The research at the Central Institute of Mental Health (CIMH) has set itself the task of developing new treatment options for mental illness and improving existing therapies. The primary objective is to identify, establish and personalize psychotherapeutic and pharmacological mechanisms of action for mental disorders.

In its research, the CIMH uses a translational approach: firstly, the basic research aims at the identification of neurobiological mechanisms in the human brain and secondly, it is taken into account in the research that mental disorders arise from an interaction of processes of a psychosocial and behavioural biological nature.

At the CIMH there is a link from experimental medicine and mechanistic neuroscience research. In addition, an interdisciplinary combination of biomarkers and imaging research as well as experimental psychopharmaceuticals and psychotherapeutic research will facilitate the custom-made treatment of psychiatric patients.