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Bright Nights Community Forum: The Adolescent Brain: A Work In Progress
Just what goes on in a teen's brain? Adolescence is a period of rapid physical and emotional growth and development. The commonly held belief used to be that once a young person reached the age of 18, this developmental phase ended and adulthood began. But with use of brain imaging technologies, we've learned that elements of the brain continue to evolve and become more efficient throughout the teenage years, even into a person's 20s. What does this mean for teens? Dr. Paresh Patel, of the U-M Department of Psychiatry and the U-M Depression Center, discusses the neuroscience of a teen's brain and how its ongoing development affects the behavior and emotions of teens. A panel discussion and audience Q&A follows. Panelists include Daniel Keating, Ph.D., Professor of Psychology, Psychiatry, and Pediatrics and Research Professor, Survey Research Center, Institute for Social Research, U-M; Adrienne Pisoni, LMSW, private practice clinician, Ann Arbor; and Kathleen Diehl, LMSW, ACSW, Social Work Coordinator, UMHS, Regional Alliance for Healthy Schools. Cosponsored by the UM Depression Center
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Bright Nights Community Forum: Stress: How It Affects Your Brain And How To Manage It
Stress is part of everyday life. There are many instances when it can be helpful, but stress can also have the opposite effect, harming our emotional and physical health, and limiting the ability to function at home, at work, and within relationships. Bodies react to stress by releasing hormones to help cope, but this also takes energy away from other brain functions. To provide practical strategies for managing stress and greater understanding of the neuroscience of stress mechanisms, the U-M Depression Center presents this Bright Nights Community Forum. Brian Mickey, M.D., Ph.D., Assistant Professor in the U-M Department of Psychiatry and a member of the U-M Depression Center, will outline the interaction between stress and the brain, and what we can to do help reduce the negative effects of stress. This will be followed by questions and discussion with a panel of experts, including JoAnn Heap, LMSW, U-M Department of Psychiatry and Depression Center, Elizabeth Koschmann, PhD, U-M Department of Psychiatry and Depression Center, and Lynn Sipher, LMSW, LMFT, ACSW, a clinician in private practice in Ann Arbor.For more information on the Depression Center, visit their website at depressioncenter.org, or contact Trish Meyer, 763-7495, or meyerpa@umich.edu.
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Bright Nights Community Forum: Connections Between Substance Use And Depression In Adolescents
Young people sometimes turn to alcohol and other drugs to cope with life's frustrations, to fit in, rebel, or to satisfy their curiosity about drugs and drinking. Teens with depression or other mental health disorders are particularly vulnerable. Many fail to recognize that they are depressed and may be using alcohol and other drugs as a way to self-medicate. When young people drink alcohol or take drugs to alleviate their stress or emotional pain, their depressive symptoms can worsen.To provide greater understanding about the relationship between substance use and depression in adolescents, the UM Depression Center will present this Bright Nights Community Forum. Mary Jo Desprez, Alcohol and Other Drugs Policy and Prevention Administrator for the UM Health Service, and Dr. Daniel Gih, Assistant Professor of Psychiatry at the UM Medical School, will co-present a brief overview on adolescent depression, substance use, and the relationship between the two. A question and discussion with a panel of experts will follow.For more information on the Depression Center, visit their website at depressioncenter.org, or contact Trish Meyer, 763-7495, or meyerpa@umich.edu.
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Bright Nights Community Forum - Mood, Food, And Attitude: Metabolic Syndrome In Depression With The UM Depression Center
High blood pressure, high blood sugar levels, high levels of triglycerides (a type of fat) in the blood, and abdominal obesity - these conditions put an individual at risk for heart disease and diabetes.This group of conditions, called Metabolic Syndrome, can have a negative impact on physical health, and recent research studies demonstrate that there is also a relationship between metabolic syndrome and mental health. Individuals with metabolic syndrome are more likely to experience depression, anxiety, and tension, and those who are depressed, anxious, and stressed are more likely to develop metabolic syndrome.To provide greater understanding of metabolic syndrome and its connections to depressive illnesses, including interventions which address both conditions, the UM Depression Center will present this Bright Nights Community Forum. Dr. Gregory Dalack, Chair of the U-M Department of Psychiatry, will present a brief overview describing the relationship between metabolic syndrome and depression. Dr. Amy Kilbourne, Associate Professor in the U-M Department of Psychiatry, will then describe innovative interventions to help improve both conditions.This will be followed by a panel discussion with experts Simon Evans, PhD, Research Assistant Professor and Nicole Poellet, MS, PMHNP-BC, Nurse Practitioner, both from the Department of Psychiatry.For more information on the Depression Center, visit their website at depressioncenter.org, or contact Trish Meyer, 763-7495, or meyerpa@umich.edu.
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Bright Nights Community Forum: Partnering for Research: The Search for New Knowledge in Mental Health Treatment
Researchers at the University of Michigan are working hard to unlock answers and improve treatment options for mental health conditions, but they can't do it alone. Participants play a vital role in finding better ways to treat depression and other conditions by taking part in research studies. With knowledge gained from research studies, treatment for mental health conditions will continue to improve. Join us as the U-M Depression Center and Department of Psychiatry present this Bright Nights Community Forum. Dr. Patricia Deldin, professor of Psychology and Psychiatry at the U-M and Associate Director of the U-M Depression Center, will present a brief overview describing the process of mental health research, highlighting why participation in research studies is critical for advancing knowledge and developing new treatments. This will be followed by a panel discussion with faculty members from the Depression Center and Department of Psychiatry, as well as community members involved with research.Bright Nights is open to the public and there is no charge for attendance. For more information on the Depression Center, visit their website at www.depressioncenter.org, or contact Trish Meyer, 763-7495, or meyerpa@umich.edu.
