Grant: CIHR Café Scientifique Program

This is a proposal from Brain Awareness Montreal (BAM) to collaborate with CIHR in hosting a Café Scientifique on schizophrenia and its related syndromes as part of the 2013 BAM Café Scientifique series. Through this series, BAM seeks to incite the interest of people of all ages, in order to increase public awareness of brain research. Our Cafés Scienfiques have always centred on interactive discussions between a panel of expert scientists and the general public. Arguably the most serious of all mental disorders, schizophrenia and related syndromes impose an enormous burden on individuals, their families, and community resources. Because the onset of psychosis typically occurs in the formative period of adolescence and early adulthood, it can interfere with social and emotional maturation, as well as important life transitions to higher education, employment, marriage and parenthood. These disorders usually follow a long-term course, and disabling social, cognitive and functional deterioration are often reported in a substantial proportion of patients. Given the high suicide rates among patients with schizophrenia, and the social stigma that comes along with such illnesses, increased public awareness via events like our Café Scientifique is key. Social stigma in mental illness, especially in the case of schizophrenia, can have detrimental effects on recovery; therefore, we hope that such opportunities for knowledge sharing will ultimately help reduce stigma toward patients suffering from schizophrenia and their families. For the Café Scientifique, our panel of selected speakers will discuss various facets of schizophrenia including the latest advances in the field, including their own work, along with the feasibility of current therapeutic interventions. Finally, some light entertainment will be provided to uphold the spirit of the café.