Mental disorders, as a whole, are the leading cause of disability world-wide. It is estimated that more than 5 million people in Spain experience one of these disorders during their lifetime. Mental disorders have an enormous impact on today’s society. In fact, mental health costs represent between 3 and 4% of the gross domestic product in the EU, and mental disorders are the leading cause of early retirement and disability pensions. In addition, mental diseases take a heavy toll that is not just financial, but also societal, in terms of their burden on individuals and their families.

On January 1, 2008, the Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Salud Mental (CIBERSAM) was created with the mission of improving clinical care and mental health in our society through the knowledge generated by translational research in psychiatry and neuroscience.