5th International Conference on Neuroscience and Mental Health

Stress and trauma are universal human experiences, yet their neurobiological impact can be profound, lasting, and far-reaching, shaping brain structure, immune function, hormonal regulation, and mental health across the lifespan. This session explores the full spectrum of the stress-trauma continuum, from everyday psychological stress and its effects on cognition and mood, to the devastating neurological consequences of complex trauma, abuse, war, disaster, and adverse childhood experiences. By bringing together neuroscientists, trauma-informed clinicians, psychologists, and public health experts, this session offers a rich, multidisciplinary perspective on one of the most important topics in mental health today.

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) will be a major focus of this session, with presentations examining the latest advances in our neurobiological understanding of PTSD, including the roles of the amygdala, hippocampus, and prefrontal cortex in fear memory, hyperarousal, and emotional dysregulation. Evidence-based treatments for PTSD, including prolonged exposure therapy, EMDR, cognitive processing therapy, and the emerging role of MDMA-assisted therapy, will be critically evaluated. The session will also address the neuroscience of complex trauma and dissociation, as well as the long-term health consequences of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) across the life course.

Resilience, the capacity of individuals, families, and communities to adapt, recover, and even grow in the face of adversity, will be the transformative counterpoint to trauma in this session. Presentations will explore the neurobiological foundations of resilience, including genetic factors, neural circuit adaptability, and the protective roles of social support and positive early experiences. Practical resilience-building interventions, mindfulness, trauma-informed care, somatic therapy, and community-based approaches will be showcased alongside public health frameworks for building population-level resilience in the face of natural disasters, conflict, and systemic adversity.

Key Topics:

• PTSD Neurobiology: Brain circuit mechanisms of PTSD including amygdala hyperreactivity, hippocampal atrophy, and prefrontal dysregulation.
• Evidence-Based Trauma Treatment: Clinical evidence for prolonged exposure, EMDR, cognitive processing therapy, and MDMA-assisted therapy in PTSD.
• Adverse Childhood Experiences: How ACEs disrupt neurodevelopment and increase lifetime risk for psychiatric, neurological, and physical health conditions.
• Chronic Stress and the Brain: Neurobiological effects of chronic psychosocial stress on brain structure, neurogenesis, immunity, and cognitive function.
• Trauma-Informed Care: Principles, models, and clinical implementation of trauma-informed approaches across healthcare and community settings.
• Resilience Neuroscience: Neurobiological and psychological factors that promote resilience, and how they can be targeted therapeutically.
• Disaster and Humanitarian Mental Health: Mental health responses to natural disasters, conflict, displacement, and mass trauma events.
• Somatic and Body-Based Therapies: Evidence for somatic experiencing, yoga, breathwork, and other body-based approaches in trauma recovery.