Core support is requested to establish a research center on mental retardation and related developmental disabilities at the University of Minnesota. The University of Minnesota proposes to consolidate and integrate its far-reaching research activities in the area of developmental disabilities, by focusing on interdisciplinary research concerned with preventing behavior disorders associated with developmental disabilities and intervening in those disabilities to reduce behavior problems while promoting competence. The program combines basic science and applied research approaches, drawing upon biomedical and behavioral science strategies. The goal for the proposed research will be to provide an objective knowledge base for understanding the basic mechanisms underlying behavior disorders among persons with developmental disabilities, making it possible to prevent or treat developmental disorders associated with disturbed behavior within integrated community settings. The research programs are organized around Prevention and Intervention Clusters. The Prevention Cluster includes a Neurogenetics Group, a Neurotoxicity and Neuropharmacology group, and a Neuropathology and Cognitive Risks subgroup. The Interventions Cluster is divided into a Family and Developmental Risks Intervention Group, a Community Psychoeducational Interventions Group, and a Biobehavioral Interventions group. To organize and facilitate this research, a support system is proposed composed of six core Units as follows: 1) Administrative Core, 2) Participant Recruitment and Transportation Core, 3) Communication and Information Media Services Core, 4) Quantitative and Data Base Management Core, 5) Biomedical Lab Core, and 6) Psychological and Behavioral Lab Core.
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