Depression Between Mind and Body: A Dialogue Between Disciplines
16 October 2025
A scientific meeting curated by Professor Giuseppe Bersani, Full Professor of Psychiatry at Sapienza University of Rome
Depression is one of the most widespread pathological conditions and represents a leading cause of both psychological and physical suffering in the population. A complex and timely topic, it will be the focus of the meeting “Depression Between Mind and Body: The Suffering of Brain and Body in Depressive Disorders”, scheduled for November 15, 2025, in Rome, at the Grand Hotel Gianicolo.
The event will be held under the Scientific Direction of Professor Giuseppe Bersani, Full Professor of Psychiatry at the Department of Medical-Surgical Sciences and Biotechnologies, Faculty of Pharmacy and Medicine, Sapienza University of Rome, and Psychiatry Consultant at UPMC Salvator Mundi International Hospital.
The meeting brings together experts from various medical and psychological disciplines, with the aim of exploring the complex relationship between mind and body in depressive disorders and promoting a truly multidisciplinary approach to diagnosis and treatment.
Among the scheduled talks, there are topics dedicated to the clinical forms of depression, the relationship between depression, brain aging and dementia, the role of neuroradiology and neuropsychology, as well as the analysis of somatic implications and integrated therapeutic strategies.
The final roundtable discussion will feature a dialogue among specialists in endocrinology, cardiology, urology, gynecology, osteopathy, and nutrition, highlighting the need for constant collaboration across different branches of medicine to address depression in all its complexities.
The event is free to attend, with limited availability (maximum 50 participants), and is particularly aimed at specialists in General Medicine, Neurology, Psychiatry, and Psychology.
Download the full event program.
The Link Between Depression and Somatic Symptoms
Depressive disorders, in all their clinical variants, are characterized by the consistent co-occurrence of both psychological and somatic symptoms. The involvement of the body in depression can manifest in several ways, as:
- Direct expression of the disorder's pathogenic mechanisms.
- Somatization of primary psychological distress.
- Consequence of the interaction between secondary physical dysfunctions and the effects of pharmacological treatments.
The degree of somatic involvement is highly variable and depends on numerous individual factors, making the clinical presentation of depression extremely heterogeneous. In this context, the central nervous system plays a crucial role: functional and structural alterations in the brain can influence cognitive, emotional, and neuroendocrine processes, with repercussions throughout the body.
However, the somatic impact of depression is not limited to the brain. Cardiovascular, gastrointestinal, urogenital, neuromuscular, and dermatological systems may also be involved, creating a complex clinical picture in which mind and body are deeply interconnected.
Understanding this multidimensional interaction between psyche and soma is essential for comprehensive diagnostic assessment and the development of truly integrated therapeutic pathways.
For information and registration: Lopez Eventi e Congressi
Lopez Eventi e Congressi
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