MRI scanners have been used for some time to map out certain areas in the brain that are actively involved in performing certain tasks.
However, up until now it was not possible to determine whether these connections between the various brain regions were actually used during the task performance to exchange information. At the Department of Psychiatry at UMC Utrecht, a method has now been developed known as functional diffusion tensor imaging (fTDI) which appears to enable an MRI scanner to determine whether these brain regions do in fact use these connections to exchange information during the performance of the task. Being able to determine if and the degree to which information is exchanged through these connections is important because it is thought that something goes wrong in the exchange of information between the various brain regions in a number of brain conditions, including schizophrenia. By using this new technology, it should be possible in the near future to determine whether this is actually the case and if so, which connections are involved in the process. The researchers hope that using this new method, more information can be gained on how schizophrenia develops.
René Mandl will receive his PhD from Utrecht University on 26 February.