Craig A. Branch, Ph.D., Director, Chief of Medical Physics
Lynn E. DeLisi, M.D., Associate Director for Clinical Studies
David N. Guilfoyle, Ph.D., Associate Director for Instrumentation

The Center for Advanced Brain Imaging (CABI) at the Nathan Kline Institute (NKI) is a multi-disciplinary clinical diagnostic and research facility. The CABI provides clinical diagnostic MRI services for Office of Mental Health (OMH) patients in the Hudson Valley Region. Additionally, the CABI supports brain research into numerous mental health related disorders including schizophrenia, dementia, central nervous system injury, memory deficits, substance abuse and drug therapies. This research is performed by NKI Staff Research Scientists in collaboration with regional academic centers including New York University Medical Center, Albert Einstein College of Medicine and New York Psychiatric Institute. Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI), Diffusion Tensor Imaging (DTI), Perfusion magnetic resonance imaging (pMRI), anatomical imaging and metabolite and neurotransmitter imaging are among the tools available for use in the Center.

The facility, approximately 12,000 sq. ft. in size, is centered around the technology of Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) and Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy (MRS) and houses three state-of-the-art MR systems. An extensive image analysis center, machine and electronic shops and cognitive testing facilities are available in the Center.

The CABI is equipped with MRI compatible physiological monitoring and triggering equipment, and houses a full surgical suite and wet laboratory, as well as electronics shop and machining shop for instrument repair, coil building and MR support structure construction.

The first MRI system is a 1.5 Tesla SIEMENS system, which provides clinical diagnostic MR services for OMH patients in the Hudson Valley. When not in use for clinical diagnostic work, this unit is utilized for basic and clinical neuroimaging research.

The second MRI system is a 3.0 Tesla MRI/MRS system used exclusively for human brain research. This system is equipped with a torque compensated head imaging gradient set ( 40 mT/m with 300 ms rise times) and was specifically designed and built for application of functional brain imaging. Recent modifications include surface coil / receive only RF technology using novel coil designs. The 3.0 Tesla MRI will soon be upgraded to a 32 channel, whole body clinical imaging system supporting diffusion tensor imaging, functional magnetic resonance imaging, chemical shift imaging and multinuclear imaging and spectroscopy. Replacement is scheduled for mid-to-late 2007.

Research being conduced with this system includes investigations of pathologies which affect geriatric patients, such as Alzheimer's disease, senile dementias, memory deficits, and response to drug therapy; investigations of the biophysics and structure of white matter abnormalities and connectivity in schizophrenia and other psychiatric disorders, the cause and control of aggressive behavior in schizophrenic patients; and the response to various drug therapies for schizophrenia and other severe, chronic, mental disorders. In addition, in vivo measurement of the neurotransmitter GABA is conducted in subjects suffering from depression and schizophrenia.

The third MRI/MRS system is a 7 Tesla MRI/MRS research system. Research being conduced with this system includes investigations of pathologies which affect geriatric patients, such as Alzheimer's disease, senile dementias, memory deficits, and response to drug therapy; investigations of the biophysics and structure of white matter abnormalities and connectivity in schizophrenia and other psychiatric disorders, the cause and control of aggressive behavior in schizophrenic patients; and the response to various drug therapies for schizophrenia and other severe, chronic, mental disorders. In addition, in vivo measurement of the neurotransmitter GABA is conducted in subjects suffering from depression and schizophrenia. The 7T MRI spectrometer and hardware will soon (late 2007) be upgraded to an 8 channel parallel imaging capable spectrometer, supporting rapid parallel imaging in rodents and primates. The systems gradients will be upgraded to include a 29 cm I.D., 100 mT/m, 200 us rise time gradient for primate imaging, and an 12 cm I.D., 680 mT/m, 180 us rise time gradient for rodent imaging. Parallel coils for rodent and primate imaging will be available.

This system exists within The Facility for Basic Neuroimaging and is supported by additional laboratories for the preparation of in vivo and in vitro specimens. This facility is used to investigate numerous important topics related to the clinical research programs that cannot be conducted on human subjects and must be conducted on animals, models or in vitro specimens. The Basic Neuroimaging Research Program focuses on the development and application of Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) methods for the assessment of brain function, particularly in the application of MRI methodology to the study of Schizophrenia, Alzheimer's disease and related brain disorders and treatments. Functional Imaging Methods of interest include Blood Oxygenation Level Dependent (BOLD) contrast imaging, quantitative Cerebral Perfusion Imaging, Diffusion Tensor Imaging and Metabolite Imaging and Spectroscopy, including GABA. Functional imaging methods utilized include perfusion and diffusion brain imaging, arterial spin tagging methodologies (Fair, Unfair, Adiabatic fast passage tagging), Diffusion Tensor Imaging (DTI), GABA imaging, Imaging of fluorine-tagged dopamine analogs and vascular permeability imaging.

