Overview
In recent years there has been intense debate pertaining to the role of neurotransmitters in various psychiatric disorders. Simplistic theories of elevated/diminished neurotransmitter levels/release have rightfully come under scrutiny, on several fronts (Jauhar and Cowen, 2023). These include some querying fundamental theories e.g. the monoamine hypothesis of depression (Moncrieff et al., 2022), rebuttals putting forward existing evidence in support of such theories (Jauhar, Cowen and Browning, 2023; Jauhar et al., 2023).
This exchange has brought up wider issues regarding neurotransmitters, and psychiatric disorders, such as the complexity of the brain, heterogeneity of people's experiences, and the role of socio-cultural factors. Faced with such complexity how are clinicians to make sense of the role of neurotransmitters, and their role in psychiatry?
We will cover theories of major neurotransmitters implicated in psychiatric disorders, e.g. serotonin, dopamine, GABA and glutamate. In a balanced fashion we will cover strengths and weaknesses of these theories. Pertinently, we will cover more nuanced versions of existing theories, which attempt to integrate these into models for understanding psychiatric disorders at various levels. Delegates attending will therefore be in a position to converse with peers, those in the neurosciences-and most importantly patients and families-about the role of neurotransmitter systems across psychiatric disorders.
Jauhar, S. et al. (2023) ‘A leaky umbrella has little value: evidence clearly indicates the serotonin system is implicated in depression’, Molecular Psychiatry, pp. 1–4.
Jauhar, S. and Cowen, P.J. (2023) ‘Are neurotransmitters passé? A view from the foothills in response to Rose’, Psychological Medicine, pp. 1–2.
Jauhar, S., Cowen, P.J. and Browning, M. (2023) ‘Fifty years on: Serotonin and depression’, Journal of Psychopharmacology (Oxford 37(3), pp. 237–241.
Moncrieff, J. et al. (2022) ‘The serotonin theory of depression: a systematic umbrella review of the evidence’, Molecular Psychiatry, pp. 1–14.
Objectives
- Awareness of strengths and weaknesses of various neurotransmitter theories of psychiatric disorders.
- Understand the evidence underpinning theories of neurotransmitter function across psychiatric disorders.
- Understand modern models that seek to integrate existing theories with psychological models of mental illness, e.g. through computational psychiatry.
Speakers
Chair: Dr Sameer Jauhar, Institute of Psychaitry, Psychology and Neuroscience, London
Professor Phillip Cowen, University of Oxford, Oxford
Dr Katherine Beck, Institute of Psychaitry, Psychology and Neuroscience, London
Dr Michael Browning, University of Oxford, Oxford
