The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) has awarded Daniel R. Wilson, M.D., Ph.D., professor and chair of psychiatry at Creighton University, a major five-year grant to study medication for the treatment of psychosis. The award, totaling $1.1 million, will fund the study of "Relapse Prevention with Long-Acting Atypical Anti-Psychotics."

Researchers will evaluate the direct clinical and economic impact of the first available long-acting, injectable medication for the treatment of psychosis. Despite advances in treatment of psychosis such as schizophrenia, patients still experience relapse or incomplete recovery and significant side effects. The study will focus on how well the medication addresses these problems, with a concern for the patient’s well-being.

"The study represents a real opportunity to evaluate the total impact of consumer choice and medication compliance in a new era of both oral and long-acting second generation antipsychotics," said Wilson.

Michael Hogan, Ph.D., chair of the President’s New Freedom Commission on Mental Health, endorsed the study. "This research is of exceptional importance to determine whether such treatment can substantially reduce the enormous cost – both human and economic – that inadequate adherence to optimal treatment engenders," he said.

Other local researchers involved in this study include Fred Petty, M.D., Ph.D., professor of psychiatry and biomedical sciences at Creighton University and chief of mental health research at the Veterans Affairs Medical Center; Praveen Fernandes, M.B., B.S., assistant professor of psychiatry at Creighton University; Sriram Ramaswamy, M.D., assistant professor of psychiatry at Creighton University; Sid Kauzlarich, M.D., chief of psychiatry at Douglas County Health Center and assistant professor of psychiatry at Creighton and UNMC; and Zak Siddiqqi, M.D., assistant professor of psychiatry at Creighton University and director of research at Douglas County Health Center.