Translational neuroimaging studies on genotype-phenotype relationships in the longitudinal course of psychosis

The major aim of this ongoing interdisciplinary project is the targeted functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) investigation of pathomechanisms of schizophrenic and affective disorders in pathophysiologically relevant neurofunctional systems with the ultimate goal to establish functional neuroimaging biomarkers that may be predictive for the longitudinal course and outcome of these disorders. This includes both neuroimaging investigations of pathomechanisms in clinical samples and research into the genetic underpinnings of the corresponding neurofunctional systems in a separate genomic imaging sample that is not confounded by effects of age, education and performance levels, and brain pathologies. Such a combination of neurofunctional connectivity MRI studies is an important nexus between clinical studies and corresponding neurobiological studies in animal models of schizophrenic and affective disorders.
These investigations will provide further important insight into core pathophysiological processes and genetic factors involved in schizophrenic and affective disorders and will foster both research into the pathogenesis of major psychoses and the development of innovative therapeutic strategies for individual patients.