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Scientific Programme Information
EPA 2027 offers a wide array of sessions throughout Congress days, covering the latest development in psychiatry.
Plenary Lectures are primarily theoretical and research-oriented, with a strong scientific focus. Delivered by leading psychiatrists, scientists, and mental health professionals invited by the Scientific Programme Committee, these sessions address major topics aligned with the Congress theme. Each Plenary Lecture is 45-minutes long.
Autism: From Genes to Treatment
Chair: Celso Arango (Spain)
Speaker: Matthew State (USA)
Prevention and Early Intervention in Psychiatry: Achievements, Challenges and Future Perspectives
Led by Prof. Fusar-Poli—a leading researcher in evidence-based medicine, clinical prediction, neurosciences, and experimental therapeutics—this plenary session will explore new strategies to improve the early detection and prevention of mental disorders. Prof. Fusar-Poli will draw on his experience as Head of the Early Psychosis: Intervention and Clinical-detection Laboratory (EPIC Lab) and honorary consultant psychiatrist in the Outreach And Support In South-London (OASIS) service.
Chair: Geert Dom (Belgium)
Speaker: Paolo Fusar-Poli (UK)
What's Next for the DSM-6?
The American Psychiatric Association is working on the new edition of the DSM-6, which has as final goal to advance scientific rigor, cultural inclusivity, and adaptability while ensuring that the DSM remains useful to clinicians and remains a trusted, relevant tool for understanding and treating mental disorders. In this plenary lecture, Prof. Oquendo will describe the most prominent innovations of this revised version of DSM.
Chair: Andrea Fiorillo (Spain)
Speaker: Maria Oquendo (USA)
Delivered by top European or worldwide experts, State-of-the-Art sessions have a strong clinical focus, providing a complete update on significant aspects of current clinical treatments in European psychiatry. Each State-of-the-Art session is 45-minutes long.
From Experience Sampling Methods to Just-in-Time Adaptive Interventions: What Are the Benefits for a Personalised Approach?
The Experience Sampling Method (ESM) has become a popular tool in the mental health field for personalized approaches. However, its intensive nature raises critical challenges, such as careless responding where participants fail to pay sufficient attention, which this session will address.
Chair: Martina Rojnic Kuzman (Croatia)
Speaker: Inez Myin-Germeys (Belgium)
GLP-1 Agonists in the Treatment of Antipsychotic-Induced Weight Gain
Antipsychotic-induced weight gain is one of the most common and challenging adverse effects of antipsychotic treatment and remains difficult to manage effectively. Currently approved treatment options are limited and are used infrequently due to their modest efficacy. At the same time, substantial weight gain is associated with metabolic syndrome, increased cardiovascular risk, and poorer overall health outcomes in patients with psychotic disorders. It also contributes to poor treatment adherence and discontinuation of antipsychotic therapy, increasing the risk of relapse and hospitalization. While GLP-1 receptor agonists have demonstrated remarkable efficacy in the treatment of obesity, evidence regarding their effectiveness specifically for antipsychotic-induced weight gain is still emerging.
Chair: Joseph Firth (UK)
Speaker: Peter Falkai (Germany)
Psychedelic Use in Psychiatry
This state-of-the-art lecture will review current evidence on the use of psychedelics in psychiatric treatment. It will examine therapeutic mechanisms, clinical outcomes, and safety considerations across conditions such as depression and trauma-related disorders. The lecture will discuss the implications of psychedelic-assisted therapies for the future of psychiatric practice and research.
Chair: Umberto Volpe (Italy)
Sleep as a Transdiagnostic Treatment Target in Psychiatry
Chair: Judit Balázs (Hungary)
Substance-Induced Psychosis: An Underestimated and Problematic Diagnosis in Psychiatry
Substance induced psychosis is an increasingly prevalent psychiatric phenomenon with distinct diagnostic and therapeutic challenges. New data show the extremely significant impact of cannabis use and its association with psychosis. Often also associated with transition to chronic psychosis and increased suicide risk. Alongside cannabis, an increasing use of different substances, i.e. stimulant (amphetamine, cocaine, cathinones) and other novel psychoactive substances, impact psychosis risk and present to psychiatrists in all domains (acute care, psychosis care, forensic…) with this complex, often confusing psychotic symptoms. In this State-of-the-Art session summarizes prevalence, diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment, translating them into practical tools for a broad spectrum of clinicians.
