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AHFMR News

U of A researcher uses MRI to investigate schizophrenia

(Edmonton, AB) August 28, 2007... Schizophrenia is a devastating mental disorder affecting 51 million people worldwide. Although the cause of schizophrenia is unknown, researchers believe brain activity plays a significant role. One researcher at the University of Alberta, David McAllindon, is investigating brain activity in people with schizophrenia to determine which areas of the brain are affected by the disorder.

David McAllindon's research uses functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), a machine that measures blood oxygen changes in the brain, to identify which parts of a schizophrenic brain are active during basic tasks. He investigates patterns in brain activity to determine the differences between healthy people and those with schizophrenia. This new information could lead to a better understanding of schizophrenia and eventually to improved treatments for patients with this disorder.

David McAllindon's research is supported by a unique partnership between the Alberta Mental Health Board and the Alberta Heritage Foundation for Medical Research.

** A Photo Opportunity with a Researcher at the U of A NMR Centre will be Available **

    What: Media opportunity to interview medical researcher: David McAllindon
    When: Tuesday, August 28, 2007
    Time: 09:30 AM – 11:00 AM*
    Where: University of Alberta Hospital - Room # 0A6.00

Please call Laura Ly, AHFMR Communications, at (780) 966-1518 to arrange an interview.

*Please use the 112th Street (east side) entrance where an AHFMR Communications staff person will meet and escort you to the NMR Centre.


Backgrounder

  • David McAllindon is a researcher in the Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry in the Department of Biomedical Engineering at the University of Alberta. His research is funded by the Alberta Mental Health Board in partnership with the Alberta Heritage Foundation for Medical Research and by the Bebensee Schizophrenia Research Unit.

  • Schizophrenia is a complex mental disorder that generally strikes between the ages of 16 and 30. Symptoms vary but may include hallucinations, delusions, disorganized speech and behavior, social withdrawal, and depression. The disorder may develop gradually over time, or can have a sudden onset with rapid development.

  • David McAllindon's research supervisors are AHFMR Investigators Dr. Philip Tibbo, and Dr. Alan Wilman. Using fMRI, researchers examine blood oxygen changes in the brain to determine which areas decrease or increase in activity while performing a simple activity. This type of research is important in identifying the areas of the brain involved in performing a simple activity and which areas of the brain are affected by schizophrenia.

  • The Alberta Mental Health Board (AMHB) is the provincial health authority that oversees and advances Alberta's mental health system. The AMHB is involved in numerous initiatives, including advocacy, policy advice and working with regional health authorities and stakeholders to improve and facilitate mental health research and services. The AMHB also collaborates with inter-provincial, national and international partners. For more information, visit www.amhb.ab.ca

  • The Alberta Heritage Foundation for Medical Research (AHFMR) currently provides funding for over 600 researchers and researchers in training at the province's three main universities. The foundation supports a community of researchers who generate knowledge that improves the health and quality of life of Albertans and people throughout the world. AHFMR's commitment is to fund health research based on international standards of excellence and carried out by new and established investigators and researchers in training. Total AHFMR funding more than a quarter of a century is in excess of $900 million. For more information, visit www.ahfmr.ab.ca.