The PMDA Study Section addresses the pathophysiology of a broad range of psychiatric, addictive and neurological disorders and the biological systems that mediate cognitive, behavioral, emotional, social and learning abnormalities. PMDA reviews models of neuropsychiatric disorders and studies of neurobiological and behavioral deficits that are core features of neuropsychiatric and addictive disorders. The emphasis is on an integrative biological systems understanding of the abnormalities, using a wide range of molecular, genetic, biochemical, pharmacological, cellular, electrophysiological and neuroanatomical methods. Applications addressing neurological disorders and aging are considered if their primary focus is on the behavioral, cognitive and emotional aspects of these conditions.

Specific areas covered by PMDA:

• The underlying neural mechanisms of a broad range of psychiatric disorders including, but not limited to, schizophrenia, mood, anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorders.
• The neurobiology of behavioral disorders including phobias, antisocial personality, aggressiveness, obsessive-compulsive and attention deficit disorders.
• Neural mechanisms of addictive disorders and comorbidities among addictive and other psychiatric disorders.
• Neurobiology of psychiatric manifestations in neurological disorders and chromosomal abnormalities (e.g., Alzheimer’s disease, multiple sclerosis).
• Generation of animal models aimed at understanding mechanisms associated with neuropsychiatric disorders and associated endophenotypes.
• Neurobiological and behavioral consequences of human allelic variations associated with mental disorders and their investigations in model systems.
• System biological approaches to examine gene x environment x development interactions within the context of vulnerability and resilience to specific mental disorders.

PMDA has the following shared interests within the BDCN IRG:

• With Neural Basis of Psychopathology, Addictions and Sleep Disorders [NPAS]: NPAS has particular expertise to review studies focused on clinical and neuroimaging studies, while PMDA may review applications focused on mechanisms and animal models. Studies addressing predominantly clinical questions, mainly in humans, are reviewed by NPAS, while studies employing basic neuroscience approaches (in model systems with a clinical proof of concept component in humans) may be assigned to PMDA. Studies on postmortem human tissues are generally reviewed by NPAS. Detailed studies of specific molecular pathways using postmortem human tissue may be reviewed by PMDA.

• With Developmental Brain Disorders [DBD]: DBD reviews inborn or early childhood onset pervasive neurodevelopmental disorders (i.e., mental retardation, autism, cerebral palsy), while PMDA reviews neuropsychiatric disorders with the typical age of onset in later childhood, adolescence or adulthood (i.e., ADHD, anxiety disorders, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder).
• With Clinical Neuroscience and Disease [CNN]: CNN reviews applications on the anatomical and functional basis of neurodegenerative disorders and injury, while PMDA may review applications focused on psychiatric disorders and related cognitive, behavioral and emotional abnormalities resulting from neurodegeneration.
• With Clinical Neuroscience and Disease [ANIE]: ANIE reviews applications on the anatomical and functional basis of injury and epilepsy, while PMDA may review applications focused on psychiatric disorders and related cognitive, behavioral and emotional abnormalities resulting from CNS injury.

• With Clinical Neuroplasticity and Neurotransmitters [CNNT]: CNNT has shared interests with PMDA with respect to neuroplasticity and neurotransmitter systems in brain diseases. PMDA may review applications focused on alterations in neuroplasticity and neurotransmitter functions in associated with specific psychiatric, behavioral and addictive disorders. 

PMDA has the following shared interests outside the BDCN IRG:

• With the Biobehavioral and Behavioral Processes [BBBP] IRG: Studies that focus primarily on behavior and behavioral approaches to study psychopathology may be reviewed in the BBBP IRG. Applications that focus mainly on the mechanisms responsible for behavioral and psychological changes in neuropsychiatric disorders could be reviewed in PMDA.
• With the Biology of Development and Aging [BDA] IRG: Studies with a focus on age-related changes in the development and clinical manifestations of neurological diseases may be reviewed within the BDA IRG, while applications with a primary focus on the mechanisms of age related changes in psychiatric manifestations of these disorders may be reviewed in PMDA .
• With the Emerging Technologies and Training in Neurosciences IRG [ETTN]: The Molecular Neurogenetics study section (MNG) within ETTN reviews applications that focus on applying molecular genetic approaches to studies conducted in a neuroscience context.  If the focus is basic genetic mechanisms associated with neural dysfunction, assignment could be to MNG. Applications that focus on mechanisms of psychiatric disorders and involve molecular and limited genetic tools could be reviewed in PMDA. 
• With the Genes, Genomes and Genetics [GGG] IRG: The GGG IRG has shared interests with PMDA with respect to an interest in genetics of diseases of the nervous system.  When the focus is primarily on complex novel molecular/statistical genetics, the application could be reviewed in the GGG IRG. When the genetic characterization of neuropsychiatric disorders is a component of a broader multidisciplinary effort, the application could be reviewed in PMDA.
• With the Integrative, Functional and Cognitive Neuroscience [IFCN] IRG: The IFCN study sections review primarily applications studying normal aspects of brain function, while BDCN study sections review applications studying the neural basis of altered brain functions in neuropsychiatric diseases in model systems. Applications examining mechanisms of behavioral actions of psychoactive drugs may be reviewed by IFCN or PMDA depending on the focus on the basic pharmacological or disease related aspects respectively.  Studies focused on basic mechanisms may be reviewed by IFCN, Studies aimed at examining experimental therapeutics and/or neuropsychiatric consequences of drug actions may be reviewed by PMDA.
• With the Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Neuroscience [MDCN] IRG: Applications that primarily focus on the basic cellular and molecular mechanisms of neuronal and glial function in normal and disease states may be reviewed in the MDCN IRG. Applications that focus on the pathophysiology of specific disorders and associated phenotypes may be reviewed in PMDA. 

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