Music Festival 2008 - The Pointer Sisters

Music Festival 2008 opens on a beautiful day.

Highlights of the 14th Annual Music Festival for Mental Health

September 13, 2008

The 14th annual Music Festival for Mental Health couldn't have been a more warm and wonderful day. From Dr. Trevor Robbins' fascinating lecture to the symposium crowd at noon, to everyone's final turns on the dance floor to DJ John Tutton's tunes late in the evening, the atmosphere flowed with connection and fun.

It was a day to celebrate, as the largest grant in the history of the National Institute of Mental Health had just been given to Dr. Ty Cannon's North American Prodromal Longitudinal Study (NAPLS), a research project funded by the Music Festival. Using $3.7 million provided by the festival over the last 2 years, the NAPLS had earlier this year put forth a proposal to the NIMH for a study to expand their ability to predict, and thus prevent, the development of psychosis in at-risk patients. In August, the NIMH gave them the green light, with its largest grant ever: $21 million.

Dr. Ty Cannon explains the NIMH's $21M grant to the NAPLS.

Garen announced this grant today at the festival concert, and the crowd went wild. When he went on to say that the study was in need of an additional $5.5 million over 5 years to complete its clinical portion, in which better treatments would be created for patients who had been predicted would develop psychosis, several people dug even deeper and came up with spontaneous on-the-spot donations. Karen and Jerry Callaghan completed their first million dollar pledge, and Peter Paul and Jude Blake presented $150,000 toward their million dollar pledge. By the time the day was over, the event had raised $2.8 million for mental health programs, for a fourteen-year total of $83 million. As evidenced by the successes of the NAPLS and the other projects the Music Festival funds, both in research and treatment, this money is making a difference in the lives of thousands of patients.

Dr. Trevor Robbins explains the ins and outs of cognitive enhancement drug therapies.

The day began with a seminar by Dr. Trevor Robbins of Cambridge University, UK, who spoke about the potential of cognitive enhancement drugs to treat illnesses such as schizophrenia, Alzheimer's disease, and ADHD. He explained that with balanced doses of drugs such as modafinil, patients can actually think and remember things more easily. There is much optimism in this field, he explained, as researchers work to develop new drugs that can, for example, specifically enhance dopamine flow in the cortex while keeping it at a manageable level in the subcortical brain.

Watch Dr. Robbins' lecture

Issa, Anita and Ruth Pointer sizzle on stage.

The caves buzzed with happy conversations as about 450 guests circulated among the wine offerings of 72 generous vintners from around the Napa Valley and the world. Hearty hors d'oeuvres from chef Todd Humphries of St. Helena's Martini House satisfied guests' appetites and taste buds in tandem with the incredible cult wines.

At 3:30, comedian Bob Sarlatte began revving the audience up for showtime. Lt. Gov. John Garamendi spoke out in support of brain disorder research, and presented a special commendation from the State of California to the Staglin family for their work for the cause.

Then, at four, the Pointer Sisters Anita, Ruth, and Issa strutted onto the stage in iridescent blue and green, singing their favorite hits from their 35-year career, from "Yes we Can, Can," to "Neutron Dance." They were clearly having a ball singing for everyone, and giving the guests the time of their lives. The dance floor almost began to smoke (not literally) when they closed the concert with "Jump (for my Love)" and everyone jumped in unison and sang along. The joy that flowed through the crowd went beyond description.

Dinner, orchestrated by Mark Dommen, Michelin-Star-rated chef from One Market Restaurant in San Francisco opened with a "fabulous" crab and melon gazpacho and closed with an "amazing" berry parfait (quotes from symposium speaker Dr. Susan Voglmaier). Afterward, guests stayed until late in the evening dancing to D.J. Dave Tutton's fabulous collection of hits.

"This was personal, beautiful, fun, exciting, uplifting, simply amazing," reminisced Dr. Akil. "The medium was the message--life can be beautiful, tasty, good and full of hope when people come together in this very personal way to help each other."

Learn more about 2009's upcoming Music Festival for Mental Health

Chef Mark Dommen's spectacular dinner crew!