Machine Intelligence in Neuroimaging

Projects

Our projects cover both machine-learning methodological development to translational research based on neuroimaging and neuropsychological data. We collaborate with computational scientists, neuropsychiatrists, psychologists, and statisticians to identify biomarkers informing mechanism, treatment, and prevention.

Machine and Deep Learning Analysis across Imaging, Behavioral, and Neuropsychological Data

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Discovering the neurobiological processes contributing to psychopathological and behavioral traits underlying psychiatric symptoms will enable us to develop personalized treatmeant and preventative programs. We aim to complement traditional hypothesis testing approaches with data-driven analysis to reveal novel biomedical phenotypes associated with the diseases. This requires a paradigm shift towards learning-based coupling between multi-modal neuroimaging data and non-imaging measurements to jointly advance the explanation of the heterogeneous brain-behavior relationships.

Highlighted publications:

Interpretable Deep Learning Models for Longitudinal and Multi-Modal Neuroimaging Studies

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Large-scale longitudinal and multi-modal neuroimaging studies are increasingly being used for relating brain structure and function to behavioral and cognitive phenotypes. Analytical approaches for these studies, however, still largely rely on cross-sectional and unimodal procedures, neglecting intra-subject and inter-modality dependencies within the repeated measures. We developed novel interpretable methods for investigating complementary information underlying structural and functional neurodevelopment with biologically plausible trajectories. These methods were shown to have improved statistical power in detecting normal aging effects and alterations linked to neurological disorders.

Highlighted publications:

Neuromarkers for Adolescent Behavioral and Mental Health Problems

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Adolescence is a critical period of physiological and social maturation accompanied by significant structural, functional, and neurochemical brain changes. Together, the activity of these neurosystems subserves the development of cognitive, behavioral, emotional, and motor functions. These dynamic developmental changes unfold when many psychiatric symptoms first emerge, e.g., youth drinking and internalizing/externalizing problems. Identifying neuroimaging-based biomarkers (or neuromarkers) linked to these symptoms can not only shed light on the neural substrates of psychopathology but also indicate neurobiological targets that potentially inform early interventions and treatment design (e.g., behavioral therapy or neurostimulation) and predict risk for future symptom onset.

Highlighted publications:

Other translational neuropsychiatric research: