November 09, 2008

NARSAD’s Third Annual Silver Ribbon Symposium, Sunday, Nov. 9, Offers New Insights Into Mental Illness by California-Based Research Experts

NARSAD’s Third Annual Silver Ribbon Symposium, taking place at CalTech in Pasadena, will feature presentations by four leading researchers based at California universities who are seeking new clues to the biological mechanisms and successful treatment of bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, anxiety disorders and autism.

The symposium will be moderated by Tyrone D. Cannon, Ph.D., the Staglin Family Professor of Psychology, Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences at UCLA, and Timothy Pylko, M.D., chief of staff at Aurora Las Encinas Hospital.

Each speaker will deliver a 30-minute presentation and then take questions from the audience. The symposium is free and open to the public.

When/Where:
Sunday, Nov. 9, 2008
1:00 to 4:30 p.m.

California Institute of Technology
Beckman Auditorium
1200 East California Blvd.
Pasadena
(Use Parking Lot 11 off Michigan Ave.)

RSVP:
Admission is free, but seating is limited. To make a reservation, call 800-607-2599 or 714-529-5571, or e-mail narsadartworks@sbcglobal.net.

Topics and Presenters
Susan Bookheimer, Ph.D., an associate professor of psychiatry and biobehavioral sciences at UCLA, will discuss “Brain Mechanisms in Autism.” In her research, Dr. Bookheimer uses structural and functional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to understand the neural basis of social communication deficits in children with autism, encompassing both verbal and non-verbal communication and focusing on emotional aspects of social comprehension. Dr. Bookheimer’s research results could help scientists find ways to intervene in this difficult disorder and to suggest better educational environments for such children.

Kiki Chang, M.D., an associate professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at the Stanford University School of Medicine, will present “Bipolar Disorders in Children and Adolescents: Potential for Early Detection and Intervention. ” Dr. Chang specializes in the psychological effects of drugs and in the treatment of depression and bipolar disorder in children and adolescents. He will discuss new research that uses brain imaging and genetic studies to identify biological characteristics of bipolar disorder in at-risk children. These characteristics might eventually be used to detect bipolar disorder before the onset of a full mood episode, enabling doctors to employ early interventions. Dr. Chang believes that by employing these interventions at key points in the development of bipolar disorder, it may be possible to prevent or delay the onset of the fully expressed disorder.

Sophia Vinogradov, M.D., a professor of psychiatry at the University of California, San Francisco, will present “Entering the Golden Age of Schizophrenia Treatment. ” Dr. Vinogradov is investigating an innovative approach to the restoration of cognitive function in schizophrenia, based on the brain’s ability to constantly remodel itself as it collects new information and experience. Dr. Vinogradov will share the results of her current study, which uses computer-based training exercises to induce improved cognition in adults with schizophrenia and in young people at ultra high risk for the disorder. She believes the results are promising and could lead to an exciting new era when doctors will be able to offer highly effective treatment for people with schizophrenia that will allow them to re-engage and succeed in the world.

David Anderson, Ph.D., the Roger W. Sperry Professor of Biology at the California Institute of Technology, will discuss his laboratory research in a presentation called “Genetic Dissection of Emotion Circuits in the Brain. ” Dr. Anderson looks at neural circuit function in the part of the brain that is involved in processing and expressing emotions, especially anger and fear. He believes that to better understand and treat anxiety disorders, scientists will need to identify these circuits, understand their normal and abnormal function and then develop interventional strategies to correct the dysfunction.

Click here for a flier and map for the symposium.