The field of mental health research is awash with ground-breaking scientists. Every day breakthroughs to new treatments are discovered, leading us to the day when we can finally wipe out the anguish and despair mental illness brings to a staggering one-in-four of us in the United States.

What’s unique about the Brain & Behavior Research Foundation is that we not only fund scientists’ research, but we bring that science to families. We share what is discovered, giving the gift of hope along with the latest, cutting-edge research.

June 22, 2011 was a special day in Cold Spring Harbor, NY, when our Foundation co-hosted, along with Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory and St. Johnland Nursing Center, a free public lecture on the latest treatments for depression and bipolar disorders. The talks were given by two of our Foundation’s prestigious Scientific Council Members, Fritz Henn, M.D., Ph.D. and Husseini K. Manji, M.D.

“If anyone in this room was in physical pain, we would expect a pain killer to work within minutes or hours. We wouldn’t be willing to accept ‘wait eight weeks and your pain will go away,’” said Dr. Husseini Manji, at the Cold Spring lecture. “And yet,” he continues, “we’re asking people with mental pain, anguish which is worse than any physical pain they’ve ever had, to put up with waiting for weeks [as medication kicks in]. It’s unacceptable. We’ve got to do something about it.”

The above quote about the current flaw in mental illness medications is just one of the fascinating thoughts shared at the Cold Spring Harbor lecture. Information about the latest Foundation-funded studies and discoveries in cutting-edge treatments were discussed and shared with attendees.

Sharing Knowledge is the Gift of Power.

Watch the presentation (4 parts - all contained in this playlist):

If you’d like to join us at future events, whether in-person or online, please check in regularly with our EVENTS PAGE.

We are getting closer to cures. And we’re not stopping until the words “mental illness” are only a part of our past, not our present. The future is robust with the prospects of breakthroughs and hope. Join us on our path from discovery to recovery.