A Gateway Into Understanding And Improving Our Mental Health

You've probably been told to "take a deep breath" at some point in your life, but have you ever wondered why doing so can make you feel better?

Dr Olivia Harrison and MSc student Ella McLeod-Edwards study how breathing can be used to understand and influence our internal feelings.

Disruptions in how we perceive our bodies are thought to be a key aspect of mental health conditions such as anxiety and depression. Using behavioural tests and brain scanning, Olivia and Ella are investigating how our brain recognises and adapts to changes in the body, and how this may differ in people with higher levels of anxiety. They plan to use this knowledge to explain and develop brain-body communication techniques that help people to feel less anxious.

Hear an overview of their work to date and some of the preliminary findings from their current investigation into how available treatments, such as anxiolytics and exercise, can improve conditions like anxiety and depression.

5.30pm, Monday 19 February
Barclay Theatre
Free