Dr. Amy Peters, PhD
“A window into the brain of bipolarity: Neuroimaging advances and future directions”
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Description of presentation
A diagnosis of bipolar disorder is determined according to behavioral criteria. However, the nature, severity, and course of behavioral symptoms can vary substantially between individuals, even among those who may carry the same specific diagnosis (e.g., Bipolar Type I or Bipolar Type II). Advances in neuroimaging tools over the past two decades have provided unique opportunities to look “under the hood” into how variations in brain structure and the function of brain cells may contribute to those individual differences in behavioral symptoms. This presentation will summarize the state of neuroimaging research to date and provide a discussion of future directions for informing novel treatment development for bipolar disorder.
Bio of presenter
Dr. Amy Peters, PhD is an Assistant Professor of Psychology in Psychiatry at the Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, based in the Dauten Family Center for Bipolar Treatment Innovation. She is a clinically trained neuropsychologist whose research utilizes neuroimaging tools to better understand cognitive symptoms associated with mood disorders. This includes a specific interest in the involvement of biological factors, like immune, endocrine, and cerebrovascular integrity. The goal of this research is to identify risk markers that could be targeted to develop new treatments for bipolar and other mood disorders. Her research has been funded by the National Institute for Mental Health, the Brain and Behavior Research Foundation, and the American Psychological Foundation.