Therapeutic advances for mental disorders remain frustratingly slow, partly due to the wide translational gap in psychiatry. The reasons for this gap include the inaccessibility of the human brain, a lack of mechanistically specific biomarkers and poorly predictive animal models. This session will highlight advances in our understanding of biological mechanisms central to symptoms of depression and Alzheimer's. The latest methods in neuroscience can help us bridge this translational gap and elucidate the biological basis for symptoms and possible molecular targets for new and re-purposed therapies.
This session will illustrate research methods that highlight potential new biological mechanisms in depression and dementia. There is increasing optimism for that these methods will reveal molecular targets that are translationally applicable. The session will also explore the strengths and limitations in how peripheral biomarkers might relate to brain changes in a mechanistically specific way.
Learning objectives
This webinar will explore:
• the use of animal models and human tissue to explore biological mechanisms in depression and Alzheimer's disease
• the translation links offered by neural circuits in mice and humans and how these might provide more effective mechanistic insights
• the benefits and limitations of human post mortem brain tissue for studies in mental disorders.
Speakers
Chair: Professor Jonathan Cavanagh, University of Glasgow, Glasgow
Dr Stacey Kigar, University of Cambridge, Cambridge
Professor Jonathan Cavanagh, University of Glasgow, Glasgow
Dr Lindsey Sinclair, University of Southampton, Southampton
Funding
RCPsych International Congress is financially supported by the purchase of exhibition stand packages. A full list of confirmed exhibitors can be found here: Exhibiting Organisations at International Congress 2026
Availability
This webinar is part of the Congress webinar 2026 package. If you attended all four days of Congress, you will have access to these as part of your Congress package. Otherwise the Congress webinar 2026 package can be purchased below.
