Focuses on defining the complex interactions between multiple vulnerability genes and environmental adversity, resulting in mood disorders. Vulnerability genes result in functional and structural frailty of the circuits involved in regulation of mood and stress response. Repeated distress disrupts the ability of these brain circuits to maintain homeostasis and organize adaptive responses - producing disease symptoms.

Upon the completion of this activity, participants will be able to:

1. Describe the structural and functional changes that occur during the progression of stress and mood disorders.
2. Optimize pain management by understanding the relationship between chronic pain and mood disorders

Although we have grown accustomed to viewing depression as an illness of the mind, recent scientific understandings suggest that bodily processes-and especially inflammation-contribute significantly to the development and maintenance of mood disorders. An "inflammatory" view of depression also suggests that depression is not a discreet illness, but is rather a probabilistic set of symptoms that emerge from pathways that evolved to maintain adaptive homeostasis in the face of danger from predators and pathogens. This presentation explores how this new Mind-Body view unifies many currently unexplained areas in the pathophysiology and phenomenology of mood disorders in ways that have clear treatment implications. Vaccines for depression anyone?

Upon the completion of this activity, participants will be able to:

1. Identify the relationship of inflammation, stress and mood disorders (ie, the neurobiological correlates).
2. Describe the structural and functional changes that occur during the progression of stress and mood disorders.

Describes the somato-psychic aspects of mood disorders. Products of perturbed autonomic, neuro-endocrine and neuro-immune regulation reach the brain. Here these compounds, generated in the periphery, impact on delicate communication between the various types of glia cells and neurons. Ensuing disturbance in synaptic function and intra-cellular signaling further compromises the ability of critical brain circuits to re-establish homeostasis-thus augmenting the disease process.

Upon the completion of this activity, participants will be able to:

1. Describe the structural and functional changes that occur during the progression of stress and mood disorders.
2. Recognize the importance of full symptomatic and functional recovery (ie remission) as an optimal treatment outcome of mood disorders.

Join the entire faculty of Treating the Whole Patient for an Extended Question and Answer session at the end of Day 1.

For far too long clinicians have viewed depression and other neuropsychiatric disorders as "brain illnesses", versus various systemic diseases like hypertension and diabetes as "body illnesses". Based on emerging evidence this dichotomy is flawed and the new concepts exemplified in the Mind/Body science have challenged us to "reconnect" brain to body. This presentation seeks to review this critical relationship and elucidate for the clinician the various systemic medical consequences associated with a "dysregulated" mind and body.

Upon the completion of this activity, participants will be able to:

1. Describe the structural and functional changes that occur during the progression of stress and mood disorders.
2. Identify the relationship of inflammation, stress and mood disorders (ie, the neurobiological correlates).

Emerging evidence compels us to take a fresh look at the treatment of depression. Quite forcefully, data directs us to view depression as a mind-body disorder. As a result, today's clinicians need to expand their treatment paradigms to be inclusive of  mind-body disruptions (not one or the other, but both). This section of the comprehensive mind-body presentation examines treatment data in detail, and offers clinicians cutting edge tools and paradigms to achieve optimum outcomes as they treat patients afflicted with depression.

Upon the completion of this activity, participants will be able to:

1. Recognize the importance of full symptomatic and functional recovery.
2. Identify the relationship of inflammation, stress and mood disorders (ie, the neurobiological correlates).
3. Discuss the significance of the biological, psychosocial, and nonpharmacological treatment options in the treatment of depression.

Emerging evidence compels us to take a fresh look at the treatment of depression. Quite forcefully, data directs us to view depression as a mind-body disorder. As a result, today's clinicians need to expand their treatment paradigms to be inclusive of  mind-body disruptions (not one or the other, but both). This section of the comprehensive mind-body presentation examines treatment data in detail, and offers clinicians cutting edge tools and paradigms to achieve optimum outcomes as they treat patients afflicted with depression.

Upon the completion of this activity, participants will be able to:

1. Recognize the importance of full symptomatic and functional recovery.
2. Identify the relationship of inflammation, stress and mood disorders (ie, the neurobiological correlates).
3. Discuss the significance of the biological, psychosocial, and nonpharmacological treatment options in the treatment of depression.

Join the entire faculty of Treating the Whole Patient for an Extended Question and Answer session at the end of Day 2.