Anne Wheeler
PhD
Research Synopsis
Research Description: We use brain imaging in pediatric patients that have had a TBI in order to identify brain damage and inform prognosis. Recent advanced MRI methods are able to detect subtle microscopic alterations in the brain. This research involves acquiring structural and functional longitudinal neuroimaging in a pediatric sample, the application of advanced processing and network analysis methods and the relation of identified damage to patient outcome. These neuroimaging biomarkers will be validated in animal models. Additionally the impact of the timing of injury during neurodevelopment will be investigated in children and animal models.
Keywords: Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), Diffusion Tensor Imaging (DTI), Diffuse Axonal Injury, Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI), Animal Models, Network Analysis, Brain Circuits
Collaborators: Dr. Katia Sinopoli, Dr. Elysa Widjaja, Dr. Adrienne Davis, Dr. Jamie Hutchison, Dr. Stephanie Ameis, Dr. Aristotle Voineskos, Dr. Arash Nazeri, Dr. Jason Lerch
Methods Used: acquisition of MRI data (anatomical, diffusion tensor imaging, functional MRI). analyses of MRI data (network theory, tract based spatial statistics (TBSS), structural covariance analysis), statistical relation of imaging and outcome data, immunohistochemistry, microarray analysis
Equipment Used: 3T human MRI, 7T mouse MRI, Controlled Cortical Impact (CCI) apparatus, Cryostat
Recent Publications
Wheeler AL, Wessa M, Szeszko PR, Foussias G, Chakravarty MM, Lerch JP, DeRosse P, Remington G, Mulsant BH, Linke J, Malhotra AK, Voineskos AN (2015) “Further Neuroimaging Evidence for the Deficit Subtype of Schizophrenia: A Cortical Connectomics Analysis” JAMA Psychiatry May 1;72(5):446-55.
Wheeler AL, Chakravarty MM, Lerch JP, Pipitone J, Daskalakis ZJ, Rajji TK, Mulsant BH, Voineskos AN (2014) “Disruption of prefrontal interhemisphereic structural coupling in schizophrenia related to working memory performance” Schizophrenia Bulletin Jul;40(4):914-24.
Wheeler AL, Creed MC, Voineskos AN, Nobrega JN (2014) “Changes in brain functional connectivity after chronic haloperidol in rats: a network analysis” International Journal of Neuropsychopharmacology Aug;17(8):1129-38.
Wheeler AL, Voineskos AN (2014) “A review of structural neuroimaging in schizophrenia: from connectivity to connectomics.” Frontiers in Human Neuroscience Aug 25;8:653.
Wheeler AL, Lerch JP, Chakravarty M, Friedel M, Sled JG, Fletcher P, Josselyn SA, Frankland PW (2013) “Adolescent cocaine exposure causes enduring macroscale changes in mouse brain structure” Journal of Neuroscience 33(5):1797-1803.
Wheeler AL, Teixeira CM, Wang AH,, Xiong X, Lerch JP, McIntosh AR, Parkinson J, Frankland PW (2013) “Identification of a functional network for long-term fear memory in mice” PLoS Computational Biology (9(1): e1002853. doi:10.1371/journal.pcbi.1002853.