Dr. Jeffrey Meyer, and Head of Neurochemical Imaging in the Mood Disorders at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH), is the first psychiatrist to be honoured with the Royal College Medal Award in Medicine in the award's 60 year history.
For over 30 years, scientists believed that monoamines – mood-related chemicals such as serotonin, norepinephrine and dopamine – are low in the brain during episodes of major depression. This is commonly referred to as a "chemical imbalance", but no one had ever found a convincing explanation for monoamine loss. In 2006, Dr. Meyer unlocked this mystery and released a study that provided an explanation of how the "chemical imbalance" occurs in major depressive episodes – the new leading monoamine theory of depression.
Dr. Meyer, who also holds a Canada Research Chair in Neurochemistry of Depression, investigated whether brain monoamine oxidase A (MAO-A) – an enzyme that breaks down chemicals like serotonin, norepinephrine and dopamine – was higher in those with untreated depression. The results showed that in major depression MAO-A was significantly higher in every brain region that the scientists investigated. On average, MAO-A was 34 per cent higher.
"It's a wonderful honour for Dr. Meyer, for CAMH, and for psychiatry that a clinical scientist's work is being recognized in this way," said Vice President of Research Dr. Bruce G. Pollock. "The Royal College winners have been amongst Canada's most outstanding emerging investigators in medicine and surgery for the past 60 years, and we're proud to have Dr. Meyer included in this distinguished group."
The Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada (RCPSC) is a national, nonprofit organization established in 1929 by a special Act of Parliament to oversee the medical education of specialists in Canada. Each year the RCPSC awards the Medal Award in Medicine to recognize original work in clinical investigation and basic science.
To arrange interviews please contact Michael Torres, Media Relations, CAMH at (416) 595-6015.
The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) is Canada's largest mental health and addiction teaching hospital, as well as one of the world's leading research centres in the area of addiction and mental health. CAMH combines clinical care, research, education, policy development and health promotion to help transform the lives of people affected by mental health and addiction issues. CAMH is fully affiliated with the University of Toronto, and is a Pan American Health Organization/World Health Organization Collaborating Centre.