NEW YORK, Feb. 17, 2012 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The James E. Marshall Obsessive Compulsive Disorder Foundation today announced it has presented Dr. Gerald Nestadt, director of the Johns Hopkins Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Science with a $225,000 donation to support genetic research relating to OCD. Hosted by Emmy Award-winning CBS reporter Dana Tyler in New York City, the Beyond Beauty Gala honored Jill Belasco, CEO of Maesa Group; Kaplow President and CEO, Liz Kaplow; and Caroline Pieper-Vogt of the Scent Marketing Institute for their leadership in spreading awareness of this debilitating disease. Actress Dendrie Taylor was the evening's guest speaker, and presenters included Art Spiro, executive vice president of Elizabeth Arden; Carlotta Jacobson, president of Cosmetic Executive Women; and Nancy Berger-Cardone, vice president and publisher at Marie Claire.

The James E. Marshall OCD Foundation was founded in 2003 by Elysee Scientific Cosmetics President Linda Marshall and her family, in memory of her son who battled the condition his entire life. "Few people understand how truly devastating OCD can be, for both the people who suffer from it and the families and friends who love them," says Linda Marshall. "People often hear about other diseases and conditions, however, many who suffer from OCD are too ashamed to bring attention to it."

Since its inception, the James E. Marshall OCD Foundation has raised more than $2 million for OCD research. Though it is listed as one of the top ten most disabling diseases by the National Institute of Mental Health, people with OCD often go several years without treatment. Through past research funds, Dr. Nestadt and his team have been able to isolate a gene that they believe attacks the white matter in the brain, leading to OCD. The Foundation hopes this vital discovery is a key step to finding a better way to manage, treat, and perhaps even prevent OCD.

Despite the strides that have been made, there is still a lot of work to be done to increase public awareness and financial support for OCD, which affects millions of Americans and costs upwards of $8 billion annually in direct and indirect medical costs. The James E. Marshall OCD Foundation is currently the only organization dedicated to raising funds for genetic research related to this debilitating disease.

For more information, please visit: http://www.cureocd.org

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James E. Marshall OCD Foundation Presents $225k to Johns Hopkins at 8th Annual Beyond Beauty Gala