A State-level Centre for Interdisciplinary Brain Sciences has been proposed on the Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (IMHANS), Kozhikode, to take up analysis in psychiatric and neurodevelopmental problems.

“As per the National Mental Health Survey 2016, of which the IMHANS had been a collaborative institution for Kerala, around 14.4% of the population in the State suffered from mental illness. The suicide rate here is higher than the national average. There is high prevalence of substance use disorders including alcohol and narcotics. According to the 2011 Census, around 13% of the population in Kerala are aged above 60 and are vulnerable to psychological disorders including depression and dementia,” P. Krishnakumar, Director, IMHANS, identified.

According to public well being consultants, psychological and developmental problems are additionally on the rise in youngsters and adolescents and warrant particular consideration. Mental well being issues result in elevated suicide price in moms and contribute to the general maternal mortality price. Such issues are prone to improve within the post-COVID world as nicely. Though there are district psychological well being programmes in all of the 14 districts and psychological healthcare is included within the Ardram challenge and first healthcare, centres for analysis on psychological well being are absent within the State.

Dr. Krishnakumar stated that not like different ailments, psychiatric and neurodevelopmental problems are heterogeneous and complicated, making their scientific administration troublesome. Understanding their scientific, organic, psychological and sociological determinants are important for deciding effective-treatment methods. Multidisciplinary strategies might be required to realize this feat, he stated.

An interdisciplinary centre can make use of consultants from the fields of psychiatry, neurology, psychology, pc science, biostatistics, cell biology, molecular biology, and genetics inside IMHANS and outdoors. They will deal with the analysis questions pertaining to organic foundation of behaviour and neuropsychiatric problems. Sources stated that ample area is on the market on the IMHANS constructing and a few further employees must be deployed.