Invited Symposium: "Translating Neuroimaging into Clinical Care in Postpartum Depression".

Dr Jeffrey Meyer is Head of the Neurochemical Imaging Program in Mood and Anxiety Disorders at the CAMH Research Imagining Centre in Toronto. He is also a full professor and a Canada Research Chair in the Neurochemistry of Major Depression. Dr Meyer discovered that monoamine oxidase A level is elevated during majot depressive episodes such as early postpartum depressive episodes, prior to recurrence of major depressive episodes; during high risk of depressive episodes such as early postpartum and perimenopause, as well as during high risk states for major depressive symptoms. He discovered the first definitive evidence of neuroinflammation during major depressive episodes; discovered that serotonin reuptake inhibitor medications block 80% of their target at clinical doses and that seretonin transporter binding is is increased in the brain in winter relative to summer. He is interested in applying neuroimaging to develop better treatment and prevention strategies. In regards to prevention, he is developing a dietary supplement to prevent postpartum depression which has performed highly at several stages of assessment. He has received several important awards for this work including the AE Bennett award from the Society of Biological Psychiatry, and the Royal College Medal Award in Medicine. His publications include more than 90 peer-reviewed papers, with 15 papers as a lead/senior author in JAMA Psychiatry/Archives of general Psychiatry and the American Journal of Psychiatry.  

Invited Symposium: "Psychopharmacological treatment in the perinatal period: from research to clinical practice"

This invited symposium will bring together international experts to present the latest research and clinical practice on pharmacological treatment across the perinatal period.

Presenter: Professor Louise Howard

"Benefits of psychotropic medication in the perinatal period: what is the evidence?"

Presenter: Professor Ian Jones

"Psychotropics and pregnancy - making sense of the data"

Presenter: Dr Richard Wesseloo

"Lithium and other medication in bipolar disorder during pregnancy and the postpartum period"

Chair and Presenter: Professor Megan Galbally

Invited Symposium: "Screening: The State of Our Knowledge, Issues Around Implementation of Screening".

A number of the authors of the book: Identifying Perinatal Depression and Anxiety: Evidence-based Practice in Screening, Psyhchosocial Assessment and Management edited by Professor Jeannette Milgrom and Dr Alan Gemmill (Wiley 2015) will be taking part in the Symposium/Round Table and panel discussion. Audience participation will be encouraged.