How does neuroscience relate to mental health?

Mental health encompasses emotional, psychological, and social well-being. It influences cognition, perception, and behavior. It also determines how an individual handles stress, interpersonal relationships, and decision-making.

Neuroscience and Mental Health group investigates neural and cognitive mechanisms underlying psychiatric symptoms. It can help us understand the underlying molecular factors behind mental disorders, as well as where and how to focus research and treatment. We know that some people have a greater ability to successfully overcome a stressful challenge. By providing in vivo measurements of brain function and structure during mental health treatment, cognitive neuroscience provides a window to observe the relationship between treatment parameters and distinct clinical and functional improvements.

Despite the high value people put on mental health, the survey found that science's role in understanding and alleviating mental health issues seems unclear to many. Less than a third said science can explain a lot about how feelings and emotions work (27%) or can do a lot to help treat anxiety or depression (31%).

The brain systems that underlie cognition, emotions, and behavior; how disturbances in these systems can lead to psychopathology; and the impact of genetic and environmental risk factors across development

We understand the neural and cognitive mechanisms underlying psychiatric symptoms. We utilise experimental techniques drawn from cognitive psychology, functional neuroimaging, psychopharmacology, computational modelling and genetics, both in individuals suffering from mental health problems and healthy volunteers.