Oxford University Press

Modern mental health issues are characterized by their complex, multi-systemic nature and broad societal impact, making them poorly suited to siloed approaches of thinking and innovation. Convergence science integrates knowledge, tools, and thought strategies from various fields and is the focal point where novel insights arise. Convergence Mental Health presents a blueprint for leveraging convergence science within the context of mental health in order to improve patient outcomes and health care systems.

Includes contributions from experts from prominent global organizations including the Milken Institute, Harvard University, Stanford University, APEC, OECD, One Mind, National Academies of Science, Engineering and Medicine, Mayo Clinic and many more.

“Mental health conditions are a key contributor to the global burden of disease and disability. The devastating impact of these conditions is even more apparent as the world faces global challenges such as the COVID-19 pandemic, climate change, societal inequity, and more. To make progress, we need a fundamental shift in our approach. Convergence Mental Health deftly makes the case that a convergence approach is urgently needed to tackle the global mental health crisis and provides a roadmap for change.”

--- Victor Dzau MD, President, National Academy of Medicine

“Separation and isolation are features of many mental health problems. Why are they also features of our health systems attempts to fix them? This book is a bold and informed attempt to show a new way.”

--- Harold Mitchell, AC, Philanthropist, Founder, Harold Mitchell Foundation

“Fifty years since we developed the modern classification of psychiatric disorders and billions of dollars of research which followed, we still have no definitive causal mechanism, effective prevention, or curative intervention for any disorder. Business as usual, or even an incremental change, is a wholly unsatisfactory and inadequate response to this challenge. This book compellingly demonstrates that a convergence of disciplines and perspectives is needed to transform our understanding of mental health and to realize our shared goals of reducing the suffering due to mental health problems globally.”

--- Vikram Patel, MD, FMedSci, Department of Global Health and Social Medicine, Harvard Medical School

“Considering concurrent trends related to persistent and emerging mental health needs, fractured and dysfunctional systems of care, and global population aging, the sheer magnitude of the challenges before us can be daunting. Convergence Mental Health calls for the very type of new thinking and innovative frameworks that will enable us to deliver desperately needed technologies, services, and approaches that will improve lives, now, and well into the future. For those bold enough to think big while wise enough to appreciate the value of starting where we are, this book will serve as a welcome resource, guide, and companion.”

--- Scott A. Kaiser, MD, Aging Services Innovation Executive and  Geriatrician; Chief Innovation Officer, Motion Picture Television Fund; Director, Geriatric Cognitive Health, Pacific Neuroscience Institute; Adjunct Faculty, USC Leonard Davis School of Gerontology

“Mental health and substance-related issues affect the lives of more than a billion people worldwide. Convergence Mental Health explores novel financing mechanisms like social impact bonds and other blended finance vehicles to address the global shortage of providers and the lack of effective treatments. By realigning risk across the public, non-profit, and private sectors, innovative finance can help advance mental health technology to improve outcomes and the health of our society.”

--- Tracy Palandjian, Co-founder and CEO, Social Finance; Vice Chair, U.S. Impact Investing Alliance

“Convergence Mental Health is a paradigm shifting book that breaks us out of the reductionistic approach to mental illness. The authors  collectively show us the way forward with tools from technology integrated as an innovative bridge to a new approach to improving mental health that respects the complexity of brain function yet tackles the vexing problems that occur when illness interferes with that brain function.”

--- Stephen M. Stahl, MD, PhD, DSc (Hon), Professor of Psychiatry, University of California San Diego and University of California Riverside; Honorary Fellow, University of Cambridge; Director of Psychopharmacology, California Department of State Hospitals; Editor-in-Chief, CNS Spectrums

“As we enter an era where we are learning enough about the brain to alter its function by design, rather than by serendipity, we urgently require bold, transdisciplinary strategies that seek to bridge the chasms that currently separate understanding of the mind from understanding of its physiological substrates. Convergence Mental Health offers a bold step in that direction and provides an example of transdisciplinary synthesis that is sorely needed right now. From  bioinformatics, through applications of artificial intelligence and advanced technology to improve efficacy and access, to establishing the social and political frameworks that will enable our society to promote the greater good, this work is audacious in its coverage—and that is exactly what we require.”

