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Neuroimaging
Beginning with the use of computed tomography (CT) in the mid-1970s to demonstrate enlarged ventricular size in patients
with schizophrenia, neuroimaging has played a central role in helping to elucidate the underlying cerebral basis for this
disorder. Over the past decade, the Schizophrenia Program of the Massachusetts General Hospital has developed into one of
the top schizophrenia neuroimaging centers in the world, contributing significantly to the understanding of both the
structural and functional brain abnormalities seen in this patient group. Through its strong collaboration with the
world-renown MGH Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, the Schizophrenia Neuroimaging Group has access to the latest
in cutting edge technology, including functional magnetic resonance imaging
(fMRI),
diffusion tensor imaging (DTI),
magnetoencephalography (MEG),
and near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS).
These technologies can be combined, a process known as multimodal imaging.
The major areas of research conducted by this group include:
- Understanding the neural basis for the memory deficits seen in schizophrenia, and the impact of psychopharmacologic intervention on both cognitive performance and cerebral activity (Dr. Weiss)
- Understanding the neural bases of cognitive deficits in schizophrenia, particularly executive functions including performance monitoring and working memory (Dr. Manoach)
- Understanding the neural basis for thought disorder and other language dysfunction seen in schizophrenia (Dr. Kuperberg)
- Understanding the neural basis for deficits in emotional processing seen in schizophrenia (Dr. Holt)
- Understanding how genes influence brain activity related to negative symptoms and cognitive impairment (Dr. Roffman)
In addition to their individual research interests, the MGH Schizophrenia Neuroimaging Group has played a key role as one of only four sites nationwide involved in the MIND (Mental Illness and Neuroscience Discovery) Clinical Imaging Consortium. This collaborative project emphasizes the study of first episode and recent-onset schizophrenia, with the goal of using neuroimaging to answer the multiple questions: Do changes in the brain in schizophrenia occur as the illness progresses? What kinds of changes occur in the ability to think clearly or to hold a job? What can this information tell us about treatment and prevention? |
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