Neural mechanisms of eye gaze perception in schizophrenia

项目总结/摘要 精神分裂症（SZ）的功能障碍给社会带来了巨大的负担， 对药物治疗的反应。候选人（Ivy Tso博士）和其他人先前的工作表明， 早期视觉加工和注视知觉是两个具有重要功能的认知过程， 影响，但有关这些赤字的来源以及相互之间的动态互动的问题尚未得到解答 这些过程限制了这种知识对设计有效处理的有用性。K23职业生涯 发展奖提案旨在通过两个广泛的目标来推进这一领域的研究：1） SZ注视知觉缺陷的脑网络模型--基于功能MRI和动态因果模型 (DCM)2）为有前途的候选人提供先进的功能磁共振成像网络技术培训， 翻译研究技能，以加快研究成果的翻译，以创新的认知 干预措施。拟议的项目将研究40名深圳参与者和40名健康对照，并探测凝视 知觉和视觉整合功能磁共振成像过程中使用两种心理物理学范式。行为表现 和大脑激活之间的SZ和HC进行比较，以及SZ对定向连接的影响 将使用DCM来识别在凝视感知中招募的关键脑区域之间的差异。具体研究 目的是：1）描述改变视觉整合和凝视知觉的大脑激活模式， SZ及其与功能结果的关系;和2）表征凝视的脑网络轮廓 在SZ的加工和识别异常的有效连接性的基础上的注视知觉缺陷。K23 研究将有助于确定未来干预研究的治疗目标。左宗棠医生是一位临床心理学家 在行为和电生理学方面的出版和获得资金方面具有丰富的经验， 深圳市人眼注视知觉研究。她致力于将她的研究成果转化为创新 认知干预。她将与一个专家团队密切合作， 众多的培训领域：初级导师斯蒂芬·泰勒（功能磁共振成像，负责任的研究行为），共同 导师Vaibhav Diwadkar（网络分析和DCM）和顾问Scott Peltier（功能磁共振成像），Timothy 约翰逊（贝叶斯生物统计学），迈克尔绿色（社会认知和功能评估），索菲亚 维诺格拉多夫（认知训练和干预研究）和艾米丽割草机教务长（以人为本 计算）。培训将得到正式课程、专业短期课程、 讲习班、科学会议和职业发展计划中所述的其他培训活动。博士 Tso的短期职业目标是获得功能磁共振成像网络建模的新技能，并成为一名独立的 翻译神经影像学研究员。她的长期职业目标是发展一个全面的研究和 有效治疗和预防严重和持续性精神疾病的干预计划。拟议 K23奖是实现这些职业目标的关键一步。

Project Summary/Abstract Functional impairment of schizophrenia (SZ) poses a tremendous burden on society and shows limited response to pharmacologic treatments. Previous work by the Candidate (Dr. Ivy Tso) and others suggest that early visual processing and eye gaze perception are two cognitive processes with important functional implications, but unanswered questions about the source of these deficits and dynamic interactions between these processes limit the usefulness of this knowledge to design effective treatment. This K23 Career Development Award proposal aims to advance research in this area through two broad goals: 1) To delineate a brain network model of gaze perception deficits in SZ using functional MRI and dynamic causal modeling (DCM); and 2) To provide a promising candidate with training in advanced fMRI network techniques and translational research skills to accelerate the translation of research findings to innovative cognitive interventions. The proposed project will study 40 SZ participants and 40 health controls, and probe gaze perception and visual integration using two psychophysics paradigms during fMRI. Behavioral performance and brain activation will be compared between SZ and HC, and the effect of SZ on directional connectivity between key brain regions recruited in gaze perception will be identified using DCM. The specific research aims are: 1) To characterize the brain activation profile of altered visual integration and gaze perception in SZ and its relationship to functional outcome; and 2) To characterize the brain network profile of gaze processing in SZ and identify abnormal effective connectivities underlying gaze perception deficits. This K23 research will help define a treatment target for a future intervention study. Dr. Tso is a clinical psychologist with demonstrated experience in publishing and obtaining funding in behavioral and electrophysiological research in eye gaze perception in SZ. She is committed to translating her research findings to innovative cognitive interventions. She will work closely with a team of experts who collectively provide mentorship in a multitude of training domains: Primary Mentor Stephan Taylor (fMRI, responsible conduct of research), Co- mentor Vaibhav Diwadkar (network analyses and DCM), and Consultants Scott Peltier (fMRI), Timothy Johnson (Bayesian biostatistics), Michael Green (social cognition and functional assessment), Sophia Vinogradov (cognitive training and intervention research), and Emily Mower Provost (human-centered computing). Training will be complemented and augmented by formal coursework, specialized short courses, workshops, scientific meetings, and other training activities as described in the Career Development Plan. Dr. Tso’s short-term career goal is to acquire a new skillset in fMRI network modeling and become an independent translational neuroimaging researcher. Her long-term career goal is to develop a comprehensive research and intervention program to effectively treat and prevent severe and persistent mental illnesses. The proposed K23 Award is a crucial step in fulfilling these career goals.