On March 18, I attended the Congressional Neuroscience Caucus meeting on Capitol Hill on behalf of Tremor Action Network. The subject of the meeting was “The Science of Mental Illness: Correlations between Mental Illness and Violence”. It was just as informative as the two previous caucus meetings I had attended. The speakers were Dr. Thomas Insel, Director of the National Institute of Mental Health, Dr. Elizabeth Childs, a child & adolescent psychiatrist in private practice in Boston, and Dr. Raquel Gur, Director of the University of Pennsylvania Schizophrenia Research Center.
The meeting was a response to the shooting that occurred at Sandy Hook Elementary in December. It was well attended with the majority of the audience being legislative assistants for members of Congress.
The three presentations tied together very well. They focused on the psychosis of males between 14 & 24 – the ones responsible for many of the mass killings. A point was made that it is not an issue of gun control or arming teachers. The problem started years before in these boys. Using a comprehensive model that includes early detection, better access to care, monitoring, and patient-related outcomes, countless more tragedies can be prevented from occurring.
Dr. Gur’s presentation was enlightening. She showed how they have used imaging of the brain to see how the brain functions in someone with psychosis. These recent findings can play a key role in early detection of the problem. Early detection is critical because the sooner that treatment starts the better.
Remarks for the Congressional Neuroscience Caucus by Elizabeth Childs M.D., M.P.A.
Mental Illness and Violence: A Neurodevelopmental Perspective by Raquel Gur, M.D.
Peter Muller
Executive Director
