Educational costs alone are an extra $35 billion per year more for the population with ADHD in the United States. Health care costs are an extra $25 billion hitting families in the United States annually. This does not count lifetime costs as individuals reach adulthood such as under-employment, lost income and lost productivity. These figures show that ADHD is not just a mild condition. Life problems persist and too often multiply with development, evolving into increasingly difficult secondary problems.

Existing medical treatments do provide relief for many if not most sufferers, but this relief has not been enough to prevent these poor long-term results. Part of the reason is that treatments do not cure—they only manage symptoms. Another reason is that existing treatments are difficult to sustain—many patients discontinue them after a time. The Center is actively exploring novel solutions and new paths to discovery for ADHD and the many associated secondary problems that can result.

Our research vantage point focuses on mental health in children and adolescents, through maternal-fetal and maternal-infant stages, and intergenerational relationships. Because our work explores symptoms that occur in multiple mental health conditions, we are uniquely positioned to rapidly apply learnings that can span suicide risk and prevention, ADHD, Bipolar Disorder, substance abuse, anxiety, depression, and a litany of other conditions impacting youth, their families, and their communities.

Our investigators use a variety of methods in their discovery efforts. Considered factors include individual biology and personality as well as public health influences like environmental toxicants, poor diet, and health. We utilize state-of-the-art approaches to examine brain networks, genetic and other biological signals, and to develop new and better clinical prediction tools. Our world-class team of scientists collaborate with investigators around the world through international research consortia, multiplying the  efforts conducted in-house.

We collaborate with industry leaders in data processing, community organizations, and the OHSU Health system to facilitate continuous improvement in the endeavor to design a learning health system. An actualized learning health system can leverage the power of real-world insights to continuously refine the accuracy and precision of the innovations derived from our research discoveries; over time, we can accelerate the rate at which we improve mental health care quality and access. 

This is an exciting time, full of promise. Research is advancing rapidly and even in the last five years, our understanding of many disorders has progressed dramatically. We are optimistic for the future.

Our work would not be possible without our enthusiastic donors, our strong funding partnership with the National Institutes of Health, and the generous families and youth volunteering in our studies. Alongside our dedicated staff, volunteers, students and trainees, we are confident in ability to carry out our mission. 

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