In Dr. Yang’s lab the research goal is to develop advanced functional and structural magnetic resonance imaging/spectroscopy techniques and to evaluate their potentials in neuropharmacological applications.

The lab has been working on the development of functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) techniques to measure evoked and resting activity of the brain. In evoked-fMRI, brain activation is detected using multiple parameters that provide complementary and quantitative measurements. In resting state fMRI, new acquisition and analysis strategies are developed to assess alterations of brain circuitries in patients. In particular, they are evaluating these fMRI techniques in drug addiction applications.

The lab is investigating structural MRI techniques to assess tissue integrity related to brain dysfunctions. Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) and beyond DTI techniques are developed to examine microstructural changes in white and gray matter and fiber bundles are delineated by tractography techniques. Novel image registration methods based on implicit reference are developed for more accurate group analysis. They are also developing voxel-wise methods to evaluate structural changes in the brain and evaluating these methods in substance abuse populations.

The lab has been developing magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) techniques to measure metabolite and neurotransmitter concentrations in the brain. Specifically, they are focusing on the detection and quantification of glutamate, glutamine, and GABA levels. New methods are developed to measure these compounds reliably and evaluate their applications in neuropharmacological studies. They are also investigating underlying neuronal mechanisms of resting-state fMRI signals using animal models. Electrophysiological and fMRI signals from the rat brain are integrated to reveal the neuronal origins of the resting fMRI signal.