--- Robert M Bilder PhD ABPP-CN, Michael E. Tennenbaum Distinguished Professor of Creativity Research; Semel Institute for Neuroscience & Human Behavior at UCLA;

Chair, Disruptive Technology Initiative of the American Academy of Clinical Neuropsychology

“The world is amid the Fourth Industrial Revolution that has improved quality of life in so many ways. However, we have seen limited benefits of this innovation applied to mental health, which happens to be one of the greatest sources of human suffering today. We are still today reliant on subjective diagnostics, psychotherapy, and pharmaceuticals invented decades ago. Eyre and colleagues provide a unique road map for creating a new pathway for innovation in mental health by harnessing a cross-disciplinary approach—which has already proven to work in so many other industries. Convergence Mental Health inspires us to see the untapped potential of innovation to transform people’s lives through a unique formula of collaboration, and makes the case that we already have many of the ingredients we need to pursue major advancements.”

--- Jeremy Kranz, Technology Investor and Mental Health Advocate; SVP & Head, Global Technology Investment Group at GIC; Co-Head, The Bridge Forum; Board Member, Treatment Advocacy Center

“The world needs evidence-based solutions that can help maximize opportunity and minimize injustice. This is particularly true for the field of mental health. The brain is the most complex object in human science and a better  understanding of how it works remains key to critical improvements in fields ranging from criminal justice to education and public health. It will take cutting across silos, integrating knowledge from different fields, and implementing radical transparency to make the breakthroughs the world needs. Convergence Mental Health provides a roadmap for this new way of thinking, linking fresh ideas about research and funding with the potential for revolutionary outcomes.”

--- John Arnold, Philanthropist, Co-Founder and Co-Chair, Arnold Ventures

“Equitable access to mental health care is a critical human rights priority. This is particularly true for rural, remote, Indigenous, and Tropical communities. I applaud the editors of Convergence Mental Health for emphasizing these issues and the impressive and diverse expertise they have brought together to explore novel solutions and inform policy for future decades.”

--- Ian Wronski AO, Chair of the Board of the Tropical Australian Academic Health Centre; Emeritus Professor, Division of Tropical Health and Medicine, James Cook University; Member, Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Life Sciences Innovation Forum Board; Past Chair, Australian Council of Pro-Vice Chancellors and Deans of Health Science; Past President, Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine

“Far beyond the naïve promises of the 90s, global mental health disciplines face a dire crisis driven by fragmentation. Convergence Mental Health provides a conceptual turn for the field, ambitiously pursuing the integration of emergent approaches within an innovative framework. This book delves deeply into convergence mental health and its relation with translational, personalized, transdisciplinary, precision-based, implementation-based, and entrepreneurship breakthroughs applied to diverse areas of neuroscience, psychiatry, psychology, artificial intelligence, bioinformatics, innovation, multiomics, and organizational structures. The authors flesh out a bold clinical, theoretical, and research program in mental health, ranging from basic definitions to organizational considerations. The result is an ultimate vantage point to both anticipate and create the future of mental health.”

---Agustín Ibáñez, PhD, Director, Cognitive Neuroscience Center, UdeSA, Argentina

“Mental disorders are among mankind’s most devastating conditions and exact a tremendous personal, familial, and societal toll. Rapid advances in science and technology over the past decades have provided us with an unprecedented opportunity and the tools needed to unlock the secrets of the brain. However, these advances in knowledge have so far not been reflected in truly transformational improvements in outcomes. Part of the reason for this lack of progress is likely to have been too great a focus on developing single ‘magic bullet’ drugs for these very complex diseases. It is clear that—while targeting the underlying biology is indeed critical—we need a more holistic approach toward a true understanding of these disorders and the societal ecosystem that markedly impacts them.  Convergence Mental Health provides a very thoughtful approach toward developing a strong, united, cross-disciplinary approach toward a key common goal: to improve the lives of patients. The authors also admirably highlight the key role that digital technologies may have to help address some of these deep challenges; and put forth a framework for this work to be done rigorously, collaboratively, in an ethically driven and culturally sound manner.”

