John Devlin, a member of the SSNS, is publishing a book entitled Nova Cantabrigiensis.

From the book's website:

ABOUT

Nova Cantabrigiensis is a utopian island in the middle of the Minas Basin, Nova Scotia.

It is the invention of visionary outsider artist John Devlin [pictured], and was designed to recreate the atmosphere and architecture of Cambridge, England, which John considers to be the perfect city.

John came to study in Cambridge in 1979, and fell in love with its unique ambience. When mental illness forced him to return home to Canada after just one year, he became obsessed with discovering the secret to 'the Cambridge essence'.

Over ten years, John created over 360 beautiful and unique illustrations, dream-like sketches of re-imagined and reconfigured Cambridge buildings, drawn again and again in the pursuit of perfection.

The book Nova Cantabrigiensis will present a selection of John's illustrations, his writings about the island and his mathematical theories about the architecture. It will be published in the summer of 2011.

*PRE-ORDER*

Nova Cantabrigiensis is now available for pre-order! Please click here to pre-order the book, to get a signed, limited edition copy, and to see a video about the book.

PRESS

John was interviewed on CBC Radio One on June 10th, 2010. To listen to the recording, please click here.

Read the BBC's piece on John's 2010 exhibition by clicking here.

Also see:

John Devlin's website

John Devlin's Dreams of Cambridge

An article posted today by the BBC:

In the middle of an island in Nova Scotia, Canada, John Devlin has created an idyllic version of Cambridge and Oxford Universities.

But, Canadian-born John [pictured] has not actually built this dream structure. It began as the idea of a damaged mind coping with psychotic episodes.

Therapy came in the form of sketches of the colleges, as a reminder of John's days as a student in Cambridge.

These Dreams of Cambridge are on show until 25 June, 2010 at King's College.

To read the entire article, please click here.

Also see:

John Devlin: Alchemy and Architecture

Drug ads still stigmatise mental illness

An April 3rd news item from the University of Cambridge:

The way that drugs used to treat mental illness are advertised to doctors could be helping to perpetuate – rather than break down – the stigma still attached to mental health problems.

Over the space of a year, Dr Juliet Foster [pictured] analysed 96 different drug advertisements carried in the British Medical Journal and the British Journal of Psychiatry. She discovered stark differences in the way that psychiatric and non-psychiatric drugs are advertised to health professionals.

Whereas adverts for "physical" diseases such as pain and blood pressure medication usually picture people as happy and active, either in work settings or enjoying their leisure time, psychiatric drugs such as those used to treat depression and Alzheimer's disease are more likely to show troubled or inactive individuals.

According to Dr Foster: "The negative images of distressed, disturbed and often deviant individuals used in advertisements for psychiatric medication contrast sharply with advertisements for non-psychiatric medication which focus on happy smiling people engaged in healthy activity, and perpetuate links between mental health problems and abnormality, fear and otherness."

As well as looking at images, Dr Foster analysed the text used in the drug advertisements. She found that while adverts for non-psychiatric drugs majored on medically-related information on the drug itself, adverts for psychiatric drugs included less text and text that is focussed on narrative description or case studies.

The differences have important implications for the stigma still attached to mental illness, says Dr Foster.

"It is hard to argue that the general public should see mental health problems in the same light as any other health problem when it seems clear that this is not always happening in the health industry," she says.

"It would be wrong to deny that health problems don't cause suffering: people who experience mental health problems obviously do report very high levels of distress and unhappiness at their experiences. But to maintain a distinction between mental health and other health problems, and in particular to portray mental ill health more in terms of chaos, deviance, fear and otherness risks perpetuating stigma that professionals, and service users may strive so hard to dismantle in other areas."

The paper is published in the Journal of Mental Health

I thank John Devlin for bringing this article to my attention.

Also see:

Mental health research in The Lancet: A case study">Mental health research in The Lancet: A case study

Industry-Academic Consortium Set Up to Bolster Schizophrenia and Depression R&D

An article posted today by Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology News:

A newly established international industry-academic consortium is to receive funding from the Innovative Medicines Initiative (IMI) to develop new models and methods for the discovery of treatments for schizophrenia and depression. Led by H. Lundbeck and Kings College London, the NEWMEDS (novel methods leading to new medications in depression and schizophrenia) project plans on partnering with major academic institutions in Europe and Israel as well as global pharma companies like AstraZeneca, Eli Lilly, GlaxoSmithKline, Janssen Pharmaceutica, Novartis, Orion, Pfizer, Roche, Servier, and Wyeth.

