The Prince of Wales International Centre for SANE Research
Encyclopedia
The Prince of Wales International Centre for SANE
Research (POWIC) in Oxford
houses investigations into finding the causes of and better treatment for serious mental illnesses, such as schizophrenia
and depression.
POWIC was built with donations from Nicholas and Matti Egon from the Xylas shipping family, the late King of Saudi Arabia Fahd bin Abdel Aziz Al-Said, Keeper of the Two Holy Mosques, and His Majesty the Sultan of Brunei. The building was formally opened by SANE’s Patron, HRH The Prince of Wales in February 2003, although the scientific programme had been running for the previous nine years. Support for POWIC was encouraged by SANE's founder and chief executive Marjorie Wallace (SANE)
CBE.
Prior to the formation of SANE
in 1986 there was a considerable paucity of research interest in schizophrenia and bipolar disorder
. One of the charity’s endeavours has been to initiate and fund research into the causes and treatments of mental illness.
In order to focus research efforts, SANE established POWIC in conjunction with the research psychiatrist Professor Tim Crow
.
Professor Crow was appointed the honorary scientific director of SANE based at the Department of Psychiatry at Warneford Hospital
, part of Oxford University. SANE successfully raised £3.5 million to establish a new centre on the Warneford Hospital
site. The specially designed and purpose built centre includes office and laboratory space, as well as conference and library facilities.
The aims
The aims of POWIC are:
The research
Professor Crow has being studying schizophrenia for over 20 years, and he and his research group have been developing and researching a specific hypothesis about the origins of psychosis
- that it is associated with the unique human capacity for language.
Professor Crow arrived at this hypothesis by bringing together the fact that schizophrenia only appears to occur in humans and not in our closest relatives, chimpanzees. The same can be said of brain asymmetry (the left and right sides of the brain, which are basically the same, being different in size). Brain asymmetry has been linked to the capacity for language.
POWIC's quest for an organic basis for mental illness is pursued using three levels of explanation:
In 2008, POWIC shared its building with the Oxford Mindfulness Centre(OMC), a new charity working within the University of Oxford Department of Psychiatry which will conduct research and training in Mindfulness-based Cognitive Therapy
for people with severe, recurrent depression who are at risk of suicide.
His Holiness the Dalai Lama
, who visited Oxford
in 2008, gave his support to the new Centre and the scientific examination of the Mindfulness approach: "My primary concern is not to religion, but to benefit humanity. It is certainly right to use Buddhist techniques like mindfulness to alleviate suffering in this life."
Within the space occupied by the OMC, a third strand of research, with immediate impact on mental health service users and their families, will be conducted under the leadership of Professor Tom Burns CBE. His National Institute for Health Research
team will be investigating the implications of the Mental Health Act 2008 and ethical issues involved in voluntary as against compulsory psychiatric treatment.
SANE (charity)
SANE is a mental illness charity in the UK. It provides telephone and email support services and has established a research centre. The opinion of SANE's founder and chief executive, Marjorie Wallace, is often quoted in media reports on mental health issues....
Research (POWIC) in Oxford
Oxford
The city of Oxford is the county town of Oxfordshire, England. The city, made prominent by its medieval university, has a population of just under 165,000, with 153,900 living within the district boundary. It lies about 50 miles north-west of London. The rivers Cherwell and Thames run through...
houses investigations into finding the causes of and better treatment for serious mental illnesses, such as schizophrenia
Schizophrenia
Schizophrenia is a mental disorder characterized by a disintegration of thought processes and of emotional responsiveness. It most commonly manifests itself as auditory hallucinations, paranoid or bizarre delusions, or disorganized speech and thinking, and it is accompanied by significant social...
and depression.
POWIC was built with donations from Nicholas and Matti Egon from the Xylas shipping family, the late King of Saudi Arabia Fahd bin Abdel Aziz Al-Said, Keeper of the Two Holy Mosques, and His Majesty the Sultan of Brunei. The building was formally opened by SANE’s Patron, HRH The Prince of Wales in February 2003, although the scientific programme had been running for the previous nine years. Support for POWIC was encouraged by SANE's founder and chief executive Marjorie Wallace (SANE)
Marjorie Wallace (SANE)
Marjorie Shiona Wallace CBE is a British writer, broadcaster and investigative journalist and is the chief executive of SANE, a mental health charity in the UK established in 1986.-Early career:...
CBE.
Prior to the formation of SANE
SANE (charity)
SANE is a mental illness charity in the UK. It provides telephone and email support services and has established a research centre. The opinion of SANE's founder and chief executive, Marjorie Wallace, is often quoted in media reports on mental health issues....
in 1986 there was a considerable paucity of research interest in schizophrenia and bipolar disorder
Bipolar disorder
Bipolar disorder or bipolar affective disorder, historically known as manic–depressive disorder, is a psychiatric diagnosis that describes a category of mood disorders defined by the presence of one or more episodes of abnormally elevated energy levels, cognition, and mood with or without one or...
. One of the charity’s endeavours has been to initiate and fund research into the causes and treatments of mental illness.
