Research theme of the meeting

In medical sciences, we still have the tendency to view the mind dissociated/separated from the body. This meeting calls for moving beyond the dualism to understand how immunological and metabolic processes in the body affect brain and mind, particularly in psychiatric disorders. We will discuss the interplay between immunological and metabolic processes as a central feature of the mechanisms by which the periphery and brain communicate and can contribute to psychiatric symptoms and the observed multimorbidity between psychiatric and non-mental diseases.

Intended outcome of the meeting

The intended outcome of the meeting is twofold. First, this meeting is set-up to combine expertise and share knowledge across the relevant disciplines. By integrating multidisciplinary views and perspectives on the topic, we will identify current knowledge gaps and develop a research agenda together that can address the relevant scientific problems in question. Specifically, we will formulate hypotheses on the most likely biological mechanisms underlying multimorbidity between psychiatric and somatic conditions, and we will suggest appropriate methodological approaches. Second, this meeting will manifest new collaborations and capitalize on existing collaborations.

Abstracts can be submitted until the 28th of March. Please send an email with your abstract attached as a Word document to barbara.sakic@radboudumc.nl. You will be notified by the 2nd of April regarding approval to give a presentation.

Abstracts should not exceed 250 words (excluding title, author(s), and affiliation(s), and they should have a structured lay-out as follows: background, methods, results, conclusions.