The research will focus on developing new animal models for the identification of treatments for schizophrenia. It will also examine how genetic variations influence drug response. Additionally, the project aims to develop new approaches that will allow shorter and more efficient clinical trials.

The consortium believes there are currently a number of major bottlenecks preventing the translation of knowledge and research findings relating to schizophrenia and depression to the clinic. These include a lack of accurate animal models for drug discovery, a scarcity of tools and tests in healthy volunteers to provide early efficacy data, and the reliance in clinical trials on symptom-based diagnostic and statistical manual categories.

“While the biology of psychiatry has made remarkable progress, we have been slow in converting that into innovative and new medications,” points out Shitij Kapur, M.D. (pictured), at King’s College London’s Institute of Psychiatry. “This is a joint challenge for academia and industry. NEWMEDS is a joint response. It is not only scientifically innovative, but it is also an innovation in creating a cluster of nearly 50 scientists from both sides to work together to achieve a common goal of better, safer, and more effective medicines more quickly.”

Tine Bryan Stensbl, M.D., divisional director for discovery pharmacology research at Lundbeck, adds, “NEWMEDS embodies a novel collaborative effort where companies join forces and together with academia answer scientific questions in a precompetitive environment that will form the basis of tomorrow’s medicines. This joint effort will provide novel insights that undoubtedly will be to the benefit of the patients suffering from schizophrenia and depression.”

The IMI, which will provide funding to NEWMEDS, is public-private partnership between the pharma industry’s European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries and Associations and the EU. The initiative’s goal is to promote and support Europe’s position in drug discovery and development. The IMI’s overall funding scheme has a budget of €2 billion, half of which will be provided by the EU’s Seventh Framework Programme and half by EFPIA member companies.

I thank John Devlin for bringing this article to my attention.

Photo credit

Canadian hospital pioneers mental-health treatment

An article published is yesterday's edition of The Globe and Mail:

By Anne McIlroy

A Canadian psychiatric hospital will be the first in the world to use a combination of genetic testing and brain imaging to help determine the best course of treatment for patients with schizophrenia, depression, bipolar disorder and other mental illnesses.

A few dozen patients will take part starting in the fall, and the experimental program will slowly ramp up to include 100 people, says James Kennedy, director of the neuroscience research department at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health in Toronto. If it proves successful, the program will be a step toward giving psychiatrists more precise tools to assess patients with common psychiatric conditions.

“It is a small revolution, a great opportunity to change, in a fundamental way, how we treat patients,” says Dr. Kennedy, who along with his colleague, Sylvain Houle, is leading the new research initiative.

To read the entire article, please click here.

Also see:

CAMH combines genetics with brain imaging to personalize treatment for mental illness and addictions

I thank John Devlin for bringing this article to my attention.

men-tal'-i-ty magazine ...

...now has a website. Please click here to visit it.


I thank John Devlin for bringing this website to my attention.

Gene 'has key schizophrenia role'

An article posted today by BBC News:

Two studies have pinpointed a single gene as key to the development and treatment of schizophrenia.

A US team from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute found that a mutated version of the DISC1 gene disrupts the growth and development of brain cells.

And a team from the University of Edinburgh showed that the gene affects how patients respond to treatment.

Both studies, published in the journals PLoS One and Cell, raise hopes of more effective treatment for schizophrenia.

To read the entire article, please click here.

Also see:

Disrupted in Schizophrenia 1 Regulates Neuronal Progenitor Proliferation via Modulation of GSK3(beta)/beta-Catenin Signaling

The DISC1 Pathway Modulates Expression of Neurodevelopmental, Synaptogenic and Sensory Perception Genes

I thank John Devlin and Dr. Roger Cann for bringing this article to my attention.

Suicide linked to brain changes

Posted today by BBC News:

The brains of people who commit suicide are chemically different to those who die from other causes, a Canadian study has suggested.

To read the entire article, click here.

Also see:

GABAA Receptor Promoter Hypermethylation in Suicide Brain: Implications for the Involvement of Epigenetic Processes

Study finds genomic changes in the brains of people who commit suicide

Suicide's genetic key discovered

Thanks go to John Devlin for bringing this article to my attention.

Suicide's genetic key discovered

From the July 31st edition of The Globe and Mail:

By Carly Weeks

Canadian researchers may have discovered the underlying cause that leads some people to commit suicide or suffer major depression, a finding that could revolutionize how mental disorders are treated.