Chair: Sophia Achab (Switzerland)
The Tyranny of the P-value: Effect Size Matters
Many people mistakenly assume that a P < .05 denotes absolute importance and that a P < .0001 signifies an even more impressive difference, highlighting a general lack of understanding regarding effect sizes in clinical trials. This session will discuss the limitations of relying solely on statistical significance. Additionally, it will demonstrate how simple-to-calculate measures of effect size—such as the number needed to treat (NNT) and number needed to harm (NNH)—help place study outcomes in a more relevant clinical context
Chair: Pavel Mohr (Czech Republic)
Prominent speakers present opposing perspectives on controversial or timely topics in psychiatry, encouraging lively discussion and critical thinking. Guided by an experienced moderator, two invited speakers respond to thought-provoking questions with concise presentations of approximately 4–5 minutes each, with or without slides.
Designed to foster interaction rather than formal lectures, the format encourages spontaneous discussion between the speakers and active audience participation. Interactive voting may be used at the beginning and/or end of the session to capture audience opinions and stimulate further debate.
Each debate lasts approximately 90 minutes.
Antidepressants: Overprescribed, Underutilised—or Misunderstood ?
Chair: Jerzy Samochowiec (Poland)
Pro speaker: Andrea Cipriani (UK)
Con speaker: Philip Gorwood (France)
Should AI Be Used for Psychotherapy?
This debate will critically examine whether Artificial Intelligence should be used in psychotherapy, weighing potential clinical benefits against ethical, relational, and philosophical concerns. Drawing on contrasting perspectives, it will explore issues such as empathy, trust, accountability, and the limits of automation in therapeutic care. The session will invite reflection on the future role of AI in mental health practice.
Chair: Julian Beezhold (UK)
Pro Speaker: Charlotte Blease (Sweden)
Con Speaker: Wolfgang Gaebel (Germany)
Tailored by the Scientific Programme Committee, Core Symposia are 90-minute sessions that delve into specific topics in psychiatry, offering multiple perspectives. Each symposium includes 2 chairs and four presentations by international speakers who are invited to chair and speak at the Congress by the EPA, and concludes with a discussion segment at the end of the session.
Are New Outcome Measures Needed for Schizophrenia-Spectrum Disorders?
The symposium will illustrate an international effort to develop a new outcome scale for schizophrenia-spectrum disorders (SSD). Motivated by the recognized limitations of the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale in terms of the present conceptualization and models of SSD, the initiative aims to develop a rating scale in which all relevant psychopathological dimensions, as well as cognitive impairment, can be assessed in SSD.
Chair: Silvana Galderisi (Italy)
Co-chair: Sima Vahip (Türkiye)
Speakers:
- Stefan Leucht (Germany)
- Armida Mucci (Italy)
- Avraham Reichenberg (USA)
- Michael Davidson (Cyprus/USA)
Are We Facing an Epidemic of Mental Health Disorders?
This symposium, chaired by Dr. Boyce, will present large-scale data on trends in mental health disorders. Prof. Penninx will present evidence from repeated longitudinal cohort data that establish the prevalence of mental disorders based on systematic psychiatric interviews in the general population. Assistant Prof. Momen will discuss trends in health care registry data in Scandanavia. Dr. Bertuccio will present WHO data to illustrate trends in suicide mortality. Prof. Broome will broadly discuss sources of determinants that contribute to mental disorder trends patterns over time. This symposium fits well with the plan to start a Lancet commission on trends in mental health, stimulated by Lancet.
Chair: Niall Boyce (UK)
Co-Chair: Brenda Penninx (The Netherlands)
Speakers:
- Brenda Penninx (The Netherlands)
- Matthew Broome (UK)
- Paola Bertuccio (Italy)
- Simon Wessely (United Kingdom)
Beyond Social Determinants: Geopolitics and Mental Health
This symposium will examine how geopolitical determinants affect the social determinants that impact mental health. It will explore climate change, natural disasters (such as earthquakes, tsunamis, and typhoons), and man-made disasters (such as wars and conflicts). Additionally, it will address political determinants (political ideologies and the nature of governments), commercial determinants (alcohol, gambling, ultra-processed foods, and tobacco), and geographical factors that shape mental health and wellbeing.
Chair: Meryam Schouler-Ocak (Germany)
Co-chair: Dinesh Bhugra (UK)
- Dinesh Bhugra (UK)
- Joseph El-Khoury (UAE)
- Michael Liebrenz (Switzerland)
- Albert Persaud (UK)
- Bernalyn Ruiz-Yu (USA)
Exercise Interventions Across Stages of Psychosis: Implementation at Prodromal, First Episode and Later
This symposium will provide a comprehensive overview of the latest evidence and real-world initiatives related to exercise interventions across all stages of schizophrenia. Speakers actively engaged in this field will present research and clinical experience spanning the prodromal phase (Dr. Ruiz), first-episode psychosis (Prof. Firth), and later stages of schizophrenia (Prof. Falkai), alongside implementation in diverse clinical and community settings (Prof. Van Damme).
