NIH Clinical Research Studies

Protocol Number: 00-M-0085

Active Accrual, Protocols Recruiting New Patients

Title:
Structural and Functional Imaging of Neuropsychiatric Patients and Normal Volunteers with 3.0 Tesla MRI and Magnetoencephalography
Number:
00-M-0085
Summary:
The purpose of this study is to use brain imaging technology to compare differences in brain structure, chemistry, and functioning in individuals with brain and mental disorders compared to healthy volunteers.

Schizophrenia is a brain disorder that results from subtle changes and abnormalities in neurons. These deficits likely occur in localized regions of the brain and may result in widespread, devastating consequences. The neuronal abnormalities are inherited through a complex combination of genetic and environmental factors. Brain imaging technologies can be used to better characterize brain changes in individuals with schizophrenia. This study will use magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans to identify predictable, quantifiable abnormalities in neurophysiology, neurochemistry and neuroanatomy that characterize schizophrenia and other neurological and neuropsychiatric disorders.

Sponsoring Institute:
National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)
Recruitment Detail
Type: Active Accrual Of New Subjects
Gender: Male & Female
Referral Letter Required: No
Population Exclusion(s): None

Eligibility Criteria:
INCLUSION CRITERIA:

Patients and volunteers of any sex, race or ethnicity will be recruited.

CONTROLS:

No psychiatric or severe chronic medical illness at the time of the study, and by history. This includes the absence of substance abuse histories, learning disabilities and all DSM IV disorders. Investigators will evaluate histories and medical conditions that are judged not to interfere with the study.

No use of psychotropic substances in the last 3 months.

There is no upper age limit. The lower age limit is 18 years.

PATIENTS:

Schizophrenia, any subtype or schizo-affective disorder according to DSM IV .

Bipolar Disorder with Psychotic Features according to DSM IV.

Menstrually-Related Mood Disorder.

Mild to moderate Parkinson's Disease (Hoehn and Yahr Stage 1-3).

William's Syndrome (partial or full).

Patients with Multiple Sclerosis.

EXCLUSION CRITERIA:

CONTROLS AND PATIENTS:

Impaired hearing.

Pregnancy.

Head trauma with loss of consciousness in the last year, or any evidence of functional impairment due to and persisting after head trauma.

Patients or healthy volunteers with known risk from exposure to high magnetic fields (e.g. patients with pace makers) and those who have metallic implants (e.g. braces) in the head region (likely to create artifact on the MRI scans) will be excluded from participating in the fMRI studies.

PATIENTS:

Coexistence of another major mental illness at the time of the study.

Criteria for substance abuse met in the last 6 months.

Criteria for substance dependence met in the last year. The duration of the dependency must be less than 3 years and not judged to have produced long-term brain changes.

Major concurrent medical illness likely to interfere with acquisition of the task.

Concomitant medications which could interfere with performance on the task.

Presence of dyskinetic movements of the face and tongue (likely to interfere with eyeblink measures), or of gross involuntary movements of the whole body (likely to interfere with positioning in the MRI scanner).

Pregnant or lactating woemn will be excluded from studies.

All patients smoking or drinking coffee will be asked to refrain 4 hours prior to the study.

Special Instructions: Currently Not Provided
Keywords:
Magnetic Resonance Imaging
Brain Metabolism
Brain Physiology
Spectroscopy
Schizophrenia
Neuropsychiatric Disorders
Psychosis
Paranoia
Mental Illness
Parkinson's Disease
Recruitment Keywords:
None
Conditions:
Bipolar Disorder
Healthy
Mood Disorder
Parkinson's Disease
Schizophrenia
Investigational Drug(s):
None
Investigational Device(s):
None

Contacts:
Bobby Das
National Institutes of Health
Building 10
Room 3C101
10 Center Drive
Bethesda, Maryland 20892
Phone: (301) 435-4593
Fax: (301) 435-0743
Electronic Address: bdas@ln.nimh.nih.gov

Citations:
Implications of normal brain development for the pathogenesis ofschizophrenia

Can we find genes for schizophrenia?

The future of genetic studies of complex human diseases

Active Accrual, Protocols Recruiting New Patients

If you have:


Command Menu Bar

Search The Studies | Help | Questions |
Clinical Center Home | NIH Home


Clinical Center LogoWarren Grant Magnuson Clinical Center (CC)
National Institutes of Health (NIH)
Bethesda, Maryland 20892. Last update: 10/20/2004

Search The Studies Help Questions