UCSF to Host Free Public Forum on Mental Health

Langley Porter Psychiatric Institute (LPPI) will host a public forum with leading UCSF mental health researchers on Saturday, April 24.

Sponsored by the National Alliance for Research on Schizophrenia and Depression (NARSAD), the event is part of NARSAD’s “Healthy Minds Across America” free series of talks about new research and emerging treatments in mental health. UCSF is one of more than 40 other institutions nationwide that has partnered with NARSAD on this project.

Each event aims to bring scientists and families together to share information on a broad range of mental illnesses — including schizophrenia, depression, bipolar disorder, autism and anxiety disorders.

Several institutions within the University of California system are among NARSAD’s top-funded institutions, with UCSF having received more than $6.6 million in grant monies to date through 104 grants to 83 researchers.

The public forum will take place from 1 to 4 p.m. at the Langley Porter Auditorium, room 190, 401 Parnassus Ave.

Moderating will be Eva Ihle, MD, PhD, assistant clinical professor in the UCSF Department of Psychiatry and Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. Ihle also will present on the topic, “What Birds and Mice Can Teach Us About Social Learning in Children.”

Additional presentations and speakers will include:

  • “Depression and Dementia in Older Adults: Cause or Consequence?” by Deborah Barnes, PhD, MPH, assistant professor, UCSF Department of Psychiatry

  • “Can Stress Make us Depressed and Grey? The New Science of Stress and Stress Resilience,” by Elissa Epel, PhD, associate professor, UCSF Department of Psychiatry

A full list of venues, speakers and topics, as well as registration information is available online