Neurosciences and Psychiatry

 NEuroScience and PsychiatRY Department (ESPRY)

Psychiatric disorders, neurodegenerative and neuromuscular diseases are highly heterogeneous conditions, both clinically and genetically, and treatments are hardly available for only a limited number of these diseases. In order to conceive and develop therapeutic approaches for these disorders, a comprehensive knowledge of their natural history (clinical, histopathology, genetics and biochemical defects), a refined comprehension of the underlying pathophysiological mechanisms and the deciphering of the basic biological components at play are essential. The overall objective of the Neurosciences and Psychiatry (ESPRY) Department is to build a synergy between clinical and basic/translational research to better understand the pathophysiological mechanisms and to develop innovative therapies for psychiatric disorders, neurodegenerative and neuromuscular diseases.

For the next 5 years, we would like to build upon previous achievements and capitalize on common expertise and shared scientific interests in order to :

• (1) organize the research effort in neurosciences and psychiatry at UPEC and
• (2) recruit research teams that will complement the expertise in clinical research, notably by bringing basic and translational research teams to strengthen the outstanding clinical research already on site.

The ESPRY project is rationally based on the reunion of the teams working in neuroscience and psychiatry at the Institut Mondor de Recherche Biomédicale (IMRB; Inserm U955) in order to propose a better integrated structure. This decision is justified by the complementary scientific interests and approaches developed by the different teams, with a general scientific interest in environmental interaction and perception, and a continuum of target tissue from central nervous system -> peripheral nervous system -> skeletal muscle.

The core teams of the Department are :

1. Deciphering the mechanisms of mental Disorders (Marion Leboyer and Stéphane Jamain).
2. Interventional neuropsychology (Anne Catherine Bachoud-Lévi).
3. Biology of the neuromuscular system (Frédéric Relaix and Jérôme Authier).

One aim of the ESPRY department is to promote scientific interactions in a dynamic and competitive structure, with a general vocation in the fields of psychiatry, neurosciences and myogenesis. It is also essential that the ESPRY department reinforces the impact of its research on an international level, further developing basic, translational, transversal and multidisciplinary approaches. We specifically aim to

• (1) reach the best international level for research teams working on psychiatric disorders, neurodegenerative and neuromuscular diseases,
• (2) to create an environment that will be attractive for new internationally recognized teams,
• (3) to develop basic and translational research towards understanding and treatment of specific pathologies in psychiatric, neurodegenerative and neuromuscular disorders.