International Society for Affective Disorders - ISAD

08/11/2025

🌟 ISAD2025: Day 2 Highlights

🔹We opened with “The Body Talks” symposium, featuring impactful talks from Dr Calum Moulton, Dr Toby Pillinger, and Prof Valeria Mondelli, exploring the important bidirectional links between mood disorders and gut and cardiometabolic health — and how these should guide treatment choices to maximise benefit and minimise harm.

🔹 The “Lithium: old drug, new tricks” session, offered fresh perspectives on why and how we should be maximising the use of this gold-standard mood stabiliser, with insights from state-of-the-art neuroimaging and novel research on the benefits of low dose Lithium, delivered by Dr David Cousins and Dr Rebecca Strawbridge. Then, Scott Murray from Aurovian presented a novel approach to measuring lithium levels, followed by a panel discussion on the opportunities and challenges of its’ implementation, with the invaluable patient perspective provided by Dr Clare Dolman.

🔹 We then welcomed Prof Cathryn Lewis for a thought-provoking keynote on the role of genetics in depression, highlighting the missed opportunities coming from underusing genetic testing in antidepressant treatment trials.

🔹 Over lunch, we enjoyed a fantastic poster session showcasing emerging research from across the affective disorders field.

🔹 The afternoon featured a joint symposium with the Swedish Psychiatric Association, co-chaired by Prof Fiona Gaughran and Ass. Prof. Jonas Eberhard, The talks from Ass. Prof. Steinn Steingrimsson, Ass. Prof. Matilda Naesström, and Ass. Prof. Jonas Eberhard on the Swedish experience of embedding research and training into clinical practice, sparked a lively debate on the future of AI in psychiatric training and practice.

🔹 Continuing the AI theme, Prof Melvin McInnis delivered the final keynote on how AI-based phenotype clustering could address long-standing challenges in psychiatric classification and pave the way for precision psychiatry.

🔹 The Meeting concluded with the “Altered Horizons” symposium, where Dr James Rucker and Dr David Erritzoe provided a big picture perspective on the promise and challenges of psychedelic therapies, followed by Dr Luke Jelen’s fascinating work on the role of the opioid system in ketamine’s acute antidepressant effects.

A big thank you to all our speakers, chairs, and attendees for making this another inspiring day of scientific discussion!

08/11/2025

A recap of Day 1 of the ISAD2025 Regional meeting - enormous thanks to our fantastic speakers for sharing their expertise — and to our engaged audience for the active discussion!

The morning kicked off with inspiring talks showcasing cutting-edge research from here at King’s, including the LQD study comparing lithium vs quetiapine for individuals with treatment-resistant depression.

Next up were two fantastic talks from Oxford! Professor Michael Browning first taught us about the pioneering PAX-D study on using the Parkinson’s drug pramipexole for treatment-resistant depression, while Professor Philip Cowen gave us a fascinating trip down memory lane, revisiting the discovery and evolution of SSRIs.

Our first keynote speaker, Professor Kenneth Kaufman (Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School), then delivered a thought-provoking session on the ethics and current landscape of medical assistance in dying for individuals with mental disorders.

We kicked off the afternoon with a dynamic symposium on the personalisation of both psychotherapy and pharmacotherapy in depression. Huge thanks to our speakers – Professor Jaime Delgadillo from King’s, Professor Barney Dunn from the University of Exeter, and Professor Roos van Westrhenen from the Parnassia Psychiatric Institute.

Next, we welcomed our second keynote speaker, Professor Mark Frye from the Mayo Clinic, who delivered an engaging talk on the use of stimulants in treating bipolar depression and how they differ from traditional antidepressants and antipsychotics.

Our final keynote of the day came from Professor Ed Bullmore (King’s College London), who explored the complex yet fascinating relationship between inflammation and depression.

To close the day, we enjoyed the much-anticipated ISAD debate on hyperbolic tapering and its role in discontinuing antidepressants. On the panel arguing for tapering was Professor David Taylor (South London & Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust), while against was Assistant Professor Sameer Jauhar (Imperial College London).

A pre-debate poll showed 64% for, 27% against, and the remainder abstaining. After some persuasive arguments, contested evidence, and a few feisty comments from the audience, the post-debate poll revealed quite a turnaround – 62% against, 30% for, and 8% abstaining! What a way to end the day!

31/10/2025

Just 1 week to go to the ISAD Regional Meeting in London — last few spaces remaining!

PROGRAMME HIGHLIGHTS:

🎤 Keynotes:
Prof Kenneth Kaufman • Prof Mark Frye • Prof Ed Bullmore • Prof Cathryn Lewis • Prof Melvin McInnis

⚖️ Live Debate:
“This House believes that hyperbolic tapering is advisable when discontinuing antidepressants”
For: Prof David Taylor • Against: Ass. Prof Sameer Jauhar

🧠 Symposia on the Latest in Affective Disorders:
psychedelic therapies • the mind–body interface • precision medicine • innovation in psychological therapies • lithium optimization …and much more!

🧾 Poster Session:
Exciting new research from early career researchers

Last few seats — don’t miss out!

Book here:

Join us at the International Society for Affective Disorders 2025 Regional Meeting hosted by the Centre for Affective Disorders at King's.

15/08/2025

Join us at the International Society for Affective Disorders 2025 Regional Meeting hosted by the Centre for Affective Disorders at King's.

16/12/2023

Thank you to all our lecturers, speakers, chairs, participants, committees and sponsors for making a huge success.

We look forward to seeing you again for the next ISAD Conference!

16/12/2023

Make sure to attend the Prize Giving & Closing Ceremony.

👉Join us in Hall A at 18:15 for the perfect ending of

16/12/2023

Buon Appetito…

📚We have Symposia after lunch, join us there!

Learn more about Symposia topics and rooms 🔗 http://bit.ly/47KUM2n

16/12/2023

Coming Up Next at : Plenary Session 2 by Manon Hillegers

🧠Make sure to join us at 11:15!

Room: Hall A

16/12/2023

Final Day at !

We hope you're ready for another exciting day of learning the latest developments and research on .

Take a look at the agenda to explore what is planned for today’s sessions.

🔗 http://bit.ly/47KUM2n

15/12/2023

That was all for today at

Thanks for joining today's sessions. Enjoy your break and Poster Session B.

See you tomorrow!