Recent Advances in the Research of Affective Disorders in Japan

These proceedings cover the wide scope of Japanese research on mood disorders and include data previously only published in Japanese.

The purpose of this book is to facilitate the cooperation of the researchers among countries in the related fields by introducing the latest review of mood disorders conducted in Japan. Commentaries by Prof. A. Sims (Lees University), Prof. E. Richelson (The Mayo Clinic), and Prof. S. Kasper (University of Vienna) will make it easier for readers to understand the research trends in Japan.

Japan has a long history of carrying out research on mood disorders. Since the arrival of the Age of the Brain to the life sciences in Japan, research on the brain has advanced rapidly. This year, the Age of the Brain and the Mind has been selected as a theme, and the importance of the study of mind development and psychiatric disorders is being emphasized.

Social problems, such as the neglect of nurturing, child abuse, failure of school attendance, ADHD, conduct disorder, family discord, domestic violence, depression and suicide, as well as dementia and legal issues related to psychiatric patients have become very serious in Japan. Depression in particular has been the cause of an increase of middle-age suicide, and has cast a shadow on the society. Depression, as well as dementia is a serious problem of the mental health of the elderly in an aging society like ours. Therefore, the study of mood disorders has been increasingly recognized as an important field of research, and many young psychiatrists have been involved in it vigorously.