Announcements

ADHD and Complementary Health Approaches

August 2023 Clinical Digest According to a 2022 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention study, the estimated number of children aged 3–17 years ever diagnosed with Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is 6 million (9.8 percent) using data from 2016 to 2019. Although stimulant medications have been shown to be helpful for many children with ADHD, many adults and children use complementary health approaches such as omega-3 fatty acids, melatonin, herbs and other dietary supplements, special diets, neurofeedback, and several mind and body practices, including acupuncture and meditation to control ADHD symptoms. Many of these complementary health approaches have been studied for ADHD, but none has been conclusively shown to be more effective than conventional therapies. Â

The Mechanoreceptive Ion Channel PIEZO2 Plays a Critical Role in Sexual Function

Uncovering the biomechanical processes underlying human touch and sensation is critical to understanding this essential human function and key to discovering potential new approaches to treating pain, a key National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH) priority. NCCIH’s research is contributing to a growing understanding of the mechanoreceptive ion channel PIEZO2 and its essential role in discriminative touch in both mice and humans, in different parts of the body.  Prior NCCIH studies have elucidated PIEZO2’s role in: Pain and the cellular function in transmitting pain  Balance, movement, and proprioception Urinary function Gastrointestinal function

NIH Establishes Maternal Health Research Centers of Excellence

The National Institutes of Health has awarded $24 million in first-year funding to establish Maternal Health Research Centers of Excellence. Part of NIH’s Implementing a Maternal Health and PRegnancy Outcomes Vision for Everyone (IMPROVE) initiative, the centers will develop and evaluate innovative approaches to reduce pregnancy-related complications and deaths and promote maternal health equity. The grants are expected to last seven years and total an estimated $168 million, pending the availability of funds. NCCIH is a member of the NIH Coordinating Committee for Maternal Morbidity and Mortality (CCM3).

 

Resources for Researchers

New Funding Opportunities

• BRAIN Initiative: Research on the Ethical Implications of Advancements in Neurotechnology and Brain Science (R01 Clinical Trial Optional)
• HEAL INITIATIVE: Development and validation of remote or patient wearable device derived objective biosignatures or functional assessments to monitor pain for use as endpoints in clinical trials (UG3/UH3 - Clinical Trial Optional)
• Notice of Correction to Eligibility Criteria of PAR-23-144, STrengthening Research Opportunities for NIH Grants (STRONG): Structured Institutional Needs Assessment and Action Plan Development for Resource Limited Institutions (RLIs) (UC2)
• Enhancement and Management of Established Biomedical Data Repositories and Knowledgebases (U24 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)
• Early-stage Biomedical Data Repositories and Knowledgebases (R24 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)
• Notice of Intent to Publish a Funding Opportunity Announcement for BRAIN Initiative Connectivity across Scales Data Coordinating Center (BRAIN CONNECTS DCC) (U24 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)
• Notice of NIH Participation in the National Science Foundation Solicitation NSF 23-614: Smart Health and Biomedical Research in the Era of Artificial Intelligence and Advanced Data Science

Diversity Resources

• Notice of Special Interest: National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH) T32 Supplement Program to Promote Diversity in Health Research

 

Upcoming Events

NCCIH Advisory Council Meeting

September 8, 2023, 11:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m. ET; Virtual

The next Advisory Council meeting will be on September 8, 2023. View the agenda.

Songs for Hope: A Concert Celebration of the 2023 Surgeon General’s Medallion Awardees for Health 

September 18, 2023, 7:00 p.m. ET; Kennedy Center Concert Hall

As individuals, throughout our communities, and across the nation, we have had little time or opportunity to address our mental health, grief, and struggles of loneliness and isolation over the last years. In that spirit, the Surgeon General Vice Admiral Vivek H. Murthy will recognize heroic work to support mental health and well-being during the last years of the pandemic. September 18 in the Concert Hall, he awards the Surgeon General’s Medallion—the highest honor he can present to a civilian—to individuals or organizations who exemplify unusual acts of compassion, innovative mental health efforts, and exceptional leadership in advancing the well-being of their communities. 

 

In case you missed it...

Seeking Input on NIH’s Revised Mission Statement

Today, NIH issued a Request for Information (RFI) inviting feedback on a proposed update to the NIH mission statement. NIH is seeking input broadly from staff, NIH-funded institutions, scientific and professional societies, the clinical practice community, advocacy organizations, and the public. To help with this effort, I ask that you share the RFI with your relevant networks and interest groups. Please see attached for email language for this use to modify as you deem appropriate.

The RFI will be open for 90 days and will close on November 24, 2023. Please take a moment to review the RFI, submit your input, and share with your lists.