What exactly do researchers mean by epigenetics, urbanicity or transdiagnostic symptoms? The environMENTAL Consortium has published a Glossary of Key Terms that explains almost 60 concepts used across the project in clear and accessible language.
environMENTAL brings together expertise from neuroscience, mental health, environmental science, artificial intelligence, data science and genetics. Many terms are used differently from one discipline to the next, and they can be a real barrier for anyone outside the field. The glossary offers a common reference point for researchers and members of the public alike, including the people with lived experience who are involved in the project.
The glossary responds to a recommendation from the project’s Consensus Conference, which highlighted how important it is to define relevant terminology clearly, including key concepts such as mental wellbeing. It covers laboratory methods (3D brain organoids, CRISPR-based technology), brain imaging (fMRI, EEG), data science (normative models, spatiotemporal data) and the ideas at the heart of the project, such as mental health, mental wellbeing and Expert by Experience.
The definitions draw on relevant literature and on discussions within the project. They are not meant to replace established clinical, legal or disciplinary definitions, and the glossary may be updated as scientific knowledge and terminology evolve.
Read the glossary here: https://zenodo.org/records/20601655
Ogoh, G., Bernd, S. and the environMENTAL Consortium (2026) The environMENTAL Project Glossary of Key Terms. Nottingham: University of Nottingham. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.20601655
