Welcome to the Neurophysics Laboratory Web Site
The Neurophysics Laboratory is a
research group within the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center,
Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic's Department of Psychiatry,
Department of Bioengineering and the Neurophysics Laboratory's
main focus of research is to obtain a better understanding of the
chemical, molecular and metabolic functioning of the brain.
Current research projects are
directed toward the use of in vivo,
ex vivo, and in vitro magnetic resonance imaging (MRI),
magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) and magnetic resonance
spectroscopic imaging
(MRSI) technologies to better understand the molecular
underpinnings of neurodevelopmental and neurodegenerative brain
disorders such as Alzheimer's disease, autism, and schizophrenia.
Because magnetic resonance techniques are non-invasive and involve
minimal risk to subjects, they can be used in longitudinal studies of
these and other psychiatric illnesses. Grants have recently been
funded to apply the same range of techniques to investigate nicotine
addiction, especially among adolescents and to investigate normal
molecular neurodevelopment in children. Applications have been,
or are being, prepared to study chronic alcoholism.
In this site you will be able to
find information about on-going research, current studies and our
investigators.
