Treatment of Drug Dependence and Psychiatric Illness

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DESCRIPTION: (provided by the applicant) The primary aim of this K02 competing renewal application is to further the applicant?s scientific development in the area of treatment of drug dependent patients, particularly those who are "dually diagnosed" with drug abuse and coexisting psychiatric illness. Two major hypotheses guide the applicant?s current and planned research. The first is that since drug dependent and dually diagnosed patients are a heterogeneous group, identifying meaningful subgroups of patients and targeting specific therapies to these subgroups will improve treatment outcome. The second major hypothesis is that studying the integration of different treatment approaches (e.g., the combination of pharmacotherapy and psychotherapy) can lead to improved treatment for drug dependent patients. This application is designed to strengthen the applicant?s involvement in five funded projects as PI or Co-Investigator. The following funded projects are currently being pursued by the applicant: 1) a NIDA Behavioral Therapies Development Project to compare two different forms of group therapy for patients with bipolar disorder and substance dependence (DA09400, PI); 2) a multi-site randomized controlled trial evaluating combinations of pharmacotherapy and behavioral therapies in the treatment of alcohol dependence (AA11756, Site PI); 3) a multi-site study examining the genetics of cocaine dependence (DA12849, Site PI); 4) a NIDA-funded project examining the potential efficacy of CDP-choline in the treatment of cocaine dependence (DA11098, Co-Investigator); and 5) a multicenter NIMH-funded project to examine optimal treatments for individuals with bipolar disorder, for which the applicant will examine treatments for those patients with coexisting substance use disorder (MH80001, Substance Abuse Pathway Leader and Co-Investigator). The applicant proposes to expand his research capabilities by learning more about genetics and statistical methods through guided tutorials. Finally, the applicant will mentor younger investigators in their drug abuse research careers and serve the field in general through work as a reviewer on the NIDA Treatment Research IRG and participation in national organizations and editorial boards of addiction journals.