---Husseini K Manji, MD, FRCPC, Global Head, Science for Minds, Johnson & Johnson; Former Director of NIMH Laboratory of Molecular Pathophysiology and Director of NIMH Mood and Anxiety Disorders Program

“This is a very exciting book of the rising utilization of mental health technology as a newly developing discipline. The authors propose a working model with insights being gained from other disciplines such as innovation diplomacy.”

---Professor Ian Paul Everall, Executive Dean, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology, & Neuroscience, King’s College London

“Just as the Medici Dynasty of the 14th century laid the foundations for the Italian Renaissance by converging the minds of artists, financiers, scientists, philosophers, and architects, so too do the authors of Convergence Mental Health lay the foundations for a mental health Renaissance by converging the minds of academics, technologists, scientists, practitioners, investors, and creators. This rich, multilayered text offers a tapestry of insights for those at every stage of the mental health innovation lifecycle — for those who discover, invent, build, adopt, employ, and scale. A deeply meaningful contribution to those willing to confront the last frontier in science—the mind, the brain, and the scalable maintenance of its  extraordinary wiring.”

---Jessica Carson, Author of Wired This Way; Expert in Residence at Georgetown University

“For too long, mental health innovation has been stymied by siloes between the academic, not-for-profit and private sectors. Convergence Mental Health provides a pathway for this type of cross-sector collaboration for the development, deployment, and funding of new innovations—digital, machine learning, or pharmaceutical. I applaud this effort to ‘break the siloes’ and bring about better outcomes for patients.”

---William H. Carson, MD, Chairman of the Board, Otsuka Pharmaceutical Development and Commercialization

“This book is a remarkable attempt to curate a diverse group of disciplines to imagine the future of mental health, an area where, one can argue can benefit most from multiple new technologies. The topics covered will provide a roadmap of how we can scale the positive impact of the treatment of these disorders.”

--- Amir Kalali, MD, Chief Curator and Chairman, CNS Summit; Corporate Director Editor-in-Chief, Innovation in Clinical Neuroscience; Professor of Psychiatry, UCSD

“The global burden of mental illness—both in human suffering and economic loss—is rapidly growing yet inadequately addressed. It affects citizens of all countries, but is an issue rarely discussed in an international context. Convergence Mental Health is to be commended for encouraging intensive collaboration between seemingly discordant disciplines to generate novel solutions to this issue. The field of diplomacy certainly has much to contribute and has been undervalued in mental health to date. Mental health diplomacy aims to influence the global policy environment for mental health and bridges the disciplines of global mental health, international affairs, management, law, and economics. Enhanced support from the world’s top economies, corporations, and leaders would greatly strengthen global mental health efforts by providing international leadership, collaboration, innovation, and funding.”

---Thomas Dougherty, US Ambassador (ret.), Executive Director, Australian-American Fulbright Commission

“This is a timely, highly innovative volume that discusses in great depth the new opportunities and exciting new avenues for research that arise from the convergence of various related, synergistic disciplines to bear onto brain sciences with a focus on the mechanisms of vulnerability, resilience, disease, and recovery related to mental illnesses. The editors have done a superb job to assign a great cast to tackle this ambitious task. They have succeeded in a major way. This will be a very interesting read to all in the mental health field who are curious about new possibilities and the potential revolutionary role of convergence sciences onto our field.”

