7/29/2019 Welcoming Address From the Symposium Chair

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International Stress and Behavior Society (ISBS)LA Orbeli Institute of Physiology NAS Armenia

Institute of Experimental Medicine RAMS RussiaMetris BV, The Netherlands

International Symposium on PTSD Neuroscienceand Biological Psychiatry

"Stress and Behavior: Yerevan-2013"Yerevan, Armenia, September 20-21, 2013

Welcoming Address from the Conference Chair

Dear colleagues and friends,

On behalf of the International Stress and Behavior Society (ISBS), it is my great pleasure to welcomethe delegates of our International Stress and Behavior PTSD Neuroscience Symposium. Outstandingexperts in clinical and biological psychiatry from many countries worldwide have gathered in Yerevan(Armenia) to join an interesting, timely discussion.

While stress-related behaviors are traditionally the main topic of our events, this year we specificallyfocus on PTSD a serious debilitating brain disorder, the significance of which we only begin tounderstand. As you will hear during this meeting, events from the historical past, and most recent tragicevents associated with PTSD-triggered violence, all indicate the growing societal impact of PTSD andrelated disorders.

As we all know, the latest (5th) revision of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders

(DSM-5) was released by the American Psychiatric Association in May 2013. This revision includesimportant changes to the diagnostic criteria for PTSD and related disorders (such as Acute StressDisorder), based on recent evidence gained from scientific research and clinical experience. In DSM-5,PTSD is moved from the Anxiety Disorders into a new class of "trauma and stressor-related disorders",with the critical defining criterion being the exposure to a traumatic/stressful event. I am confident thatthese important revisions will be actively discussed during the meeting.

An important goal of our meetings is to bring together biological and psychical in animal and humanbehaviors, and to encourage the integrative (system biology-based) study of brain disorders. The factthat cognitive dysfunctions - the malfunctioning psychical mechanisms - are common in PTSD, showshow crucial is the contribution of cognitions in various stress-related disorders. I hope their role in brainand behavioral disorders will be comprehensively and critically evaluated during our meeting. This is

how Science works a never-ending process of creative scientific discovery and re-discovery.

With an exciting multi-disciplinary agenda for this years symposium, we look forward to welcoming youall in Yerevan the ancient city near the beautiful Ararat Mount - as the Train of Science moves on.

Cordially,

Allan V. Kalueff, PhDSymposium Chair, ISBS President