After examining the brains of people who committed suicide, a team of scientists discovered an abundance of protein affecting a particular gene that controls anxiety and stress compared with the brains of people who had died of heart attacks or other natural causes.

The study is part of the burgeoning field of epigenetics that examines how genes are regulated, or turned on and off.

"It's a really new avenue of research," said Michael Poulter, lead researcher and professor in the physiology and pharmacology department at the University of Western Ontario.

"There's only a few people around the world that are doing it."

In this study, researchers found that people who committed suicide had elevated levels of a specific protein.

They believe the abundance of the protein alters or modifies a gene that normally helps people cope with stress. As a result of the change, the gene shuts down and malfunctions, inhibiting the individual's ability to handle stress and cope with anxiety.

The researchers, whose findings were published in this month's Biological Psychiatry journal, aren't sure why some people have higher levels of the protein. But Dr. Poulter believes it is somehow linked to stressful life events and how people may cope with them in different ways.

To read the entire article, click here.

Thanks go to John Devlin for bringing this article to my attention.

Charity to mark 'first real national push' on mental health

From today's edition of The Globe and Mail:

By Erin Anderssen

OTTAWA — Canada's leading champion of mental health will create a new national charity to raise research money for illnesses such as depression and schizophrenia – an effort to make funding and public awareness of the issue equal to cancer and heart disease.

The charity, tentatively called Mind and Brain Canada, will initially raise funds to develop programs to help hard-to-reach groups such as youth, who have some of the highest rates of mental health problems.

“This is the first real national push,” said former Liberal senator Michael Kirby, chair of the Mental Health Commission of Canada. “How do we keep mental health out of the shadows forever?”

Mr. Kirby said a prominent fundraising body similar to the Canadian Cancer Society or the Heart and Stroke Foundation is necessary to fight the persistent stigma surrounding mental illness and the lack of funds available to help the one in five Canadians who will struggle at some point in their lives with a mental-health problem.

To read the entire article, click here.

Thanks go to John Devlin for bringing this article to my attention.

We're all to blame for staying mum on mental illness

Rarely do I offer my opinion on this blog, however, I highly recommend reading an article by Andre Picard published in the June 5th edition of The Globe and Mail. To read the article, click here.

A very big thank you goes to John Devlin for bringing this article to my attention.

Report highlights impact of future brain drugs on society

From the University of Cambridge:

22 May 2008

A report by the Academy of Medical Sciences which was led by Sir Gabriel Horn FRS FRCP, Emeritus Professor of Zoology at the University states that an increasing number and variety of psychoactive drugs - drugs that act on the brain - will emerge over the next few decades.

Some drugs could bring new treatments for addiction and mental ill health, but others could also increase the burden of drug misuse.

To read the entire article, click here.

Thanks go to John Devlin for bringing this article to my attention.

Rescuing ‘the Castle’ From Some Dark Days, Architecturally and Medically

From the April 29th edition of The New York Times:

The New York State Inebriate Asylum in Binghamton, N.Y. was built in 1858. Its original purpose was stark: to serve as a government-run treatment center for alcoholics and later "the chronic insane." The vast stone building, one of the early works of Isaac Perry, a prominent New York architect, had been abandoned since 1993. It is known to locals as "the Castle."

To read the entire article, click here.

Thanks go to John Devlin for bring this article to my attention.

Photography by Andrew Henderson for The New York Times.

Scientists probe meditation secrets

Scientists are beginning to uncover evidence that meditation has a tangible effect on the brain.

For the complete article from BBC News, click here.

Photograph courtesy of BBC News.

Thanks go to John Devlin for bringing this article to my attention.

Looking Beyond

An article by Sean Flinn in the February 14th edition of The Coast:

Connections Clubhouse brings together people with mental illness, creating a community within the community. The recent publication of Looking Beyond, for example, collects poetry, short stories, essays and art (drawings primarily---check out Jon Welland's stuff) by Connections members, and creates not only a document reflecting the daily life and vibe of the place, it also offers some damn fine writing to enjoy.

Though there was an editorial committee in place that selected the contributions, "everyone was given a chance to contribute---no one was turned away," explains Teresa Brown, editor of Looking Beyond.

Still, that didn't mean they published whatever was sent to them. According to Brown, the committee looked for honesty and a unique voice in submissions.

