As 2023 comes to a close, we are taking time to look back at an exciting year for mental health research. Here are just some of the top moments of the year in mental health science and MQ’s involvement.
January
MQ was delighted to announce four world renowned experts joining our science council. Professors Stephani Hatch, Karoline Kuchenbaecker, Daisy Singla and Henriette Raventós all began sharing their expertise to help ensure MQ’s research continues to pioneer mental health science.
Every adult and young person in Scotland was invited to join a new study called Generation Scotland, that will help shape the nation’s healthcare.
February
MQ Mental Health Research announced an investment of £2.2 million into seven new research projects, through the prestigious MQ Fellowships programme.
Exposure to low levels of air pollution was found to be likely linked to depression and anxiety by a new study. Research published on 1 February 2023 discovered that long-term exposure to low levels of multiple air pollutants is likely connected to mental health distress.
March
For International Women’s Day, MQ highlighted research breakthroughs led by women. We also interviewed Dr Hilary Blumberg who is a member of the science council and conducting ground-breaking research into bipolar disorder at Yale University.
Kam Bhui, professor of psychiatry at the University of Oxford, Editor of the British Journal of Psychiatry, became the newest member of MQ’s Science Council.
April
The first MQ and DATAMIND Data Science meeting of 2023 drew together mental health researchers and early career researchers to network, share their research and learn new data science research techniques.
May
Mental Health Awareness Week and its theme for 2023 of ‘anxiety’ led to MQ’s 7th most popular article on our website being read by vast numbers of you who wanted to find out about major developments in anxiety research.
A new paper, called Gone Too Soon, published in the Lancet Psychiatry provided 18 recommendations to prevent mental health related premature deaths You can read more, and the full paper, here or watch an interview with some of the authors on MQ’s YouTube channel.
June
New research, supported by MQ, found that those hospitalised with COVID-19 may experience various long-term problems related to their brain function.
The Galenos project was launched. Led by Oxford University and supported by the Wellcome Trust, MQ and many others, Galenos will make use of existing data to accelerate progress for the treatment, prevention and early intervention of anxiety, depression, and psychosis.
July
MQ partnered with the University of Glasgow to produce a comprehensive report addressing the impact the cost of living crisis is having on peoples mental health, and evidence based society wide recommendations for supporting people.
MQ launched the First Ever Research Appreciation Day, with national and international coverage. Get involved in the second ever RAD in 2024 on the first Wednesday of July.
August
MQ researchers found evidence that the brain fog some people experience after contracting COVID could be caused by blood clots.
September
The MQ Lived Experience Network was launched, a vital way to connect people with lived experience of mental health to enable them to help assist with future mental health science research.
A study by MQ, Peopleful and the Workwell Research Centre at Northwest University into the impact the workplace has on employees mental health across different industries found that 1 in 4 employees are at risk of burnout.
Another study found that depression is linked to different inflammatory proteins in adolescent boys and girls.
October
MQ’s 10 year impact report was published as we celebrated our 10 year anniversary. We looked back at all the organisation has achieved, and ahead at the research that still needs to be done.
The second MQ and DATAMIND meeting and workshop took place with some wonderful connections made for researchers.
World Mental Health Day’s theme was ‘Mental Health Is A Human Right’. Amongst our coverage of the topic, James Downs, MQ ambassador, talked about why mental health is a human right and his involvement in the Gone Too Soon project.
November
MQ announced not one but two new research fellows, Dr Alexandra Burton and Dr Alexandre Lussier.
International Men’s Day was celebrated by rounding up the men in research supported in MQ’s 10 years.
December
The Lancet Psychiatry, the globally respected scientific journal, announced new policies on live experience expert involvement in studies. Moving forward, The Lancet will ask authors to provide information on how those with lived experience of mental illness were involved in their studies. Patient and Public Involvement and Engagement (PPIE) in mental health research is something MQ has championed, with 75% of our studies of the past 10 years including PPIE.
As the year ends, MQ Is looking forward to an exciting year of new research. New projects exploring psychosis, the impact of the internet on mental health and the economic impact of different treatments for mental illnesses are already underway.
Research matters in mental health because without research, it’s just guesswork. Research informs policy change and improvements to lived experience of mental illness and mental health distress. Read about the 2023 highlights of mental health in politics and read about how mental health featured ‘in conversation’ in campaigns, adverts, awareness days and in celebrity interviews in articles from MQ Mental Health Research.
