Who's invited?

The purpose and mission of the IMAGEN project

Mental disorders affect more than 25% of the general population at some point during their life-time. These disorders very often begin in childhood and adolescence: more than 2 out of 10 children and adolescents suffer from a mental or behavioural problem.

Signs of drug abuse, affective/ anxiety disorders, hyperkinetic disorders, conduct disorders and emotional disorders, among others, present themselves in adolescence. In all of these disorders, so called dysfunctional processing of reward and punishment and behavioural control is observed. This means that the individual's response to reward and punishment, as well as how they control themselves is altered.

We will be conducting a study from September 2007 - September 2010 which will identify the psychological and biological factors that are involved in human emotion, decision making and behaviour, and how these factors might contribute to mental health and risk taking.

The final aim of the study is to identify novel prevention and treatment strategies to foster mental health in children and adults.

Therefore, we ask for your help with this investigation.

Benefits

You will be part of a group of schools involving 2000 teenagers and their parents from all over Europe who are helping to understand more about teenage minds and what biological and environmental factors might have an influence on mental health.

Your school, including both teaching staff and students, will be provided with information about the scientific nature and background of this study. We will offer our research staff of various disciplines to visit your school to give a presentation on the study and provide students with exposure to careers in biological and human sciences.

The study will provide the opportunity for teachers to involve their pupils in scientific research and might offer a starting point for discussions, lessons or class projects with a special focus on state-of-the-art research in human behaviour.

You will also be sent newsletters at various points in the study when we achieve results which have meaningful applications.

If you wish, we will also add your details to the list of schools on our website who are contributing to this novel European research project and facilitate contact with other educational institutions in London.

Finally, the IMAGEN research consortium will be hosting an annual Neuroscience competition for high school pupils to which we will invite your school to participate.