RESEARCH UNIT OF PEDIATRIC PSYCHOPHARMACOLOGY

The Research Unit of Pediatric Psychopharmacology (RUPP) was established in the Department of Child Psychiatry in October 1996 (Psychiatric Institute at New York State Psychiatric Institute, Laurence Greenhill, MD), and is active in conducting research in the safety and efficacy of medications for children and adolescents with anxiety, mood, and disruptive behavior disorders.  The RUPP supports multi-site and single-site clinical research by building on existing research resources.  The RUPP network is a national resource through which sizable safety and efficacy studies of psychotropic medications, both alone and in combination with psychological interventions,  can be conducted in a prompt and cost-effective manner. At present, the RUPPs consist of a network of 7 independent research teams in collaboration with the staff of the Division of Service and Intervention Research at the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH).

RUPP-supported studies include such aspects of pediatric psychopharmacology as dose range, dosing regimen, pharmacokinetics, general safety profile, efficacy and effectiveness, and long-term effects on cognition, behavior, and development of psychopharmacological treatments. For the past two years, five RUPP sites, including NYSPI, have been engaged in a study of medications, psychotherapy, or the combination in the Treatment of Adolescent Suicide Attempters (TASA) study. The RUPP also uses the Children’s Day Unit to conduct studies in an analog classroom, which provides a controlled and carefully monitored environment for studying dose responses and time responses to medications, especially those with disruptive behavior disorders like ADHD.

Investigators of the RUPP include Laurence Greenhill, MD, Pablo Goldberg, MD, Lisa Kotler, MD,  Timothy Walsh, MD, and Bruce Waslick, MD, each with expertise in disruptive, anxiety, eating, and mood disorders, respectively.  Drs. Greenhill, Walsh, and Waslick are available to consult with staff on issues such as research design, diagnosis, and treatment in pharmacotherapy trials.  The KAI data management unit is responsible for managing the data of the TASA study.