Research techniques: Structural MRI

Structural magnetic resonance imaging (sMRI) is a non-invasive technique for examining the physical structure of the brain (as opposed to using functional magnetic resonance imaging [fMRI] to examine brain activity). Many sMRI scan sequences are volumetric, meaning that measurements can be made of specific brain structures to calculate volumes of tissue. The volumes of regional grey and white-matter (of which the brain is composed) change considerably during childhood and adolescence, and may change again in old age. There is considerable evidence as well that many psychiatric conditions are associated with abnormal (either increased or decreased) regional brain volumes compared with age- and sex-matched healthy subjects. The Department of Academic Clinical Psychiatry has conducted a considerable amount of research with structural MRI scans including both manual and automated (voxel-based morphometry [VBM]) techniques.