MGH Psychiatric Neuroimaging Research Group; Psychiatric Neuroscience Program

The MGH Mood Disorder Neuroimaging Section represents a subdivision of the Psychiatric Neuroimaging Research Group. We have developed a program of research that utilizes numerous neuroimaging modalities including positron emission tomography (PET), single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT), and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to study the pathophysiology of mood disorders. These neuroimaging technologies are used to study brain activity in patients with mood disorders and healthy volunteers using both cognitive and affective neuroscience paradigms. In addition, PET and SPECT are used to perform in vivo neuroreceptor (including serotonergic, dopaminergic, and GABAergic receptors) characterization in patients with mood disorders and healthy volunteers. Additionally, investigators have reviewed clinical and research applications of neuroimaging in the psychiatric setting and have introduced technical advances in the neuroimaging field. The Mood Disorder Neuromaging Section currently includes psychiatrists and psychologists, most of whom are fellowship-trained in neuroimaging techniques. The goals of the Group include the following: A) to utilize neuroimaging techniques to advance our understanding of brain function in health and disease; B) to develop innovative applications of neuroimaging to enhance diagnosis and treatment of psychiatric patients (including the use of neuroimaging technology in psychiatric drug development); and C) to train staff in the clinical and research applications of neuroimaging.

Grant Support. NIMH: K23 MH01735, Physiologic Studies of Anger in Depressed Patients (DD); NARSAD: PET Measurements of Prefrontal Cortex Activation by use of the California Verbal Learning Test in Major Depressive Disorder (WO); Probing Strategic Memory Functions During Verbal Learning in Bipolar Disorder using PET (TD)

Project Sites. Dept. of Psychiatry, MGH-East, CNY-9; MGH PET Lab, White 2; MGH-East MRI Center, CNY-1. Department of Radiology (Drs. Nathaniel Alpert & Alan Fischman [PET] and Dr. Bruce Rosen [MRI]). Studies done in conjunction with the MGH Depression Clinical and Research Program (Dr. Maurizio Fava) and the MGH Bipolar Disorders Program (Dr. Gary Sachs)

Project Director and Contact Person. Darin D. Dougherty, MD, Departments of Psychiatry and Radiology, CNY-9132, Massachusetts General Hospital-East, 149 Thirteenth Street, Charlestown, MA 02129. Tel.: 617-724-6143; FAX: 617-726-4078; Page: 617-726-2066; email: ddougherty@partners.org. Web site: http://www.mgh.harvard.edu/psychneuro/

Training Opportunities. Currently there is one post-doctoral fellow (WO). Please contact Dr. Dougherty regarding training opportunities.

Rauch SL, Shin LM, Dougherty D, Alpert NM, Orr SP, Lasko M, Macklin ML, Fischman AJ, Pitman RK. Neural activation during sexual and competitive arousal in healthy men. Psychiatry Res: Neuroimaging 1999;91:1-10.

Shin LM, Dougherty DD, Orr SP, Pitman RK, Lasko M, Macklin ML, Alpert NM, Fischman AJ, Rauch SL. Activation of anterior paralimbic structures during guilt-related script-driven imagery. Biol Psychiatry 2000;48:43-50.

Ottowitz WE, Dougherty, DD, Savage CR. The neural network basis for abnormalities of attention and executive function in major depressive disorder. Harvard Rev Psychiatry, in press.

Dougherty DD, Rauch SL, editors. Psychiatric Neuroimaging Research: Contemporary Strategies. Washington DC: American Psychiatric Press; 2001.

Deckersbach, T., Reilly-Harrington, N., & Sachs, G. Episodic memory dysfunction in bipolar disorder. Bipolar Disorders 2001; 3 (Suppl 1):33.