fMRI scans and mental illnesses

girlfromthesnapper

Is it becoming more commonplace or is it still in its infancy? My cousin over in the States participated in an fMRI study in San Diego. They were measuring brain activity when people listened to their favorite genre of music vs least favourite.

He has ADHD as well and was wondering if it would show up. It's an interesting point but from what my science professor told me in college, medicine in it's present stage has too little knowledge of the human brain to even begin to diagnose mental disorders/neurodevelopmental disorders through MRI and fMRI scans.

But I assume there are some tiny differences that can be seen in mentally ill vs neurotypical brains. Is this true?

Sugar_Rush

Yeah apparently but some neuroscientists condemn it (I think they're being cynical), claiming its results lack consolidation.

There's a professor called Brit Bogard from University of Miami that did an fMRI study on a patient called Jason Padgett who experienced synethesia and mathematical aptitude following a TBI.

He seemed to exhibit quite distinct differences in brain activity in said study (though reasons as to why are disputed, neuroanatomical variation following TBI or subsequent cognitive changes etc).

Some researchers subsequently attempted to recreate brain injury to trigger latent skills or unveil hidden aspects of personality potential etc.

It's primarily research based (fMRI) currently, I don't think it's used in any diagnostic capacity but seems like an awesome tool.

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Re differences in mentally ill brain vs "normal", the best explanation I've heard is cognitive deficits downregulate cortical activity allowing limbic activity to overwhelm (i.e. disables cognitive filter to general limbic activity such as daydreaming etc), thus limbic activity becomes experienced externally or uncontrollably, visuals/voices etc, aka psychosis.

This seems to be validated in that psychotomimetics like LSD and ketamine also downregulate cortical function and (perhaps coincidentally) precipitate psychosis;

And this was measured using fMRI (study via Prof David Nutt of UK drug science).

Sugar_Rush

As far as establishing interventions to remedy neural functional abnormalities, I basically just clicked on this forum to try and establish some kind of conversation on that matter.

Excellent book called "wiring the brain" by Ireland's own Kevin Mitchell from Trinity.

One of the most effective means to examine the potential for neural modification is twin studies which it explores with significant attention;

But coming back to an actual intervention that directly implicates phenotyping, neurobiology, chromatin regulation or whatever other synonym, that's in my mind one of the true great theoretical and philosophical questions of our time.

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Are people predisposed with ADHD, epilepsy, potential for early onset dementia in later life?

I believe it's possible.

But development,

..... all eyes are on developmental interventions to alleviate these burdens.