Sponheim, Scott R., Ph.D.

PSYCHOLOGY/ BRAIN SCIENCES

Dr. Sponheim is investigating cognitive and brain-based abnormalities found in schizophrenia patients and their first-degree relatives. Select cognitive and brain abnormalities are thought to be important to schizophrenia because they may reflect genetic vulnerability for developing the disorder. Cognitive abnormalities may also reflect brain anomalies that influence symptomatology and outcome in schizophrenia. The investigations in his laboratory are currently examining the electrical and magnetic field, and activity of the brain as an index of brain functioning in psychotic patients and their relatives. He has recently extended his examination of brain abnormalities in schizophrenia by using magnetoencephalography to study magnetic fields of the brain and magnetic resonance imaging to study brain structure. Increasing understanding of cerebral anomalies in schizophrenia will help guide the development of treatments that directly target biological bases for schizophrenic symptomatology, and assist in identifying the genetic basis of the disorder.