Julia Ditzer at the FENS-Hertie Winter School 2023 "Neuroscience of Mental Health"

Julia Ditzer, PhD student at the Chair of Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology, took part in the impressive FENS-Hertie Winter School 2023 entitled "Neuroscience of Mental Health" in Obergurl, Austria, in December. The event, which took place from 3 to 9 December, brought together researchers from around the world to explore the future of neuroscience for mental health. This interdisciplinary framework covered a wide range of topics, from cognitive processes and computational modelling to brain circuitry, neurochemistry, genetics and environmental influences.

The Winter School emphasised the need for a new approach in the neuroscience of mental health, based on a dimensional mechanistic understanding. This innovative approach places brain circuits and the cognitive processes that support them at the centre as the proximate causes of symptoms. Julia Ditzer presented a poster during the Winter School entitled "The long-term consequences of neglect: Exploring the influence of severity and timing on neurodevelopment and psychopathology," which was developed in collaboration with Prof Dr Dylan Gee's CANDLab at Yale University.

Taking part in this Winter School not only gave Julia Ditzer the opportunity to exchange expertise, but also to experience the beauty of the Austrian Alps in a breathtaking setting. The variety of topics presented, the high-calibre speakers and the international participation helped to deepen the understanding of the complexity of the neuroscience of mental health. Julia Ditzer is looking forward to incorporating the knowledge gained into her future research and continuing to contribute to interdisciplinary collaboration in this important field.