Neuropsychiatry

Brain-behaviour correlates in disorders

Dr. Anthony Feinstein and his team of researchers in neuropsychiatry are investigating brain-behaviour correlates in disorders such as traumatic brain injury (TBI), multiple sclerosis and conversion disorder (formerly known as hysteria). Another area of investigation is post-traumatic stress disorder, funded in part by organizations like the BBC and CNN, which are interested in the effects of war reporting on journalists.

Traumatic Brain Injury Clinic

The Traumatic Brain Injury Clinic, which is unique in Canada, has a large database of scans from magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and single photon computerized emission tomography. These scans from more than 1,000 people contain a wealth of information to do longitudinal neuroimaging studies. One part of the database is devoted exclusively to studying head injury in the elderly.

So far, research on TBI has defined the following:

• prevalence of mood disorders in mild TBI
• predictors of poor outcome in mild TBI
• link between mood and cognition
• role of litigation in determining outcome

Scientists are now trying to create new therapies to improve the outcomes of patients with mild to moderate TBI.