in cognitive function in children and adults as well as abnormality in many neuropsychiatric disorders. In this project, we will investigate brain shape and reveal specific characteristics for different neuropsychiatric disorders. Our approach is based on multi-view and neural network interpretability techniques. Need/Problem: The overarching goal of this proposal is to develop deep learning techniques for brain shape analysis. We need to investigate, identify, and implement better approaches that will help us make predictions about health outcomes as well as improve early diagnosis of mental health disorders. Grant Summary: Brain shape analysis has been researched extensively and we know that specific shape aspects of the White Matter (WM) are associated with individual differences in cognitive function in children and [...]

11 05, 2022

Written Exposure Therapy to Improve Recovery among Sexual Assault Survivors | McLean | $59,168

Written Exposure Therapy to Improve Recovery among Sexual Assault Survivors 2022 Award: $59,168 An estimated 683,000 US women are sexually assaulted each year, and as many as half of these women experience severe posttraumatic stress symptoms six months after assault. This project tests the feasibility and initial efficacy of a five-session mental health intervention designed to prevent severe posttraumatic stress symptoms among survivors identified as being at high risk for severe posttraumatic stress symptoms. Results from this study will inform the development of a large-scale intervention trial. Need/Problem: An estimated 683,000 women in the United States are sexually assaulted each year and 1 in 5 US women are sexually assaulted in their lifetime. As many as half of these women experience severe posttraumatic stress symptoms 6 months after assault. Currently, no interventions are provided to women sexual assault survivors to [...]