University of Cagliari

Department of Neuroscience
Centre for Pharmacological therapies in Child & Adolescent Neuropsychiatry
Neuropsichiatria Infantile – Via Ospedale 119
09124 Cagliari
Italy
Homepage

 

Project leader
Prof. Alessandro Zuddas
Phone: +39 070 6093509
Fax:       +39 070 652593
 
Project staff
Dr Tatiana Usala
Dr Paola Atzori
Dr Sara Carucci
Dr Gianluigi Melis
Prof Pietro Panei
Dr Brunetto Boscherini
Elena A. P. Germinario

 

Description of organization:

The Department of Neuroscience at the University of Cagliari (UNICA) is a leading Italian institution for basic and clinical psychopharmacology research. The Centre for Pharmacological Therapies in Child & Adolescent Neuropsychiatry, headed by Professor Alessandro Zuddas, is specialized in clinical care and research in neuropsychiatric disorders in children and adolescents. The clinical research is embedded in the Unit of Child Neuropsychiatry at the Cagliari University Hospital. The Unit has inpatient, day hospital and outpatient facilities and receives about 700 new child and adolescent patients referrals per year. For several projects, UNICA has developed a partnership with the Istituto Superiore di Sanità (ISS). The ISS is the scientific advisory body of the National Health System in Italy, collaborates with the Ministry of Health in preparing and implementing scientific and health planning, promotes programmes and clinical trials consistent with the objectives of the National Health Plan and acts as a coordinator of medicines for paediatric research, surveillance and public health at the national and international level.

 

Previous experience:

Alessandro Zuddas has been involved in several national and international research projects in Child Neuropsychiatry and has expertise in psychopharmacological treatment and research. Pietro Panei coordinates the Italian National Registry of ADHD, which focused on assessment of safety and effectiveness of old (Methylphenidate) and new (Atomoxetine) drugs and actively participates in the National Autism working group and the National Guideline group on Depression in children and adolescents.

 

Profile of staff members

Alessandro Zuddas (MD) is associate professor of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and head of the Centre for Pharmacological therapies in Child & Adolescent Neuropsychiatry at the Cagliari University Hospital, Italy. He has been involved in several clinical trials in children with ADHD, Mood and Autism spectrum disorder. He is a member of the EUNETHYDIS Guidelines Group and of the Scientific Committee of the Italian National Registry of ADHD, run by the ISS.

Tatiana Usala (MD) is a child and adolescent neuropsychiatrist. Her areas of expertise include disruptive and depressive disorders and psychopharmacology.

Paola Atzori (MD) is a child and adolescent neuropsychiatrist. Her areas of expertise include disruptive and pervasive developmental disorders and psychopharmacology.

Sara Carucci (MD) is a child and adolescent neuropsychiatrist. Her areas of expertise include disruptive and mood (bipolar and severe mood dysregulation) disorders and psychopharmacology.

Gianluigi Melis (MD) is a child and adolescent neuropsychiatrist. He works on psychosis, disruptive and pervasive developmental disorders and psychopharmacology.

Pietro Panei (MD, PhD) is a paediatrician and epidemiologist. He has been involved in numerous vaccines and clinical trials in children. He was Director of the Italian Drug Monitoring Centre from 2000 to 2004. He is Scientific Director of the Italian registry of ADHD, leader of WP 3 of ERANET on Priority Medicines for Children, and a member of the Bioethical Committee of the ISS.

Brunetto Boscherini (MD, PhD) is a paediatrician and paediatric endocrinologist. He was Director of the Paediatric Institute and Professor of Paediatrics at the University of Rome “Tor Vergata” for about 15 years. He has published approximately 120 peer‐reviewed papers and several books.

Elena A. P. Germinario (BSc) is a biologist and specialist in Clinical Pathology. She is involved in the management of the Italian Registry on AHDH.

 

Main tasks in the project

This partner is responsible for WP5 Growth and pubertal maturation. In addition UNICA will actively contribute to the recruitment of patients for the prospective study in WP3.

News

The fifth ADDUCE Newsletter is now available!

Here, you can read about the finalisation of the project,

the European Medicines Agency and General Assembly meetings

and the dissemination of the results!

The fourth ADDUCE Newsletter is available!
 
In this newsletter, you can find some information on the final recruitment status of the 2 main studies:
- the prospective open-label methylphenidate pharmacovigilance study

- the long-term cardiascular effects of methylphenidate use
 
Also, you can read about the future plans of the project!

More than 1500 children, adolescents and adults across all Europe already took part in our study! Thanks to them, we have already gathered lots of information so we can know a lot more about methylphenidate than ever before! 

 

Did you participate in the ADDUCE studies and are you curious about the latest news on the project?

Here you can find some information!

News for children, April 2015

News for adolescents, April 2015

News for parents, April 2015

The third ADDUCE Newsletter is available!
 

Read more about the ADDUCE studies:

- the prospective open-label methylphenidate pharmacovigilance study: recruitment status and spin-
off studies
- the long-term cardiovascular effects of methylphenidate use: study design and participation
 

and much more in the ADDUCE Newsletter 3, March 2015

 

The second ADDUCE Newsletter is available!
Read more about the 2 main ADDUCE studies:

  • WP3: prospective open-label methylphenidate
    pharmacovigilance study
  • WP8: long-term cardiovascular effects of methylphenidate use

and much more in the ADDUCE Newsletter 2, February 2013

Events

16 - 19 OCTOBER 2016:

4rd EUNETHYDIS International Conference on ADHD, Berlin - Germany
from basis neuroscience to optimised clinical care

17 & 18 APRIL 2016:

ADDUCE Consortium meeting, London - UK

28 - 31 MAY 2015:

5th World Congress on ADHD: from Child to Adult Disorder, Glasgow - Scotland

20 & 21 APRIL 2015:

ADDUCE Consortium meeting, Salina - Italy

21 - 24 MAY 2014:

3rd EUNETHYDIS International Conference on ADHD, Istanbul - Turkey
ADHD and related disorders

19 & 20 MAY 2014:

ADDUCE Consortium meeting, Istanbul - Turkey

3 - 6 OCTOBER 2013:

23rd EUNETHYDIS Network Meeting, Prague Czech Republic
A meeting of the European Network of Hyperkinetic Disorders

6 - 9 JUNE 2013:            

4th World Congress on ADHD: from Childhood to Adult Disease, Milan - Italy

4 & 5 JUNE 2013:

ADDUCE Consortium meeting, Milan - Italy

 6 & 7 JUNE 2012:            

ADDUCE Consortium meeting, Cagliari - Italy

23 MAY 2012:

2nd EUNETHYDIS International Conference on ADHD, Barcelona - Spain