Chair: Brendon Stubbs (UK)
Co-chair: Joseph Firth (UK)
- Joseph Firth (UK)
- Peter Falkai (Germany)
- Mario Luciano (Italy)
- Bernalyn Ruiz-Yu (USA)
From Renaissance Humanism to Artificial Intelligence: Rethinking Suicidal Trajectories in Precision Psychiatry
This symposium will explore suicidal trajectories through an integrative framework combining humanistic assessment, clinical staging, and emerging technologies. Rooted in the legacy of Florence, it emphasizes the central role of the therapeutic relationship alongside biological and digital markers of vulnerability. Inflammation and exposome-related factors are examined as mediators of risk and illness progression. Digital psychiatry enables real-time monitoring of trajectories, while tools such as ChatGPT support structured clinical reasoning. Together, these approaches outline a model of augmented psychiatry for more precise and preventive suicide care.
Chair: Enrique Baca Garcia (Spain)
Co-Chair: Philippe Courtet (France)
- Sofian Berrouiguet (France)
- Bénédicte Nobile (Israel)
- Maurizio Pompili (Italy)
- Philippe Courtet (France)
Multidisciplinary Perspectives to Personalised and Integrated Care in Bipolar Disorder
Bipolar disorder is a long-term condition characterised by severe clinical, cognitive and functioning impairments. Helping people to live better within the context of their condition is a core clinical goal. In the context of personalised, integrated care, multidisciplinary perspectives including patient, mental health professional, and caregiver insights are fundamental to address ongoing limitations in the literature. This symposium will focus on incorporating these insights. First, D. Clougher will discuss research regarding resilience definitions and measurement in bipolar disorder via patient insights using qualitative as well as quantitative approaches. Second, Dr. Speyer will present emerging work on psychiatrist education using virtual reality to explore patient autonomy, identity, and shared decision‑making in medication management, with a focus on understanding reasons for medication ambivalence and non‑adherence. Third, Dr. Zarp will address cognitive and emotional mechanisms relevant to functional recovery in bipolar disorder, drawing on neurocognitive research to inform personalised interventions. Finally, G. Anarsdottir, a lived‑experience expert, will reflect on navigating psychiatric care systems, emphasising how collaborative approaches are central to recovery and person‑centred care.
By synthesising lived experience, clinician perspectives, and cognitive research, this symposium will offer a roadmap for advancing personalised, integrated, and recovery‑oriented care in bipolar disorder.
Chair: Kamilla Miskowiak (Denmark)
Co-chair: Derek Clougher (Spain)
- Gudmunda Arnardottir (Denmark)
- Derek Clougher (Spain)
- Helene Speyer (Denmark)
- Jeff Zarp (Denmark)
The European Congress of Psychiatry supports the EPA’s educational mission by offering high-quality courses that cover a broad spectrum of psychiatric topics. Each course comprises two 90-minute sessions and requires a separate registration fee.
Workshops are devoted to a specific topic and bring together experts in this field for an intensive discussion. These are 90-minute working sessions, with 30 minutes devoted to discussion and interactivity.
The EPA invites recent graduates to follow its specialist Programme, which is tailored to the needs and interests of Early Career Psychiatrists. The ECP Programme is composed of a Networking Evening and a special track of sessions throughout the Congress.
Ask the Experts sessions provide participants with the opportunity to meet in small groups with outstanding researchers and clinicians. The format is designed to encourage informal discussions, allowing participants to present their questions and gain new perspectives. Sessions are held at round tables, with a limited number of participants per session, and advanced sign-up is required. Each session lasts 90 minutes in total, with 5 experts and two groups of participants. Each group has 40 minutes with the experts, with a 10-minute break between the two groups.
Registration for the sessions will be available at the registration desk on-site.
The EPA Forum brings together members of the EPA Council of National Psychiatric Associations (NPAs), individual members, European organisations, stakeholders, and policymakers. It serves as a platform to discuss topics of European relevance in mental health and mental health care.
Sponsored sessions such as Satellite Symposia or Product Theatre sessions are entirely designed, produced and driven by the pharmaceutical industries, though subject to approval by the Scientific Programme Committee. These sessions are scheduled outside the main CME accredited EPA Scientific Programme.