Update on the use of MR for assessment and diagnosis of psychiatric diseases
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Published on: August 11, 2015
Nivedita Agarwal1, John D Port, Massimo Bazzocchi
1Neuroimaging Center, McLean Hospital/Harvard Medical School, Boston, Mass, USA. niv_aga@yahoo.co.uk
Abstract:
The lack of quantitative objective measures of psychiatric diseases such as anxiety and depression is one reason that the causative factors of psychiatric diseases remain obscure. The fact that human behavior is complex and cannot be easily tested in laboratories or reproduced in animal models further complicates our understanding of psychiatric diseases. During the past 3 decades, several magnetic resonance (MR)-based tools such as MR morphometry, diffusion-tensor imaging, functional MR imaging, and MR spectroscopy have yielded findings that provide tangible evidence of the neurobiologic manifestations of psychiatric diseases. In this article, we summarize major MR findings of schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, anxiety disorders, and attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder as examples to illustrate the promise that MR techniques hold for not only revealing the neurobiological underpinnings of psychiatric disorders but also enhancing our understanding of healthy human behavior. However, many radiologists remain skeptical about the diagnostic value of MR in psychiatric disease. Many inconsistent, noncomparable reports in the literature contribute to this skepticism. The aims of this article are to (a) illustrate the most reported MR findings of major psychiatric disorders such as schizophrenia, mood disorders, anxiety disorders, and attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder; (b) inform radiologists of the potential roles of MR imaging in psychiatric imaging research; and (c) discuss several confounding factors in the design and interpretation of MR imaging findings in psychiatry.
Insights
Magnetic resonance (MR) imaging offers tangible evidence of neurobiological changes in psychiatric diseases like schizophrenia and anxiety. Despite inconsistencies, MR techniques promise to advance our understanding of mental health disorders.
Area of Science:
- Neuroimaging
- Psychiatry
- Radiology
Background:
- Quantitative objective measures for psychiatric diseases are lacking, obscuring causative factors.
- Human behavior's complexity hinders laboratory testing and animal modeling for psychiatric disorders.
- Magnetic resonance (MR) tools have emerged over 30 years, providing neurobiological evidence for psychiatric conditions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To summarize key MR findings in schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, anxiety disorders, and ADHD.
- To highlight the potential of MR techniques in psychiatric imaging research for radiologists.
- To discuss confounding factors influencing MR imaging interpretation in psychiatry.
Main Methods:
- Review of major MR findings including MR morphometry, diffusion-tensor imaging, functional MR imaging, and MR spectroscopy.
- Focus on prominent MR-based evidence for specific psychiatric disorders.
- Analysis of factors contributing to skepticism regarding MR's diagnostic value in psychiatry.
Main Results:
- MR imaging has revealed significant neurobiological manifestations in major psychiatric disorders.
- Specific MR findings are detailed for schizophrenia, mood disorders, anxiety disorders, and ADHD.
- Inconsistencies in research reports contribute to radiologist skepticism about MR's diagnostic utility.
Conclusions:
- MR techniques hold promise for elucidating neurobiological underpinnings of psychiatric disorders.
- Further research and standardized methodologies are needed to enhance MR's role in psychiatric diagnosis.
- Addressing confounding factors is crucial for improving the reliability and interpretation of MR imaging in psychiatry.
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