Ginger E. Nicol, MD
Ginger E. Nicol, MD, is a NIMH funded post-doctoral
research scholar in the Master of Psychiatric Epidemiology program at
Washington University School of Medicine. After obtaining a bachelor’s
degree in journalism with an emphasis in public health education at the
University of Iowa, she went on to receive her medical degree from the
University of Iowa College of Medicine. Dr. Nicol completed residency
training in general psychiatry, as well as fellowship training in child
and adolescent psychiatry at Washington University in June, 2007.
Dr. Nicol’s specific research
interest is in childhood obesity. In particular, she is interested in
metabolic and endocrine disturbances leading to obesity, as there is
evidence that obesity itself has high psychiatric co-morbidity. Pediatric
obesity is rapidly becoming an epidemic in western culture, effecting
general physical and psycho-social development with equally concerning
intensity. In addition to a known association between psychotropic
treatment and metabolic syndrome and obesity in adults, there is growing
concern that treatments for psychiatric illness confer similar or
increased metabolic risk in children. While the evidence base in this
area is growing, there is still little information to support clinical
decision-making in choosing psychotropic treatments for children.
Currently, Dr. Nicol is working
with John Newcomer, MD and Dan Haupt, MD in the Metabolic Effects of
Antipsychotics in Children (MEAC) study, an NIMH-funded study looking at
the effects this class of medications have on total body fat, glucose and
lipid metabolism in children. This study employs a number of sophisticated
metabolic monitoring techniques, such as frequently-sampled intravenous
glucose tolerance tests, hyperinsulinemic euglycemic clamp studies and
dual x-ray absorptiometry (DEXA). These techniques represent the
gold-standard laboratory measures of glucose and lipid metabolism and
total body fat, parameters that are known to be affected during treatment
with atypical antipsychotic medications in adults.
In addition to research
activities, Dr. Nicol continues to provide outpatient care for child and
adolescent patients through a weekly BJC Behavioral Health outreach clinic
in Farmington, MO.
Visit the
MPE Student Page
Epidemiology and Prevention Research Group 
