On Friday October 5, Professor Brenda Penninx gave her inaugural address for her new position as professor of epidemiology of common mental disorders. Professor Penninx coordinates the Netherlands Study of Depression and Anxiety disorders, a large-scale and unique longitudinal study primarily focussed on two of the most common mental disorders: depression and anxiety disorders. During her address, Brenda Penninx provided a clear overview of some recent results from this ongoing study and her plans for further research in the years to come. She touched upon her research showing the associations between these mental disorders and other important burdens of disease, such as cardiovascular conditions, as well as with lifestyle determinants such as nutrition, physical activity and smoking habits. A few years ago she received a VIDI grant for her work from the Netherlands organisation for Scientific Research, NWO, one of the most prestigious grants available (see http://www.nesda.nl/pdf/artikel%20ad%20valvas.pdf) and se is also a member of the ‘Young Academy of the Netherlands Academy of the Royal Dutch Academy of Arts and Sciences (see http://www.knaw.nl/english/index.html and http://www.knaw.nl/cfdata/nieuws/nieuws_detail.cfm?nieuws__id=392). Professor Penninx work is part of the Common Mental Disorders program of the EMGO Institute, and her work illustrates very nicely the fruitful interdisciplinary and interfaculty collaboration within our institute. She works with colleagues from the Psychiatry, Clinical Psychology and General Practitioners departments in mapping causes and effects of common mental disorders, and in exploring and evaluating ways for prevention and early treatment.
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