The Division of Medical Physics is headed by Dr. Branch, who manages the Center and Facility. Dr. Branch's research efforts includes studies into the physiological basis of fMRI, applications of MRI perfusion measures to pharmacological fMRI, and studies aimed at identifying alternatives to animal models for MRI investigations. Dr. David Guilfoyle, Associate Director for Instrumentation and Section Leader for Technical Development leads studies into the development of advanced high-speed methods for measurement of brain structure and function. Dr. Lynn E. DeLisi, Associate Director for Clinical Studies, leads world-renowned research into the relationships between schizophrenia and its genetic and environmental risk factors.

Other senior scientists within the Center include Dr. Babak Ardekani, Section Leader for Image Analysis, Dr. Jay Nierenberg, Staff Scientist, Dr. Joseph A. Helpern, staff scientist, Dr. David Lewis, Staff Scientist, Dr. Jan Hrabe, Staff Scientist, Dr. Al Bachman, Staff Scientist, and Dr. Morris Baslow, Staff Scientist.

Ongoing CABI Research

Structural Imaging
   Investigators: C.A. Branch, Ph.D., V. Dyakin, Ph.D., M. F. Falangola, Ph.D, D.N. Guilfoyle, Ph.D, .J. A. Helpern, Ph.D., S.P. Lee, Ph.D

• MRI Assessment of Transgenic Mouse Models of AD
• Neuroimaging of the Pygmy Marmoset
• Neuropathology of Trisomy (TS65Dn) mice
• MRI and Histology of Amyloid Plaques in PS/APP mice

Functional (BOLD or perfusion f-MRI)
   Investigators: C.A. Branch, Ph.D., D.N. Guilfoyle, Ph.D., J. A. Helpern, Ph.D., S.P. Lee, Ph.D., D. P. Lewis, Ph.D., C. M. Lipton, M.D., C. Schroeder, Ph.D.

• Histopathology, CBF and NMR Assessment of Stroke
• Neurophysiologic basis of f-MRI in Macaques
• In Vivo assessment of BBB function using MRI
• Neurophysiologic basis and specificity of f-MRI in Primates
• f-MRI of Amphetamine induced Dopamine Release in a transgenic mouse model of Alzheimer's Disease

High Field Methodology and Technology Development
   Investigators: C.A. Branch, Ph.D., S. Dingman , Ph.D., D.N. Guilfoyle, Ph.D., J. Hrabe, Ph.D, .J. A. Helpern, Ph.D., S.P. Lee, Ph.D., D. P. Lewis, Ph.D.

• Validation of MRI based Perfusion Techniques
• Perfluoro Analogs for Neurotransmitter Imaging
• Verification of Spectroscopic Imaging of GABA synthesis in Rats
• MR and Iontrophoretic Diffusion Measurements in Brain
• Novel Methods for interleaved EPI segmentation at High Field

Metabolic Studies Schizophrenia
   Investigators: D.N. Guilfoyle, Ph.D., J. Hrabe, Ph.D, D. P. Lewis, Ph.D., M. L. Lipton, M.D., Ph.D., C. Branch, Ph.D

• NAA/Choline measurements of brain metabolism
• High speed NAA measurements during brain activation
• Verification of Spectroscopic Imaging of GABA synthesis in Rats
• Water Diffusion and its relationship to NAA levels
• The relationship between NAA, Choline and diffusion of water in mild brain insult.

Studies of Risk Factors for, and Language Circuitry in Schizophrenia
   Investigators: L. DeLisi, M.D., C.A. Branch, Ph.D., X. Li, Ph.D., D.N. Guilfoyle, Ph.D., M. L. Lipton, M.D., Ph.D., M. Hoptman, Ph.D., H. Birtish, Ph.D., J. Nierenberg, Ph.D., M.D., B. Ardekani, Ph.D.

• FMRI measures of language laterality in subjects at high risk for Schizophrenia
• DTI measures associated with Language circuitry in Schizophrenic
• FMRI/DTI connectivity in familial Schizophrenic
• Genetic Correlates of language circuitry in familial Schizophrenia.

For further information, contact Dr. Branch at (845)398-5471.