Speaker: Dr. Thomas Insel, NIMH, NIH (RIVAS MEMORIAL LECTURER)
Title: "Rethinking Mental Illness"
Date: April 15
Time: 10:15am
Place: 1103 Bioscience Research Building (BRB) Coffee & cookies
outside of 1103 BRB at 10:00am.
Host: Dr. Nathan Fox
Abstract:
Mental disorders (depression, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, etc.) are the leading source of medical disability in the developed world (WHO, 2008) In addition to high disability, the major mental disorders are a source of early mortality. People with these disorders have a life expectancy of 56 years, with more than two decades lost to suicide and various medical illnesses, especially cardio-pulmonary diseases. After a century of focusing on the psychological causes of mental disorders, we can now begin to address these mysterious behavioral and cognitive syndromes as brain disorders. Genetics and neuroscience are leading us to reconceptualize these disorders in terms of developmental brain processes that go off track due to the combined influences of genomic risk and early experience. The next decade will likely see a revolution in our approach to mental disorders with a new understanding of their biology and new opportunities for treatments.
The seminar schedule is available at http://www.nacs.umd.edu/news/seminars.cfm
Upcoming seminars and events:
April 22: Dr. Alan Stocker, University of Pennsylvania
Title: "Rethinking Mental Illness"
Date: April 15
Time: 10:15am
Place: 1103 Bioscience Research Building (BRB) Coffee & cookies
outside of 1103 BRB at 10:00am.
Host: Dr. Nathan Fox
Abstract:
Mental disorders (depression, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, etc.) are the leading source of medical disability in the developed world (WHO, 2008) In addition to high disability, the major mental disorders are a source of early mortality. People with these disorders have a life expectancy of 56 years, with more than two decades lost to suicide and various medical illnesses, especially cardio-pulmonary diseases. After a century of focusing on the psychological causes of mental disorders, we can now begin to address these mysterious behavioral and cognitive syndromes as brain disorders. Genetics and neuroscience are leading us to reconceptualize these disorders in terms of developmental brain processes that go off track due to the combined influences of genomic risk and early experience. The next decade will likely see a revolution in our approach to mental disorders with a new understanding of their biology and new opportunities for treatments.
The seminar schedule is available at http://www.nacs.umd.edu/news/seminars.cfm
Upcoming seminars and events:
April 22: Dr. Alan Stocker, University of Pennsylvania
April 29: Dr. Ranulfo Romo, University of Mexico
