Psychoneurobiology

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About

The WPA Section on Psychoneurobiology is dedicated to the complex interaction between brain function and mental health, with particular attention to the biological mechanisms underlying psychiatric disorders. The Section investigates how neurobiological systems—such as neural circuits, neurotransmitters, immune responses, and hormonal pathways—interact with cognitive, emotional, and behavioral functioning. This integrative approach provides critical insights into the mechanisms that underlie mental illness, from early vulnerability factors to clinical manifestations and treatment responses.

The Section aims to:

Promote interdisciplinary research by integrating knowledge from neuroscience, psychiatry, neuroimaging, psychoneuroimmunology, and cognitive science
Enhance the understanding of the neurobiological basis of psychopathology across different diagnostic categories
Encourage the translation of scientific findings into clinical practice, improving assessment, diagnosis, and treatment
Facilitate international dialogue and collaboration among researchers, clinicians, and early-career professionals
Support education and dissemination of emerging evidence on brain-based mechanisms in mental health

By fostering a neurobiologically informed approach to psychiatry, the Section contributes to advancing innovation, personalisation, and scientific rigor in mental health care.

Section officers

Chair:

Paola Bucci

Department of Psychiatry University of Campania Luigi Vanvitelli

Largo Madonna delle Grazie 80138 Naples Italy

Phone: +39 081 566 6532 Fax: +39 081 566 6523

E-mail: paolabucci456@gmail.com

Co-Chair:

Mohammad Arbabi

Tehran University of Medical Sciences

Roozbeh Hospital-South Kargar street

Tehran, Iran

E-mail: marbabid@gmail.com

Secretary:

Giulia Maria Giordano

Department of Psychiatry

University of Campania Luigi Vanvitelli

Largo Madonna delle Grazie

80138 Naples, Italy

Phone: +39 081 566 6512

Fax: +39 081 566 6523

E-mail: giuliamgiordano@gmail.com

>> Please click here to see the Section Members list

Section Activities

Section Symposia

23rd WPA World Congress, Vienna 2023: Section Symposium “Neurophysiological indices in neuropsychiatric disorders: future perspectives for translation into clinical practice”.
Intersectional Thematic Congress on Intersectional Collaboration, Malta 2022, “Neurophysiology: Understanding the pathophysiology of mental diseases and early diagnosis”, symposium submitted as intersectional symposium, Psychiatric Electrophysiology Section/Psychoneurobiology Section.
Thematic Congress on Early Intervention in Psychiatry, Athens 2022, “Electrophysiological biomarkers and early intervention in neuropsychiatric disorders.
20th WPA World Congress, Virtual Congress 2021: Section Symposium “Electrophysiological evaluation and modulation of symptoms and functional outcomes in psychosis”.
9th WPA World Congress, Lisbon 2019: Section Symposium: “Electrophysiological and neuropsychological approaches toward phenomenology and onset of psychoses”.
7th WPA World Congress, Berlin 2017: Section Symposium "Schizophrenia heterogeneity: characterization of syndromes and outcome using electrophysiological, cognitive, and functional measures".

Seminars, sponsored by the Section

May 22, 2024 – Functional neurological disorders: a clinical overview and major neurobiological correlates Speaker: Mohammad Arbabi, Tehran University of Medical Sciences (Iran)
October 4, 2024 – Inflammation in psychosis: neural correlates and therapeutic strategies Speaker: Giulia Cattarinussi, King’s College London (UK)
October 30, 2024 – Cytokine levels as a predictor of social functioning in subjects at ultra-high risk for psychosis Speaker: Prof. Tomiki Sumiyoshi, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry, Tokyo (Japan)