Psychiatry Science Forum

The Dirt on Air Pollution and Mental Health

Dr. Amanda Bakian, Assistant Professor, Psychiatry, University of Utah

Description: Growing research suggests a link between poor air quality and risk of adverse mental health outcomes including suicide. In this presentation, we will discuss the research associating air pollution with negative mental health outcomes with a focus on Utah-based investigations. We will also discuss common study designs used in air pollution/mental health research, data requirements and limitations, and the major questions still to be addressed.

LOCATION: Colorow Builidng, 2nd Floor Conference Room (383 Colorow Drive)

AQ&U: Empowering Citizens Through Science

Dr. Miriah Meyer, Associate Professor, School of Computing, University of Utah

Description: TMS for depression is approved by the Food & Drug Administration in the United States, and is being evaluated for the treatment of other disorders. The technology used to administer TMS has changed little since its inception about 30 years ago. In this talk we will discuss the potential impact of new technology such as controllable TMS (cTMS) on cortical targeting for new indications.

Lineage: Visualizing Clinical Data in Utah Population Database Genealogies

Dr. Alexander Lex, Associate Professor, School of Computing, University of Utah

Description: The majority of diseases that are a significant challenge for public and individual heath are caused by a combination of hereditary and environmental factors. The Utah Population Database is a unique resource to study these multifactorial diseases. Incorporating familial relationships between cases with other data can provide insights into shared genomic variants and shared environmental exposures that may be implicated in such diseases. The analysis of this data, however, is challenging. In this talk, we will introduce Lineage, a novel visual analysis tool designed to support domain experts who study psychiatric multifactorial diseases with UPDB data.

Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) for treatment of depression and other disorders: what can we expect from new technology?

Dr. Christopher Butson, Director of Neuromodulation Research, Associate Professor of Biomedical Engineering, Neurology & Neurosurgery, University of Utah

Description: Low-cost commodity sensors are changing how cities and citizens measure and manage air quality. Through a suite of projects at the U we are building infrastructure that will enable real-time, fine-grained estimates of air quality both inside and outside of homes across Salt Lake City. In this presentation we’ll talk about the science of air quality, the computational challenges of developing rigorous air quality estimates, and our efforts to engage with citizens across the city.