International School of Ethology

In recent years, the availability of large-scale genomic data has started to revolutionize our understanding of mental disorders at the genetic level, yet is largely theory-neutral, not explaining why risk alleles persist and mental disorders are so common. Conversely, evolutionary psychiatry and psychopathology offer a rich variety of theoretical models and hypotheses to explain mental disorders at the evolutionary level, but have yet to fully take on board the findings of recent genetics. This disconnection is reinforced by the lack of shared conferences and other spaces for dialogue. And yet, the potential for synergy and cross-fertilization is striking; it is time to break down the existing disciplinary barriers and make decisive steps toward an integrative biology of mental disorders. This workshop will bring together emerging and established investigators working on all aspects of evolutionary psychiatry/psychopathology and the evolutionary genetics/genomics of mental disorders. The goal is to facilitate integration by making researchers aware of shared questions, mutually relevant ideas, and complementary scientific tools. Understanding mental disorders will require the theory to meet the evidence: this meeting will move that understanding forward.