Tuesday, March 13, 2012

Promoting Mental Health: Challenges for Psychiatry and Neuroscience

7:00 pm Wednesday, March 28, 2012

Weldon Law Building, Room 104

6061 University Avenue

Novel Tech Ethics and CIHR presents:

Jacqueline Sullivan, Assistant Professor of Philosophy, University of Alabama at Birmingham

Many scientists now believe that mental health disorders are simply brain-based problems. Effectively treating persons with mental health disorders, then, just requires the use of pharmaceuticals to eliminate these problems. However, many scientists also acknowledge that pharmaceuticals currently on the market are not effective in enabling persons with mental health disorders to lead “normal” lives—to hold down jobs and establish and maintain healthy interpersonal relationships. These same scientists assume that if they can locate those brain areas that underlie those learning and memory processes relevant for leading a “normal” life, they will be able to develop pharmaceuticals that selectively restore normal function in these brain areas and thus enable persons with mental health disorders to lead “normal” lives. Professor Sullivan will challenge these assumptions and offer alternative approaches to improving the quality of life of persons with mental disorders.

Website link: http://www.noveltechethics.ca/page.php?page=6&id=52

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