In order to focus research efforts, SANE established POWIC in conjunction with the research psychiatrist Professor Tim Crow
Tim Crow
Tim Crow is a British psychiatrist and researcher from Oxford. Much of his research is related to the causes of schizophrenia. He also has an interest in neurology and the evolutionary theory. He is the Honorary Director of the Prince of Wales International Centre for Research into Schizophrenia...
.
Professor Crow was appointed the honorary scientific director of SANE based at the Department of Psychiatry at Warneford Hospital
Warneford Hospital
The Warneford Hospital opened as the Radcliffe Lunatic Asylum and subsequently named the Warneford Lunatic Asylum is a hospital in Oxford, England. The Warneford and the Littlemore Hospital are the major mental health hospitals serving Oxford.The hospital is in Headington two and a half miles east...
, part of Oxford University. SANE successfully raised £3.5 million to establish a new centre on the Warneford Hospital
Warneford Hospital
The Warneford Hospital opened as the Radcliffe Lunatic Asylum and subsequently named the Warneford Lunatic Asylum is a hospital in Oxford, England. The Warneford and the Littlemore Hospital are the major mental health hospitals serving Oxford.The hospital is in Headington two and a half miles east...
site. The specially designed and purpose built centre includes office and laboratory space, as well as conference and library facilities.
The aims
The aims of POWIC are:
- to establish the causes of severe mental illnesses such as schizophrenia and depression
- to become a central point for discussion in this field
- to disseminate scientific information on mental illnesses.
The research
Professor Crow has being studying schizophrenia for over 20 years, and he and his research group have been developing and researching a specific hypothesis about the origins of psychosis
Psychosis
Psychosis means abnormal condition of the mind, and is a generic psychiatric term for a mental state often described as involving a "loss of contact with reality"...
- that it is associated with the unique human capacity for language.
Professor Crow arrived at this hypothesis by bringing together the fact that schizophrenia only appears to occur in humans and not in our closest relatives, chimpanzees. The same can be said of brain asymmetry (the left and right sides of the brain, which are basically the same, being different in size). Brain asymmetry has been linked to the capacity for language.
POWIC's quest for an organic basis for mental illness is pursued using three levels of explanation:
- geneticsGeneticsGenetics , a discipline of biology, is the science of genes, heredity, and variation in living organisms....
- looking at the genetic differences between humans and chimpanzees to find out about brain evolution, and genetic differences between individuals with schizophrenia and those without - neuropathologyNeuropathologyNeuropathology is the study of disease of nervous system tissue, usually in the form of either small surgical biopsies or whole autopsy brains. Neuropathology is a subspecialty of anatomic pathology, neurology, and neurosurgery...
- the physical differences between the brains of those with schizophrenia and those without, such as regional brain volumes and cell density - neuroimagingNeuroimagingNeuroimaging includes the use of various techniques to either directly or indirectly image the structure, function/pharmacology of the brain...
and psychologyPsychologyPsychology is the study of the mind and behavior. Its immediate goal is to understand individuals and groups by both establishing general principles and researching specific cases. For many, the ultimate goal of psychology is to benefit society...
- the relationship between brain structure on MRI scans and behaviour, in particular between brain asymmetry and language function.
In 2008, POWIC shared its building with the Oxford Mindfulness Centre(OMC), a new charity working within the University of Oxford Department of Psychiatry which will conduct research and training in Mindfulness-based Cognitive Therapy
Mindfulness-based Cognitive Therapy
Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy is psychological therapy which blends features of cognitive therapy with mindfulness techniques of Buddhism. MBCT involves accepting thoughts and feelings without judgement rather than trying to push them out of consciousness, with a goal of correcting...
for people with severe, recurrent depression who are at risk of suicide.
His Holiness the Dalai Lama
Dalai Lama
The Dalai Lama is a high lama in the Gelug or "Yellow Hat" branch of Tibetan Buddhism. The name is a combination of the Mongolian word далай meaning "Ocean" and the Tibetan word bla-ma meaning "teacher"...
, who visited Oxford
Oxford
The city of Oxford is the county town of Oxfordshire, England. The city, made prominent by its medieval university, has a population of just under 165,000, with 153,900 living within the district boundary. It lies about 50 miles north-west of London. The rivers Cherwell and Thames run through...
in 2008, gave his support to the new Centre and the scientific examination of the Mindfulness approach: "My primary concern is not to religion, but to benefit humanity. It is certainly right to use Buddhist techniques like mindfulness to alleviate suffering in this life."
Within the space occupied by the OMC, a third strand of research, with immediate impact on mental health service users and their families, will be conducted under the leadership of Professor Tom Burns CBE. His National Institute for Health Research
National Institute for Health Research
The National Institute for Health Research is a UK government body that coordinates and funds research for the National Health Service . Its tagline is "Improving the health and wealth of the nation through research". It supports individuals, facilities and research projects, in order to help...
team will be investigating the implications of the Mental Health Act 2008 and ethical issues involved in voluntary as against compulsory psychiatric treatment.