How do one's beliefs and emotions affect the course of chronic disease? What biological mechanisms underlie the impact of stress on our health? How does acupuncture work? What is the biology behind "gut feelings"?

These and other issues will be explored by the UCLA Mind-Body Collaborative Research Center, a new multidisciplinary center that opened April 17 under the auspices of the Neuropsychiatric Institute (NPI).

Western medicine historically separates the mind and body in both treatment and research, but new scientific findings point to the benefits of a more integrated approach, said Emeran Mayer, professor of medicine/physiology and head of the UCLA/CURE Neuroenteric Disease Program of the Division of Digestive Diseases. He is co-chair of the new center, along with Bruce Naliboff, clinical professor in the Department of Psychiatry and the VA Greater Los Angeles Health Care System.

"Recent breakthroughs in neuroscience, immunology and neurophysiology now provide an unprecedented framework to study the effects of the mind on the body," Mayer said, citing advances in imaging techniques such as positron emission tomography. With these new tools, scientists are able to visualize brain activities associated with thoughts and emotions. And new biological techniques make it possible to study the outcome of thoughts and emotions on gene expression in the brain and in various body organs.

The new center will involve faculty from the institute, the Cousins Center of Psychoneuroimmunology and a wide range of departments, including neuroscience, psychology, digestive diseases, pediatrics, psychiatry and gynecology.

The center also plans an outreach educational program to bring its scientific findings to the public through lectures, workshops and a Web site.