Long term neurological conditions (such as multiple sclerosis, stroke, and brain injury) carry a significant burden to patients, their families and carers, the NHS, and to society as a whole, adversely affecting people’s quality of life.

There is a complex interplay between mental health and neurological conditions. Despite increased focus on mental health, however, patients with neurological conditions do not always benefit from these improvements. This is disappointing because people with neurological conditions experience high levels of difficulty with anxiety and depression, and have high comorbidity with mental health conditions. Mental health research and neurological research need to come together to address some of the key challenges faced by patients with neurological conditions. Much needs to be done to better understand:

(i) the experiences of mental ill-health in people with neurological conditions

(ii) the mechanisms that underpin psychological distress in this group

(iii) the interventions that are clinical and cost-effective for alleviating this distress, and

(iv) the service reconfigurations that are needed to provide seamless care for people who sometimes fall between services, thus receiving sub-optimal level of care.

Lead: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. 

Clinical Lead: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. 

Date: Launched in January 2020

Aims of the Network:

• To establish a community of research, practice and innovation concerned with Mental Health and Psychological Wellbeing in Neurological Conditions.
• To engage with service users, policy makers and research funders to ensure future research and practice addresses the priorities of people with neurological conditions.
• To develop a programme of applied clinical research that will aim to develop, evaluate, and implement complex interventions to support people with long-term neurological conditions.
• To nurture and support the next generation of highly skilled researcher leaders in the field.
• To establish Nottingham and IMH as the leading centre for ‘mind-brain interface’ research in the UK.