Brain Imaging

Recent advances in medical imaging technology allow the measurement of brain activity of the intact, living human brain. Faculty at U-M Biostatistics works closely with researchers throughout the university to study normal brain function and how diseased patients differ from normals. For example, investigators in U-M Psychology use Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) to identify brain regions responsible for working memory, the short-term memory used to retain, for example, a grocery list. They are also using Positron Emission Tomography (PET) and fMRI to study schizophrenic patients, to understand how their reactions to emotionally provocative images differ from that of normal controls. They collaborate with the Center for Human Growth and Development to use Electroencephalography (EEG) to examine how environmental exposure and nutritional deficiency affect the development of human memory in early life time. The statistical methods applied in this area are computationally intensive and include Bayesian and massively univariate classical approaches.

Faculty: V. Baladandayuthapani, Y. Li, J. Kang, P. Song

Links: UM Radiology, UM General Clinical Research Center, Rogel Cancer Center