Researchers at Baylor College of Medicine in collaboration with the University of North Carolina are conducting an international study on obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) in Latin American, Hispanic, and Brazilian people. OCD is a complex disorder involving intrusive thoughts leading to unwanted, repetitive behaviors that can cause distress and affect a person’s quality of life. The Latin American Trans-ancestry INitiative for OCD genomics (LATINO) study aims to better understand how OCD might be different based on for people of Latin American ancestry while increasing the diversity of OCD genetic databases. This information is crutial to understanding how OCD’s causes, symptoms, and eventually, treatments, could vary by race and ethnicity. LATINO is highly collaborative, partnering with OCD clinics in Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, El Salvador, Paraguay, Peru, and México, as well as clinics in the U.S. including Houston, Miami, New Jersey, San Diego, and San Juan, Puerto Rico.
Eligible participants ages 7-89 will complete questionnaires, participate in a session with a trained clinician to assess OCD symptoms, and provide a saliva (spit) sample. LATINO can be conducted in-person or virtually. If you are interested, would like more information, or would like to see if you are eligible for the study, please see www.latinostudy.org or contact latinostudy@bcm.edu or (713) 798 -7765.
