Pragmatic neuroscience for clinical psychiatry. (22nd April 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Steele, J. Douglas; Paulus, Martin P.
• Is Part Of: British journal of psychiatry. Volume 215:Number 1(2019)
• Page Start: 404
• Page End: 408
• Publication Date: 2019-04-22
• Subjects: Pragmatic psychiatry, -- machine learning, -- education and training; Psychiatry -- Periodicals; Psychology, Pathological -- Periodicals; 616.89005
• DOI: 10.1192/bjp.2019.88
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0007-1250

Abstract

Summary: Mental health and substance use disorders are the leading cause of long-term disability and a cause of significant mortality, worldwide. However, it is widely recognised that clinical practice in psychiatry has not fundamentally changed for over half a century. The Royal College of Psychiatrists is reviewing its trainee curriculum to identify neuroscience that relates to psychiatric practice. To date though, neuroscience has had very little impact on routine clinical practice. We discuss how a pragmatic approach to neuroscience can address this problem together with a route to implementation in National Health Service care. This has implications for altered funding priorities and training future psychiatrists. Five training recommendations for psychiatrists are identified. Declaration of interest: J.D.S. receives direct funding from MRC Program Grant MR/S010351/1 aimed at developing machine learning-based methods for routinely acquired NHS data and indirect funding from the Wellcome Trust STRADL study. M.P.P. receives payments for an UpToDate chapter on methamphetamine and is principal investigator on the following grants: NIGMS P20GM121312 and NIDA U01 DA041089 and receives support from the William K. Warren Foundation.