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Bright Nights Community Forum: Sleep And Depression: Connections From Adolescence Through Adulthood
Sleep affects the well-being of all people. Having depression can affect sleep so significantly that it feels as though you are suffering from permanent jet lag. Join us as Dr. J. Todd Arnedt, director of the Behavioral Sleep Medicine Program at the U-M Sleep and Chronophysiology Laboratory, presents a brief overview describing how sleep and depression interact. He will also present information on the latest sleep and depression research underway at U-M. This will be followed by a specialist panel discussion featuring Dr. Richard Dopp and Dr. Leslie Swanson from the U-M Depression Center; Dr. Ronald Chervin, Director of the U-M Sleep Disorders Center; and Shelley Hershner, MD, Director of the Collegiate Sleep Disorders Clinic and Assistant Professor, University of Michigan.The Sleep and Chronophysiology Laboratory at the University of Michigan is a research laboratory that investigates sleep and biological rhythm regulation from childhood through adulthood. The laboratory has a strong interest in the biological risk factors for depression, how major depressive disorder affects the sleep of both children and adults, and whether sleep-focused interventions can help to improve depression treatment. For more information on the U-M Depression Center, the co-sponsor of this event, please visit their website at www.depressioncenter.org.
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Bright Nights Community Forum: Learning And Depression: What's the Connection?
Children with undetected attention and learning problems often feel unsuccessful in school. Over time, the stress associated with doing poorly in school can create vulnerability to depression. Similarly, symptoms of depression can interfere with academic progress. For these reasons, interventions designed to improve school functioning are critical to treating and preventing depression in youth. To provide greater understanding of the connection between learning disorders and depression, the University of Michigan Depression Center will present this Bright Nights community forum entitled "Learning and Depression: What's the Connection?. Cynthia Ewell-Foster, PhD, Clinical Assistant Professor in the U-M Department of Psychiatry and member of the U-M Depression Center, will present an overview of the latest research on the interaction of learning disorders and depressive illnesses, and information on effective treatment strategies. This will be followed by a specialist panel discussion with experts including Kristen Chapman, MA, Speech and Language Pathologist, U-M Center for the Child & the Family and Mary Spence, PhD, Psychologist, Ann Arbor Public Schools.Bright Nights is open to the public and there is no charge for attendance. For more information on the Depression Center, visit their website at www.depressioncenter.org, or contact Trish Meyer, 763-7495, or meyerpa@umich.edu.
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Bright Nights Community Forum: Mindfulness-Based Techniques to Help Manage Depression
Research has demonstrated that mindfulness meditation-based interventions can significantly enhance depression treatment and decrease the risk of recurrence of depression. Elizabeth Robinson, PhD, MSW, Research Assistant Professor, U-M Department of Psychiatry and Depression Center; and Claire Weiner, AM, LMSW, Clinical Social Worker, U-M Department of Psychiatry and PsychOncology Clinic, will present an overview of the latest research on the positive effects of mindfulness, and demonstrate mindfulness-based techniques. This will be followed by a specialist panel discussion with experts, including Rita Benn, PhD, Director of Education, U-M Integrative Medicine and Director of Education, Complementary and Alternative Medicine (with research faculty appointments in the U-M Department of Family Medicine and Institute for Research on Women and Gender); and Lynn Sipher, LMSW, LMFT, ACSW, a private practice clinician in Ann Arbor who teaches mindfulness-based classes to individuals with depression and/or anxiety. This event is cosponsored by the University of Michigan Depression Center.
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Bright Nights Community Forum: Grief in Children and Adolescents
The loss of a loved one is a very unfortunate yet common experience for many children and adolescents. Research suggests that children and adolescents who experience traumatic grief in childhood and do not receive adequate support may experience a wide range of longer-term problems as adults. The good news is that effective treatment options for traumatic grief are available. To provide greater understanding about the different types of grief reactions and how to recognize when a grieving child may need additional support, Julie Kaplow, PhD, Assistant Professor, UM Dept. of Psychiatry and Depression Center, will present an overview of the latest research on traumatic grief in children and adolescents, including effective treatments. This will be followed by a specialist panel discussion with experts including Polly Gipson, PhD, Post-doctoral Fellow in Clinical Child Psychology in the U-M Dept. of Psychiatry; Sally Dunning, LMSW, a private practice clinician in Ann Arbor; and Susan West, MSW, Board Member, Ele's Place-Ann Arbor. Dr. Kaplow is the author of "Samantha Jane's Missing Smile," a children's book about grief. Books will be for sale at the event
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Bright Nights Community Forum: Family-Centered Treatments for Bipolar Disorder
Bipolar disorder is a chronic illness with unstable and unpredictable moods, and it can be devastating for individuals and families. The stress of living with or taking care of someone with bipolar disorder can strain family relationships. For these reasons, in order for treatment to be successful it is important to include not only the individual who has bipolar disorder, but also their family members. Dr. Melvin McInnis, M.D., FRCPsych, the Thomas B. and Nancy Upjohn Woodworth Professor of Bipolar Disorder and Depression at the U-M Depression Center, and Laura Nitzberg, LMSW, Clinical Social Work Manager, U-M Department of Psychiatry will present a brief overview of the illness along with information on the Depression Center's family-centered approach to treatment. This will be followed by a specialist panel discussion with experts including Michael Casher, MD, Director, Psychiatry Adult Inpatient Program and Clinical Assistant Professor, Department of Psychiatry, U-M Medical School; Kathy Schoof, MSW, ACSW, Clinical Social Worker, Dept. of Psychiatry, U-M Medical School.University of Michigan Depression Center is the co-sponsor of this event, which aims to provide greater understanding of the causes and treatments for bipolar disorder, with a special focus on treatments which involve both the patient and their family.