CIGNA and The Picower Institute for Learning and Memory at MIT

CIGNA Sponsors Open Mind Series

While academic forums are nothing new at Picower Institute for Learning and Memory at MIT, sponsorship and active participation from the private sector are groundbreaking. What was the driving force—and more important—what is the expected outcome of the sponsorship?

The answer to both questions: a deeper understanding of the human brain.

The first symposium in the series, On Depression, explored the possibility that insights gained by neuroscientists who are studying learning and memory mechanisms in the brain might be usefully applied to problems of great societal importance.

Depression is undeniably of great importance to the people who suffer from it, the families confused and heartbroken by it and the employers and health care companies that pay for it. Major depression affects millions of people and costs millions of dollars every year. That toll is measurable: 20 million people; $83 billion dollars.^* The devastating impact on human life and society in general is beyond measure.

When the scientific community meets to exchange ideas and share information, CIGNA will be there to offer its perspective as a business, employer and health care management organization. Patients put a human face on the illness by telling their personal stories. Clinicians, educators and artists added their knowledge and insights. Their keen interest and expertise on the topic led to the expected outcome: a collective, deeper understanding of the human brain.

"On Depression" web cast and pod cast available now. Hear what neuroscientists, clinicians, artists and health care experts said in an exchange of ideas that may lead to better diagnosis, prevention and treatment of depression.

You'll be directed to the Open Mind website where you can view the web cast or download the pod casts.

The ultimate outcome? Improved medical treatments, lower health care costs and a better quality of life.

_{^*Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, December 2003}