New Webinar Explores Brain-Based Prediction of Recovery for Substance Use Disorders

On October 8, 2024, at 2:00 p.m. ET, the Brain & Behavior Research Foundation (BBRF) will host a free webinar titled, “Toward Brain-Based Prediction of Recovery: How Neuroimaging Can Help Combat the Substance-Use Epidemic.” The session will be presented by Sarah W. Yip, Ph.D., MSc, Associate Professor of Psychiatry at Yale School of Medicine, and moderated by BBRF President and CEO, Dr. Jeffrey Borenstein. This event will explore how advances in neuroimaging and machine-learning models are transforming the way we understand and predict outcomes in substance use disorders, offering new hope for improved treatment strategies.

The webinar will highlight cutting-edge research from Dr. Yip’s Yale Imaging and Psychopharmacology Lab. Her work combines machine learning with network neuroscience to assess brain processes related to addiction. By identifying specific brain networks that predict individual differences in substance use outcomes—such as opioid and cocaine use in adults and alcohol use in youth—this research offers new pathways for personalized treatment approaches. Attendees will gain insights into how these techniques can help translate laboratory findings into real-world clinical solutions, a key challenge in psychiatry today.

This topic is especially critical given the ongoing substance-use epidemic, which affects millions of people globally. Understanding the brain mechanisms underlying addiction can pave the way for more precise, personalized interventions, potentially improving recovery outcomes for individuals struggling with addiction. The webinar will also provide recommendations for future research, further emphasizing the importance of machine-learning applications in psychiatry.