Neuroimaging Laboratory

Using the tools of human neuroimaging, including magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), positron emission tomography (PET) and electroencephalography (EEG), the neuroimaging lab aims to clarify the neurobiology and improve the treatment of the following disorders causing cognitive impairment.

Alzheimer’s disease

• Timing of beta-amyloid and tau deposition in preclinical stages
• Genetic effects
• Effect of treatment
• Correlation of tau imaging with postmortem tau quantification

Frontotemporal dementia

• Genetic underpinning of regional involvement patterns
• Neuroimaging correlates of social cognition

Traumatic brain injury

• Amyloid and tau imaging in acute and chronic concussion
• Timing and brain localization of tau deposition in patients with repeated head trauma

Schizophrenia

• Anti-synaptic antibodies and their effect on functional connectivity

Working with the MRI and PET facilities in the Translational Imaging Core of the Houston Methodist Research Institute and with the collaboration of a number of external researchers, the lab has utilized and implemented the following techniques:

MRI-related

• Structural MRI
• BOLD MRI
• Activation
• Resting, with functional connectivity
• Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI)
• Susceptibility weighted imaging (SWI)
• Arterial spin labeling (ASL) 

PET
PET Radiopharmaceuticals

• [¹⁸F] Fludeoxyglucose
• [¹¹C] Pittsburgh compound B
• [¹⁸F] T807 (AV-1451)
• [¹⁸F] Fluoro-L-DOPA
• [¹¹C] PBR28