Research Abstract:
My research program is focused on investigating the neurobiology of neuropsychiatric diseases, especially schizophrenia and Alzheimer's disease. One approach to this goal is to develop and implement precise measures of neuroanatomical structure and then relate these measures to cognition, brain activation during cognition, and specific elements of clinical psychopathology, as well as changes in any of these measures that may occur during disease progression or treatment. As an adjunct to such studies, we also conduct clinical trials of new psychotherapeutic drugs, with a special emphasis on drugs that aim to improve cognition.
In my laboratory, we utilize animal models of neuropsychiatric diseases to improve our understanding of the underlying mechanisms of disease pathogenesis and therapeutic drug action. I am especially interested in the neuroanatomical and functional consequences of normal genetic varation. These studies employ juvenile as well as animals, so that developmental aspects of brain function can be studied.
Students in the laboratory can learn a wide variety of experimental techniques, such as structural and functional magnetic resonance imaging, diffusion tensor imaging, quantitative image analysis, stereological cell counting, immunohistochemistry, immunocytochemistry, and electron microscopy.
Selected Publications:
Csernansky JG, Wang L, Swank J, et al. Preclinical detection of Alzheimer's disease: Hippocampal shape and volume predict dementia onset in the elderly. NeuroImage 2005 25:783-792.
Selemon LD, Wang L, Nebel MB, et al. Direct and indirect effects of fetal irradiation on cortical gray and white matter volume in the macaque. Biol Psychiat 2005 57:3-90.
Csernansky JG, Schindler MK, Splinter NR, et al. Abnormalities of thalamic volume and shape in schizophrenia. Am J Psychiat 2004 161: 896-902.
Dong H, Goico B, Martin M, et al. Modulation of hippocampal cell proliferation, memory, and amyloid plaque deposition in APPsw (Tg2576) mutant mice by isolation stress. Neuroscience 2004 127:601-609.
Dong H, Csernansky CA, Gioco B, Csernansky JG. Hippocampal neurogenesis follows kainic acid-induced apoptosis in neonatal rats. J Neurosci 2003 23:1742-1749.
Last Updated: 08/15/2006 |