Six innovative research projects funded through the annual University Medical Research Fund (UMRF) grant competition will harness wearable technology, natural supplements, brain imaging and more, to improve diagnosis, treatment and prevention of mental health conditions, and promote access to care.
Congratulations to all of this year’s recipients!
The UMRF grant competition is made possible by contributions from the members of The Royal’s Associates in Psychiatry, and was established to foster novel, multi-and inter-disciplinary research at The Royal, which closely integrates research and care, with the goal to improve care, access, quality and safety.
Thanks to UMRF funding, the teams behind these forward-thinking research projects at The Royal will be supported as they embark on cutting-edge studies to improve care, and help people with mental health and substance use needs get better, faster.
“It’s crucial that we continue to innovate and push the boundaries of our knowledge in a way that is integrated with care and driven by the needs and experiences of our patients,” says Dr. Florence Dzierszinski, President of the University of Ottawa Institute for Mental Health Research at The Royal. “The UMRF grant competition brings us one step closer to achieving this, and we wish to thank the associates for their contributions to fund this program.”
2021-22 UMRF Recipients
Restoration of the benefit of sleep to memory consolidation in SCI and MCI
(Funded $100,000; 2 years)
Research Team: Alan Douglass (Principal Investigator), Stuart Fogel, Soojin Chun, Rebecca Robillard and Vanessa Taler
Sleep has been identified as one of the best modifiable, but yet-to-be-exploited targets for prevention of dementia, and a critical area for further research. This study will investigate whether administration of a natural supplement, melatonin, can be used to restore the benefits of sleep for memory consolidation in older adults with cognitive decline. The results could provide a novel means to restore sleep-related memory consolidation in healthy elderly populations before neurodegeneration is detectable, as well as have important applications to other clinical populations that have memory deficits (e.g., Alzheimer’s Disease and other neurodegenerative diseases).
Outpatient forensic assessments: Advantageous but underutilized?
(Funded $78,520, 2 years)
Research Team: Julian Gojer (Principal Investigator), Lindsay Healy, Michael Seto, Joel Watts, Michelle Mathias and Zeynep Selaman
A routine step in the forensic mental health system is the completion of court-ordered assessments, such as those for criminal responsibility and fitness to stand trial. Many of Canada’s forensic assessments are still done on an inpatient basis, although there are evaluees who would benefit from being assessed in an outpatient setting. Outpatient settings can free up beds, be less traumatizing for patients and are substantially less costly.
Using a review of hospital/court records, this novel study aims to assess what factors are associated with forensic assessment setting selection and whether expanded use of outpatient environments may be warranted. The results can have direct implications for practice related to forensic assessment, as well as on court processes.
Stellate Ganglion Block in the Treatment of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder: Outcome Evaluation, Mechanism of Action, and Integration in Care
(Funded $99,980, 2 years)
Research Team: Rebecca Gomez (Principal Investigator), Jakov Shlik, Daniel James, Clifford Cassidy, Laura Campbell, Adelina McCall, Cory Taylor and Nick Downs
This innovative study to facilitate access to stellate ganglion block (SGB) treatment for veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) by establishing a clinical pathway for SGB as an adjunct intervention to the available treatments for PTSD. This project will also allow for evaluation of client experiences in order to optimize the application of SGB. Moreover, this study will investigate the biomarkers conceivably predicting the efficacy of SGB and its mechanism of action using brain imaging. SGB provides a novel intervention for PTSD potentially leading to rapid symptom and distress reduction, which can facilitate care (e.g., better results in therapy, reduction of polypharmacy, and, importantly, client satisfaction, boosting hope and outlook for recovery).
Neural Mechanisms of Catatonia
(Funded $100,000; 2 years)
Research Team: Tim Lau (Principal Investigator), Lauri Tuominen, Georg Northoff, Clifford Cassidy, Reggie Taylor, Olabisi Owoeye, Naista Zhand, Natalie O’Brien, Katie Dinelle, Janet Cosier and Lisa McMurray
Although relatively common, catatonia remains one of the most poorly understood syndromes in all of psychiatry. To address the scarcity of information about the neurobiological mechanisms of catatonia, this project aims to study the functions of the neurotransmitters gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) and dopamine in catatonia using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to study patients first in a catatonic state and then again after the catatonia has been resolved. The project leverages the co-siting of a research MRI facility within a mental health hospital to study a population for whom traveling off-site for imaging would be a major barrier to participation. The knowledge produced through this study has the potential to be the first step towards developing better diagnostic measures and potentially new treatment methods in catatonia.
Novel methods to increase access and facilitate cognitive-behavioural therapy for insomnia in the context of depression
(Funded $99,942, 2 years)
Research Team: Elliot Lee (Principal Investigator), Rebecca Robillard, Alan Douglass, Michael Samson, Susan Farrell, Raj Bhatla, Lisa Kis, Naomi Spitale, Caitlin Higginson, Paniz Tavakoli, Tetyana Kendzerska, Mélanie Vendette, and Peter Winfield
An estimated 80-90% of people with depression have significant sleep disturbances. Although cognitive-behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBTi) is the recommended first line of treatment for insomnia, very few public hospitals in Canada offer this treatment. Leveraging cutting-edge technology, this study will develop and test a new means of delivering insomnia therapy that is more accessible and better adapted for those with depression. The findings will have potential to unveil new means of increasing access to evidence-based holistic care in a sustainable, scalable, and cost-effective manner.
Screening for unsuspected sleep disordered breathing in adolescents attending tertiary mental health care
(Funded $99,998, 2 years)
Research Team: Kelly Mascioli (Principal Investigator), Naomi Spitale, Ryan Santucci, Brenda Dain, Rebecca Robillard, Smita Thatte, Elliot Lee, Lisa Kis, Caitlin Higginson, Paniz Tavakoli, Tetyana Kendzerska, , Sara Stewart, Sherri Katz, Holly Barrans-O’Donnell and Rose Rosencourt
Advancements in the management of psychiatric disorders in adolescents are desperately needed given that standard treatment regimens are frequently ineffective in this population. As such, it is necessary to identify modifiable pathophysiological factors that contribute to the deterioration of mental health in youth. Sleep disordered breathing (SDB) is a condition known to negatively impact the mental health of adults. The proposed study will use a novel multi-step screening method to evaluate the presence and severity of SDB in adolescents attending the Youth Program at the Royal Ottawa Mental Health Centre (ROMHC) in collaboration with the Sleep Disorders Clinic and the Sleep Research Unit, and to compare psychiatric profiles of those with and without SDB. This novel screening process for SDB has the potential to be more accessible to youth, including those in remote communities, which will ultimately to lead to more timely diagnosis and treatment of SDB and better mental health outcomes.