Pre-Conference Workshops
Workshop 1
| Title: | Introduction to Nutritional Psychiatry |
| Presenters: | Felice Jacka, Tetyana Rocks, Wolfgang Marx |
| Date: | Sunday, 20 October |
| Time: | 12:30 – 14:00 |
| Cost: | Delegate – 30 pounds Non-Delegate – 90 pounds |
| Description: | TBC |
Workshop 2
| Title: | Nutritional Psychiatry on the Front Lines |
| Presenters: | Laura LaChance, Uma Naidoo, Emily Deans |
| Date: | Sunday, 20 October |
| Time: | 14:30 – 16:00 |
| Cost: | Delegate – 30 pounds Non-Delegate – 90 pounds |
| Description: | This workshop will be presented by three psychiatrists with experience incorporating nutritional psychiatry into clinical practice in various settings. The workshop will begin with a panel targeted toward mental health professionals who are interested in incorporating nutritional psychiatry into their clinical practice. As such, each presenter will share how they integrate nutritional care into their respective care setting including a hospital-based consultation model, an early psychosis intervention service, and outpatient general psychiatry. The following section will include an interactive Q&A component where the presenters will review common questions and challenges encountered in the practice of nutritional psychiatry in addition to live questions from the audience. For the non-mental health professionals in the group, we will provide an overview of core psychiatric skills essential for the nutritional care of individuals with mental illness. We will conclude with a practical cooking demonstration with tasting! There is something for everyone in this interactive workshop designed to highlight the take home and practical aspects of this fascinating and rapidly evolving field of study. |
Workshop 3
| Title: | Design, implement and publish a single case experimental design |
| Presenters: | David Veale |
| Date: | Sunday, 20 October |
| Time: | 12:30 – 16:00 (half hour afternoon tea break) |
| Cost: | Delegate – 40 pounds Non-Delegate – 110 pounds |
| Description: | Randomised controlled trials (RCTs) are designed to determine whether on average, an intervention is more effective than another intervention. This is often not good enough for clients and clinicians who want to know if an intervention is effective for them. Single Case Experimental Designs (SCED) can answer such questions, whatever the intervention (e.g. nutritional) or setting. They are characterised by individual(s) or group(s) acting as their own control. SCEDs have a rich history in behavioural therapies but are not widely used by clinicians nor often taught adequately during one’s training. This workshop aims to provide clinicians with the confidence to design and implement their own SCEDs in everyday practice. Each learning objective will be illustrated by exemplars. Resources on the internet, apps and publications for further reading will be recommended. Participants should bring a research idea for a SCED to discuss in a small group. |
Workshop 4
| Title: | Launching an International Multisite Clinical Trial in Nutritional Psychiatry: Lessons Learned on the Frontline |
| Presenters: | Leanna Perez, Brenda Leung, Jeanette Johnstone, Irene Hatsu |
| Date: | Sunday, 20 October |
| Time: | 12:30 – 14:00 |
| Cost: | Delegate – 30 pounds Non-Delegate – 90 pounds |
| Description: | Randomized placebo-controlled clinical trials represent the gold standard for scientific investigations and are important for advancing the field of nutritional psychiatry. Conducting this type of research in multiple international sites poses challenges and opportunities. This workshop will offer attendees a snapshot of elements necessary for success in a multi-site international endeavor, presented by experienced researchers in the field of nutrition, psychiatry and epidemiology. Concepts to be addressed include: (1) Conceiving a research framework that maximizes opportunities for data collection from micro (metabolites) to macro (participant narratives); (2) Integrating multi-informant measures: self, parent, clinician, other; (3) Navigating country- and institution-specific policies; and 4) Training personnel across sites. Activities will include hands on practice with the Clinical Global Impression Scale, using anchor points to calibrate scores1. Scenario-based group work will include guided prompts for discussion of key topics, including an overview of government regulatory bodies such as the Investigational New Drug process through the United States FDA and Health Canada; creating a realistic timeline for study launch; developing conscientious initiatives that account for differences in institutional paces (e.g., each site’s Ethics or Institutional Review Board); the pros and cons of using a web-based data management platform (such as REDCap); and establishing cohesive training and monitoring for each’s sites personnel. The workshop will highlight decisions that can address potential challenges while a project is still in progress, as well as guide participants through essential steps for implementation that can enhance the success of a multi-site trial. |
Workshop 5
| Title: | Nutritional and dietary interventions for ADHD and related developmental and psychiatric conditions: a FAB Research workshop |
| Presenters: | Alex Richardson, Rachel Gow, David Rex |
| Date: | Sunday, 20 October |
| Time: | 14:30 – 16:00 |
| Cost: | Delegate – 30 pounds Non-Delegate – 90 pounds |
| Description: | This workshop focuses on the role of nutrition and diet in the assessment and management of ADHD, dyslexia, autistic spectrum disorders and related developmental and mental health conditions; but its content is also relevant to the management of everyday difficulties with attention, mood, stress, anxiety and sleep.
The highly complex interactions between the brain, gut and immune system are only recently starting to be properly elucidated - but the rapid expansion of research findings in this area helps to explain why and how nutrition can powerfully affect mental (as well as physical) health, wellbeing and performance. The organisers and presenters are all highly skilled communicators, with over 80 years’ experience between them in research, education and clinical practice concerning nutritional approaches to the management of childhood behaviour and learning difficulties. From brief presentations with Q&A, scenario-based group work, case studies and discussions, participants will: • Gain a summary of key findings from the latest research into nutrition and diet in ADHD, ASD and related developmental and mental health conditions, covering dietary fats (omega-3 and -6), food allergies and intolerances (including gluten, casein); vitamins/minerals; and sugar/dietary fibre • Understand how to translate this evidence into simple, practical and effective ways to improve diet and nutrition in children and adults with developmental difficulties with mood, behaviour and learning, not only in clinical settings, but also at home, in schools and in the workplace. |