Research Division
My research passions are the application of Magnetic Resonance Imaging and functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging to study the organization of the human brain so we can understand the causes as well as the effects of drug abuse and addiction and apply this knowledge to improve personal and public health. I have been using MRI to study very different diseases and disorders ranging from Cyclic Vomiting Syndrome to Alzheimer’s disease and Bipolar Disorder. We have applied neuroimaging methods to provide endophenotypes for Bipolar Disorder, to study the neuroanatomical and functional changes present in Alzheimer’s disease, as well as the neural abnormalities associated with Cyclic Vomiting Syndrome and its comorbidity with marijuana use. We are currently using MRI tools to learn more about the addictive and health effects of cigarettes smoking and its sex differences.