---Jair C. Soares, MD, PhD,  Professor and Chairman, Pat R. Rutherford Chair in Psychiatry; Executive Director, UT Harris County Psychiatric Center; Director, Center of Excellence on Mood Disorders, UTHealth School of Medicine

“The complexity of mental disorders deserves a strategy that goes beyond simple explanations and magic bullet solutions. Convergence Mental Health provides a roadmap for what a complex, transdisciplinary, transformative approach might be. An approach that includes the innovations from the technology revolution along with new insights from neuroscience and cognitive science offers unprecedented promise for people struggling with complex brain disorders. But crossing the bridge from technology and science to healthcare and health outcomes will require a new roadmap. This volume maps out that road, inviting a new generation of innovators to help a population in profound and urgent need.”

---Thomas R. Insel, MD, Co-Founder and Chair, NEST Health;

Former Director of the National Institute of Mental Health; Former Head of Mental Health at Verily (formerly Google Life Sciences)

 “Mental health issues are common and increasing in prevalence. The current standard of care is not sufficient. We must urgently innovate to empower billions of minds—to enable better mental health. The rapid spread of new technology tools offers new opportunities for scaling access to mental healthcare. The greater use of technologies in this space raises a complex web of ethical dilemmas, particularly in the areas of data privacy and individuals’ rights. I commend Convergence Mental Health for considering the ethical adoption of technologies via robust consumer participation and innovation diplomacy.”

---P. Murali Doraiswamy, MBBS, FRCP, Professor of Psychiatry and Medicine, Duke University School of Medicine; Co-chair of the World Economic Forum Global Future Council on Technology for Mental Health

“Mental health is becoming a more and more pressing issue in our time. Convergence Mental Health is the first to give an astute, translational overview of the progress of artificial intelligence and biobehavioral sensing technologies. I highly recommend thisbook for readers wanting to develop, deploy, and scale technology in an integrated approach to help millions of people with mental health issues.”

---Richard Socher, PhD, Artificial Intelligence Executive, CEO, you.com; Former Chief Scientist, Salesforce; Former Adjunct Professor, Department of Computer Science, Stanford University

“Eyre and his colleagues have attacked a very important topic in this book. We have made immense progress in recognizing the prevalence of, and societal impact from, mental health over the last twenty years. Governments, employers, and other public figures have made mental health an important part of their agendas for human flourishing. Societies are increasingly less willing to view mental health as a stigma. However, providing appropriate mental health diagnoses and treatment programs now lag the willingness of society to engage in mental health solutions. And these solutions must be modernized. The integration of neuroscience, technological innovation, and human psychology is now joined as a priority with the need to provide greater numbers of psychiatrists, therapists, clinical doctors trained in recognizing (and making referrals related to) mental health needs and facilities. This book is an invitation for all of us to see mental health improvements as a shared duty for many disciplines. Funders, practitioners, and patients will all see something to like and to learn from in this book.”

---Maureen and Jim Hackett, Mental health advocates and philanthropists, Founders of the Hackett Mental Health Policy Center

“Convergence Mental Health is a timely and welcome idea, rich in potential to rid the world of the distressing, disabling, deadly, economically burdensome, and preventable effects of mental disorders. For this, Convergence Mental Health can usefully focus on specific problem-solving objectives. Prevention is one. That is, prevention of the onset of mental distress and disorder early in life and chronicity later in life and prevention of premature death triggered by suicide and hastened by depression among cardiovascular and cancer patients.”

---Bill Wilkerson, LLD (Hon),  Executive Chairman, Mental Health International; Industry Professor, International Mental Health, McMaster University

“We live in an era of discovery that includes the continuous presence of humans in space. The physical and psychological challenges facing astronauts on exploration class missions to the moon and Mars requires innovative strategies to mitigate risks,including those affecting mental health. Convergence science is inherently interdisciplinary, integrated, and well-suited for tackling critical problems at the interface of space, medicine, science, and engineering. This book by Eyre and colleagues provides a nuanced and sophisticated template for addressing innovation and entrepreneurship relevant to psychiatry, space health, and other fields.”

