Colloquium: Prof. Peter Kochunov, U. Maryland School of Med.

Location

Physics : 401

Date & Time

February 25, 2015, 3:30 pm4:30 pm

Description

TITLE: Employing the physics of water diffusion in brain disorders.
ABSTRACT: Cerebral white matter presents a unique opportunity to apply the classical Einstein theory of diffusion to study biopathology of debilitating psychiatric disorders such as schizophrenia. Modern magnetic resonance imaging scanners can be used to accurate derive the parameters of Einstein's equation of restricted diffusion. Patients with schizophrenia show significant alteration in diffusion behavior suggesting several possible culprits. A more advanced diffusion modeling that considers the structure of cerebral white matter can help to understand the biopathological causes of this disorder