MRC Centre for Neuropsychiatric Genetics and Genomics

Research overview

The neuropsychiatric imaging group headed by David Linden investigates the effects of genes (and their interaction with the environment) on brain structure and function and on behaviour. Non-invasive neuroimaging techniques enable us to explore brain anatomy and function in considerable detail in humans, and these techniques (magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), electroencephalography (EEG), magnetoencephalography (MEG)) are available at the Cardiff University Brain Research Imaging Centre (CUBRIC) at the School of Psychology. We also conduct interventional studies in behavioural pharmacology (where we assess the effects of drugs on decision making and cognitive functions) and neurofeedback (where we assess the effect of self-regulation of brain activity through real-time feedback of MRI signals on symptoms of depression, Parkinson's disease and other disorders).

Our research is embedded in the University's Neuroscience and Mental Health Research Institute and the National Centre for Mental Health and receives external funding from NISCHR, MRC, BBSRC and ESRC. Professor Linden's clinical interests focus on affective disorders, psychosis and neuropsychiatry (psychological consequences of neurological disorders).

For further detail on our research in the School of Psychology, please go to:
http://psych.cf.ac.uk/contactsandpeople/academics/linden.html

Selected key publications

• The Biology of Psychological Disorders
  Linden D et al, Palgrave Macmillan (2012)
• Differentiating Heavy from Light Drinkers by Neural Responses to Visual Alcohol Cues and Other Motivational Stimuli
  Ihssen N, Cox WM, Wiggett A, Fadardi JS, Linden DEJ, Cerebral Cortex, Volume 21, 6 (June 2011) pp.1408-1415
• Upregulation of emotion areas through neurofeedback with a focus on positive mood
  Johnston S, Linden DEJ, Healy D, Goebel R, Habes I, Boehm SG, Cognitive Affective & Behavioral Neuroscience, Volume 11, 1 (March 2011) pp.44-51
• The Brain's Voices: Comparing Nonclinical Auditory Hallucinations and Imagery
  Linden DEJ, Thornton K, Kuswanto CN, Johnston SJ, van de Ven V, Jackson MC, Cerebral Cortex, Volume 21, 2 (February 2011) pp.330-337
• Reduced Laterality as a Trait Marker of Schizophrenia-Evidence from Structural and Functional Neuroimaging
  Oertel V, Knoechel C, Rotarska-Jagiela A, Schoenmeyer R, Lindner M, van de Ven V, Haenschel C, Uhlhaas P, Maurer K, Linden DEJ, Journal Of Neuroscience, Volume 30, 6 (February 2010) pp.2289-2299