Medical Student Research Fellowship for Summer 2007

Mentor: Dr. Carol A. Tamminga
Department: Psychiatry
Room number: NE5.110M
Mail Code: 9127
Phone number: 214-645-2789
E-mail: Carol.Tamminga@utsouthwestern.edu
Project title: Neuroimaging of the Medial Temporal Lobe

Human subjects IRB approved project number (where applicable):
IRB #:1103-732 Expires: 9.23.08

Animal subjects IRB approved project number (where applicable):
N/A

Project Type (patient-based research, animal-based research, or basic research; this characterization is only to permit a general classification for grouping similar types of projects)

Brief Description of Project:
Patient Based Research
The project is comprised of three interrelated study phases: first, an initial "main study" that will allow for the collection of demographic, clinical, and behavioral data to assess symptom logy, establish neuropsychological status, and measure specific cognitive performances via computerized tasks; then, following the main study, an optional "fMRI sub-study" will allow the use of MRI techniques to optimize and compare putative task-specific neuronal activity in the MTL and other brain structures across different illness features (e.g., medication status, state of psychosis) and disease conditions (e.g., normal controls vs. individuals with schizophrenia and/or vs. those suffering other mental illnesses) . Relating to the latter-mentioned sub-study, functional images will be acquired on a 1.5 T GE scanner or a research-dedicated 3T Phillips scanner. Last among the study phases, an "MR spectroscopy sub-study", also optional for subjects' consent, will allow for a sensitive measurement of regional neurochemical information, particularly with respect to determining hippocampal levels of glutamate and related components of the glutamate-glutamine cycle, as compared across multiple diseases, disease states, and treatment regimens. MR spectrographs will be acquired on a research-dedicated 7T Phillips scanner. Analyzed collectively, the main study and subsequent two sub-studies will produce behaviorally-informed data of a higher spatial resolution than that of most prior studies of the hippocampus in schizophrenia and other mental illnesses. Concurrent application of the flat-mapping technique, in development for use at this institution, will constitute a pioneering examination of hippocampal subunit structure, function, and neurochemical status in schizophrenia. While we will actively recruit consenting volunteers for all three phases of this project, it is important to reiterate that the two sub-studies are optional; subjects do not have to participate in either of these to participate in the main study.