Notice Number: NOT-MH-11-009

Key Dates
Release Date: May 24, 2011

Issued by
National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)

Purpose

The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) intends to promote a new initiative by publishing a Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) to invite applications for research on the mechanisms underlying racial/ethnic differences in the prevalence of a core group of depressive and anxiety disorders (major depressive disorder, dysthymia, generalized anxiety disorder, post traumatic stress disorder, and panic disorder).  Descriptive epidemiologic studies drawn from representative samples of racial and ethnic groups in the United States—the National Comorbidity Study Replication, the National Survey of American Life, and the National Latino and Asian American Study—document substantial variation in the aggregated prevalence of these disorders by race/ethnicity.  However, the reasons for these differences are poorly understood.  This initiative seeks to stimulate innovative research that will expand current knowledge of the affective, biological, cognitive, behavioral, social, and/or developmental mechanisms underlying racial/ethnic differences in the prevalence of these depressive and anxiety disorders.

This notice is being provided to allow potential applicants sufficient time to develop meaningful collaborations and responsive projects. 

The FOA is expected to be published in Summer, 2011 with an expected receipt date in Fall, 2011.

This FOA will utilize the R01 activity code. Details of the planned FOA are provided below.

Research Initiative Details

This Notice encourages investigators with expertise and insights into the affective, biological, cognitive, behavioral, social, and/or developmental mechanisms underlying racial/ethnic differences in the core group of depressive and anxiety disorders, specified above, to consider applying for this new FOA.
 
This initiative encourages innovative, multilevel approaches that integrate epidemiology with genetics, neuroscience, biology, and the social and behavioral sciences.  Two key areas are of particular interest.  First, this initiative encourages research to advance the understanding of the biological and social processes that influence how racial/ethnic differences in the reported prevalence rates and distribution of symptoms of the core group of depressive and anxiety disorders (major depressive disorder, dysthymia, generalized anxiety disorder, post traumatic stress disorder, and panic disorder) unfold over the life course.  This initiative encourages research that capitalizes on existing longitudinal data and integrates biological and social information.  Second, this initiative also encourages research to understand whether and why racial/ethnic differences exist in intermediate phenotypes (i.e., endophenotypes) related to the core group of depressive and anxiety disorders interest, by using neuropsychological, cognitive, neurophysiological, neuroanatomical, and biochemical measures.

APPLICATIONS ARE NOT BEING SOLICITED AT THIS TIME.

Inquiries

Inquiries regarding this Notice may be directed to:

LeShawndra N. Price, Ph.D.
Office for Research on Disparities and Global Mental Health
National Institute of Mental Health
6001 Executive Boulevard, Room 8130, MSC 9659
Bethesda, MD 20892-9659
Telephone: (301) 443-2847
FAX: (301) 443-8552
Email: [email protected]