Mental disorder and the brain

Created by our genes, life's experiences and the environment around us, the brain acquires, coordinates and disseminates information to control how we think, behave, learn and feel. To do this, all of the one hundred billion cells in this complex organ must effectively communicate with each other, and failure to do so may cause or contribute to brain dysfunction and mental illness. Mental disorders are illnesses that affect or are manifested in the brain. They may impact on the way a person thinks, behaves, and interacts with other people.

A mental disorder has a major impact on a person’s wellbeing. It may interfere directly with their daily functioning and adversely affect quality of life. It is to understand this complex organ and to overcome its disorders that the UT Dallas Institute of BrainHealth focuses on. The Center has pioneered many innovative approaches to study the commonalities between the brain disorders. One such approach is the unique Horizontal approach which establishes the protocol for healthy brain functioning.

The center promotes research, treatment, academic training and is one of the few facilities in the United States which provides a continued follow-up to enhance and monitor functional recovery in brain injury, brain disease and complications of normal aging. The center is assisted in its efforts by a board of directors. The Leadership Council includes Sallie and Frederic Asche, Jr.Claudia and Dennis Berman, Toni and Norman Brinker, Dianne Cash, Theresa and David Disiere, Patsy Donors, John Harbin, Matrice Ellis-Kirk, among others as its members