---Jeffrey Sutton, MD, PhD, Founding Director and Professor, Center for Space, Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine;Former CEO, National Space Biomedical Research Institute

“The core of Convergence Mental Health is “science that matters.” Tremendous progress has been made in understanding brain function and the biological basis of neurologic and psychiatric illness. Advances have been made—albeit with a long way to go yet—in identifying new pharmacologic and nonpharmacologic means of assisting those with mental illness and brain disorders. The message of Convergence Mental Health is that we can do much more to reach those afflicted—through technology, entrepreneurship, public policy, and transdisciplinary collaboration we can reach millions of individuals whose lives can be improved if only they had access to the advances that have been achieved. Convergence Mental Health provides a roadmap to this goal.”

---Jeffrey Cummings, MD, ScD, Joy Chambers-Grundy Professor of Brain Sciences, Department of Brain Health, University of Nevada Las Vegas, Director, Center for Neurodegeneration and Translational Neuroscience; Founding Director, Cleveland Clinic Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health 

“Convergence Mental Health is a crucial approach to ensuring the universal coverage of mental health services. In Rwanda, a country healing from deep emotional wounds left by the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi, mental health is included in the top health priorities of the country. One of the mechanisms used is a homegrown solution: an army of Community Health Workers (CHWs) trained to provide a comprehensive package of community health services, including sensitizing the community in the fight against stigma related to mental disorders and supporting families to detect and orient patients to the healthcare system for seeking mental healthcare. We have seen that a multidisciplinary approach to mental health involving important unconventional actors such as CHWs often yields greater results. For example, CHWs already have a rapport with community members which makes these ones more prone to following CHWs’ guidance.”

---Yvonne Kayiteshonga, PhD, National Director of Mental Health at Rwanda Biomedical Center Ministry of Health, Government of Rwanda

“This important book addresses the very real need for cross-disciplinary approaches to reducing the societal and personal impact of mental health disorders, being amplified by global climate change and pandemics. Machine learning, data science, systems identification, CRISPR gene editing, and designer molecules, among others, are key technologies that can bring rapid diagnosis and solutions in cost-effective ways to patients and care givers. Bringing researchers and engineers together across seemingly unrelated fields is frequently the way to create meaningful breakthroughs and disrupt conventional thinking. Convergence Mental Health does an outstanding job of bringing this approach into perspective and promotes a much-needed point of view.”

---Mike Lyons, Managing Director, Force12 Ventures; Adjunct Professor, Stanford School of Engineering

“As the next technological revolution is transforming humanity, we will see the disintegration of boundaries among the physical, digital, and biological worlds. Safeguards that ensure responsible limits on technology must be undertaken; particularly as global mental health is impacted by these changes. Convergence Mental Health provides a ‘must-read’ overview of the promises and perils of frontier technologies in mental health.”

---Ernestine Fu, PhD, Partner at Alsop Louie Partners; Lecturer in Frontier Technologies, Stanford University; Author of Civic Work Civic Lessons and Renewed Energy

“Sleep and mental health are closely connected. Sleep deprivation affects your psychological state and mental health. And those with mental health problems are more likely to have insomnia or other sleep disorders. The brain basis of a mutual relationship between sleep and mental health is not yet completely understood. Convergent neuroscience studies suggest that a good night’s sleep helps foster both mental and emotional resilience, while chronic sleep deprivation sets the stage for negative thinking and emotional vulnerability. Biomedical engineering can help address sleep deprivation-driven mental health issues. Novel engineering solutions can develop innovation screening tools, biomarkers, therapeutics, and devices. These approaches are very much in line with Convergence Mental Health. Further, Convergence Mental Health provides a roadmap for accelerating the development, deployment, and scaling of these types of solutions.”

---Peter C. Farrell, Biomedical Engineer,  Entrepreneur, Executive, and Philanthropist; Founder and Chairman, ResMed; Member, MIT Dean of Engineering’s Advisory Council Member; Advisory Board, Rady Business School and Jacobs Engineering School, UCSD; Member, National Academy of Engineering