Adam Jack Pelley's short story "Sidewalk Sam (The Bum)" demonstrates the calibre of writing reached in these pages. Though it should've been called "Happy Thursday"---a line silently repeated by the narrator as he asks for spare change on Spring Garden---the story starts the collection off on a confident, strong note, giving insight into the interior experience of a life spent on the street. (The 1999 indie film Heater, starring Gary Farmer, does the same.) Pelley is in talks with a publisher, Brown says. Brown herself contributes two imaginative modern fables and a poem to Looking Beyond. "Writing for me is just about the release---letting it all hang out." As an editor, she says, "I simply did a lot in terms of encouraging people to be involved."

Clearly, the weekly creative writing class held at Connections Clubhouse is paying off.

The book is $15. Call 473-8692 or drop by 1221 Barrington for a copy.

Looking Beyond is available for loan from the SSNS library. Email ssns@ns.sympatico.ca or call 1-800-465-2601 for more information on borrowing this book.

Thanks go to John Devlin for bringing The Coast article on Looking Beyond to my attention.

Book explores mental illness through art

'My poetry is about living your best life'

An article from the December 28th issue of The Halifax West Clayton Park Weekly News:

By Kate Watson (email: watsons5@accesswave.ca)

Connections Clubhouse is an opportunity centre in Halifax that offers mental-health consumers a social network and an opportunity to provide leadership in the community.

Members of Connections, along with other Nova Scotian mental-health consumers, recently launched a book entitled Looking Beyond.

The book, which was produced with funds from the Nova Scotia Mental Health Foundation, contains poetry, prose and art work with a unique perspective on mental illness.

John Devlin of Dartmouth contributed two poems, The Ghost on the Mezzanine and Enigma of the Piano.

"My poetry is a way of dealing with the images that come to mind when one is mentally ill, a way to objectify them," he said. "Hopefully, that will be interesting to other people."

Devlin says that although it's wonderful to have his work published, he writes because he enjoys expressing himself through the structure of poetry.

Laura Burke of Halifax has been writing poetry for 12 years, and she welcomed the opportunity to be published with other creative artists.

"My poetry is about living your best life," she says. "It's about finding a way towards recovery from the things that hold you back.

"I really think that this collection will be enjoyed by people who appreciate art and the written word, and that it will truly give people a chance to look beyond."

The book was edited by Teresa Brown (pictured, right), who says the project came about on the recommendation of the members of the clerical department of Connections.

Brown approached mental-health consumers across Nova Scotia and persuaded them to get involved.

"A big part of my job was chasing people to meet deadlines," she says, laughing. "But I'm very happy with the result, and I'm hopeful that there will be more collections in the future."

Looking Beyond sells for $15 and is available from Connections Clubhouse, 1221 Barrington Street, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada B2J 1Y2, or by calling (902) 473-8692.

Photograph by Glen Canning.

'Nutrition and mental health' opens series of public talks

A December 3rd posting from the University of Cambridge:

The effect of diet and physical exercise on the mood of teenagers will come under discussion at a free public debate in Cambridge tonight.

The event in the Michaelhouse Centre, Trinity Street at 6pm will give people the chance to question expert researchers on how teenagers' diet impacts on their behaviour and mental health.

The discussion is the first in a series of free talks offering the local community the chance to learn about some of the research currently taking place at Cambridge.

The events are being organised by the Festivals and Outreach team at the University and allows an open forum for discussion between scientists, researchers and members of the public.

Tonight's discussion looks at the ‘ROOTS' project which is working with over 1200 teenagers recruited from Cambridgeshire schools to examine the factors that can affect mental health in young adults.

The event will open with a series of presentations, after which there will be a open floor discussion about the group's work and the research methods used.

Nicola Buckley, Festivals and Outreach Co-ordinator said: “This a great chance for the community to learn about research at the University. The role that diet and physical activity have to play in mental health is a fascinating one, and this evening's discussion will provide insights into how what we eat is a crucial factor in understanding conditions such as depression.”

The speakers at tonight's event are Valerie Dunn, ROOTS Project Co-ordinator at the University and Caroline Stokes, of the MRC (Medical Research Council) Human Nutrition Research Unit.

The Roots project is speaking to 14-year-olds from a range of schools in Cambridgeshire. Using a series of interviews and questionnaires with teenagers and parents, the project will look at many aspects of teenage life including family, friends, interests, mood, behaviour, nutrition and activity levels. The project will also look at hormones and genes thought to be important for good health and success during the dynamic years of adolescence.

For more details click here.

Thanks go to John Devlin for bringing this posting to my attention.