DETROIT—Wayne State University is conducting a research study that will examine the brain chemistry and genetics of both children with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and without OCD. The study also will include parents of the children participants. This research study is funded by a $2.7 million grant from the National Institute of Mental Health at the National Institutes of Health, and is the first combined imaging and genetics research study on OCD in children.

The study is enrolling patient participants and will use Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) to create picture-like scans of the brain and genetic samples obtained through blood and/or saliva to learn more about how different treatments affect the brain.

Patient participants must have the following characteristics:

• Be 6 to 19 years old.
• Have been diagnosed with OCD or suspect they may have OCD.
• Cannot wear braces or cannot be pregnant.

Control patient participants must have the following characteristics:

• Be 6 to 19 years old.
• Not have a personal or immediate family history of psychiatric or medical illness.
• Cannot wear braces or cannot be pregnant.

All participants are required to have biological parent participation and must be of European Caucasian descent. Financial compensation will be provided to those that qualify for the study.

 OCD is a severe, prevalent and chronically disabling disease. It affects approximately 1 to 3 percent of the population nationwide and about 50 percent of all OCD cases begin in childhood and adolescence.

For more information about the study, please call (313) 745-4645. 
                                                                                                                  

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Wayne State University is one of the nation's pre-eminent public research universities in an urban setting. Through its multidisciplinary approach to research and education, and its ongoing collaboration with government, industry and other institutions, the university seeks to enhance economic growth and improve the quality of life in the city of Detroit, state of Michigan and throughout the world. For more information about research at Wayne State University, visit www.research.wayne.edu.

For more information about this press release, contact Julie O'Connor, director of research communications at ag2712@wayne.edu.