ABSTRACT
Psychiatric disorders are among the leading causes of disability the world over. With the World Health Organization, spearheading the crusade to incorporate the mental health component into primary health care, developing countries also have accepted the need for community care of patients with psychiatric disorders. Since independence various initiatives by the government has led to a significant change in the place of mental health care as part of the general health care. At the time of independence apart from mental hospitals, there was practically no organized mental health care. Since then General Hospital Psychiatry units and also Psychiatric Nursing homes have started. Currently, mental health issues are actively seen as part of the public agenda in the various forms. The overall effect has been the movement to recognize mental health as an important issue in the community and services to move beyond mental hospital care to care to the community. Majority of population in Jharkhand is residing in rural areas. Due to the lack of proper communications and infrastructure, Ranchi Institute of Neuropsychiatry and Allied Sciences (RINPAS) had started community outreach program way back in 1999. At present, these centers are running in four different areas of the state with great success. RINPAS experience shows that how even with resource constraints, quality services can be provided to unreached population.
ABSTRACT
Neuroplasticity is the phenomenon in brain where different stimuli lead to increase or decrease in the number of brain cells and remodelling of synapses. Neuroplasticity research has now established beyond doubt that instead being a static cell mass, our brain is actually a dynamic system of neural network that has the capability of significant growth under favourable circumstances. This obviously opens up new possibilities in treatment of disorders where neural loss or synaptic decay is major factor in molecular aetiopathogeneis. Neuroplasticity research unravels the way stress acts. Similarly it gives new hypothesis regarding depression and epilepsy. Novel therapeutic approaches based on neuroplastic findings are also discussed.
