Personalized brain imaging to map OCD networks
Precision Functional Neuroimaging Core
Uses advanced MRI scans to create precise, individual maps of the brain circuits linked to obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) for people with OCD.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Rochester NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Rochester, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11266132 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
You would get both resting-state and task-based fMRI scans so researchers can map your personal OCD brain network. The team will use new analysis methods to split each person's cortex into very fine functional regions and find key hub areas informed by primate and human data. They will apply advanced denoising methods to boost signal quality so activity can be measured reliably even on single trials. The core will provide these subject-level maps to other projects across the center to help guide targeting and analysis.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are people diagnosed with OCD who can safely undergo MRI scanning and complete simple tasks during the scan.
Not a fit: People who cannot have an MRI (for example, due to certain metal implants, pregnancy, or severe claustrophobia) or who do not have OCD are unlikely to benefit directly from participation.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could enable more personalized targeting of brain-based therapies (for example, TMS or DBS) and improve understanding of each person's OCD brain patterns.
How similar studies have performed: Previous studies have used group-level fMRI maps in OCD and guided treatment, but the individualized mapping and advanced denoising methods proposed here are relatively new.
Where this research is happening
Rochester, United States
- University of Rochester — Rochester, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Nickerson, Lisa D — University of Rochester
- Study coordinator: Nickerson, Lisa D
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.