Neuroimaging Education in Psychiatry Residency Training: Needs Assessment.

OBJECTIVE: The authors investigated the attitudes, self-perceived knowledge, and the need for a dedicated neuroimaging curriculum among psychiatrists-in-training. METHODS: An anonymous voluntary 20-item Web-based survey was distributed to psychiatry residents at seven university-based USA programs between December 2017 and February 2019. RESULTS: Of 302 psychiatry residents, 183 (response rate, 60.5%) completed the survey. Although a large majority of residents (83%) believed that neuroradiology education is important to psychiatric training, only 7% reported that they are receiving adequate training in this discipline. The majority (80%) believed that there should be a formal neuroimaging curriculum during their training. Self-perceived competence and comfort level was found to be low with several psychiatrically relevant neuroimaging modalities. In particular, regarding CT head/brain MRI, there was a marked difference in self-perceived competence at interpreting the actual brain images (8%) versus the radiological reports/impression summaries (48%). Comfort level with functional neuroimaging was especially low (7%). Clinically, only 26% reported confidence at being able to explain neuroimaging topics to patients. Compared to junior residents, senior residents rated higher confidence at interpreting the radiological reports/impression summaries of CT head/brain MRI (p = 0.008) and PET/SPECT (p = 0.014), but no difference was found with the actual brain images. Further, senior residents were less likely to identify with "neurophobia" (p = 0.028) and more likely to believe that a neuroimaging curriculum should be included in psychiatric residency training (p = 0.027) when compared to junior residents. CONCLUSIONS: Psychiatrists-in-training have a very strong interest in neuroimaging education. Future educational interventions should address this need.

Understanding Peripartum Depression Through Neuroimaging: a Review of Structural and Functional Connectivity and Molecular Imaging Research.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Imaging research has sought to uncover brain structure, function, and metabolism in women with postpartum depression (PPD) as little is known about its underlying pathophysiology. This review discusses the imaging modalities used to date to evaluate postpartum depression and highlights recent findings. RECENT FINDINGS: Altered functional connectivity and activity changes in brain areas implicated in executive functioning and emotion and reward processing have been identified in PPD. Metabolism changes involving monoamine oxidase A, gamma-aminobutyric acid, glutamate, serotonin, and dopamine have additionally been reported. To date, no studies have evaluated gray matter morphometry, voxel-based morphometry, surface area, cortical thickness, or white matter tract integrity in PPD. Recent imaging studies report changes in functional connectivity and metabolism in women with PPD vs. healthy comparison women. Future research is needed to extend these findings as they have important implications for the prevention and treatment of postpartum mood disorders.

Behavioral effects of MDMA ('ecstasy') on adult zebrafish.

3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA, 'ecstasy') is a potent psychedelic drug inducing euphoria and hypersociability in humans, as well as hyperactivity and anxiety in rodents. Adult zebrafish (Danio rerio) have become a widely used species in neurobehavioral research. Here, we explore the effects of a wide range (0.25-120 mg/l) of acute MDMA doses on zebrafish behavior in the novel tank test. Although MDMA was inactive at lower doses (0.25-10 mg/l), higher doses reduced bottom swimming and immobility (40-120 mg/l) and impaired intrasession habituation (10-120 mg/l). MDMA also elevated brain c-fos expression, collectively confirming the usage of zebrafish models for screening of hallucinogenic compounds.