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Mood disorders

Mood disorders

Mood disorders include depressive and bipolar disorders. Our research investigates the causes and symptoms of these disorders and how to prevent them or manage them more effectively using medication, psychological treatments and practical interventions.

Groups within this theme

Centre for Suicide Research

Centre for Suicide Research

We aim to promote the healthy mental and physical development of children and their families in adversity. Our work focuses on elucidating the mechanisms underlying disturbed development and in creating appropriate interventions.

Child & Adolescent Psychiatry

Psychotropic drug treatment is often prescribed to help people with mental health problems but its use can be controversial. The work of the group aims to understand how psychotropic drugs work from a molecular level through to clinical research in patients.

Clinical Psychopharmacology

Our aims and objectives will be delivered through four interlinked research themes: the first three target key phenotypic and pathophysiological aspects of mood instability and bipolar disorder; together they feed into the fourth, therapeutically-focused, theme:

Collaborative Oxford Network for Bipolar Research to Improve Outcomes

Using computer models of behaviour, we aim to better understand anxiety and depression, and to guide the development of novel treatments.

Computational Psychiatry

The Experimental Psychopathology and Cognitive Therapies team aim to use experimental psychology techniques to increase our understanding of the mechanisms underlying psychological disorders.

Experimental Psychopathology & Cognitive Therapies

Our research includes projects in the epidemiology of mental illness and violent crime, violence risk assessment, prison health, pharmacoepidemiology studies, forensic services, and suicide and self-harm in prisoners and offenders.

Forensic Psychiatry

Our research aims to understand how individual genes contribute to the complex brain functions that are impaired in people with psychiatric disorders. By understanding these links we hope to improve treatments for these disorders.

Neural Correlates of Gene Function

Why do some people suffer from depression and memory loss as they age, whereas others stay well for the whole of their lives? We examine the effect of genes and life history on ageing using neuropsychology and neuro-imaging techniques as part of large scale epidemiological and experimental medicine studies.

Neurobiology of Ageing

We work to understand the cognitive, biological, emotional and somatic processes underpinning the severe eating disorder Anorexia Nervosa in particular, and Eating Disorders in general. Our trans-disciplinary research, involving clinicians and neuroscientists, aims to translate research findings into novel treatment strategies.

Oxford Brain-Body Research into Eating Disorders

We design and conduct clinical trials in cognitive health and neuroscience. Our trials include evaluations of promising new therapies, direct comparisons of current treatments and health services research.

Oxford Cognitive Health and Neuroscience Clinical Trials Unit

The Oxford Mindfulness Centre works with partners around the world to prevent depression and enhance human potential through the therapeutic use of mindfulness.

Oxford Mindfulness Centre

We explore how the brain processes emotional information and how this is influenced by brain chemicals and medicines. This helps us to understand disorders such as depression and anxiety and to understand and contribute to the development of drug and psychological treatments.

Psychopharmacology and Emotion Research Laboratory

Publications

Find all our latest publications here

RESEARCH THEMES & GROUPS