research

developmental imaging

summary

Our group focuses on improving knowledge in childhood disorders through use of sophisticated medical imaging analysis techniques. This involves a multidisciplinary team comprised of engineers, psychologists and neuroscientists.

The team has two major goals: to provide support for campus-based researchers to conduct their research, and to conduct novel research within the group.

Key collaborations include studies to examine brain development in developmental stuttering, structural and functional neuroimaging in children with psychiatric disorders, traumatic brain injury and craniofacial defects.

Key research within our group develops and implements novel methodologies for medical image analysis. We also lead a nationwide study on long-term neuropsychological outcomes in children exposed to anti-epileptic medications during pregnancy, a collaboration with the Australian Pregnancy Register for Women with Epilepsy and Allied Health.

group leader(s)

Marc Seal  Dr Marc Seal
  Developmental Imaging, MRI
  Royal Children's Hospital
  Flemington Road
  Parkville
  Victoria 3052

  T +61 3 9345 4310
  F +61 3 9345 4325
  E marc.seal@mcri.edu.au

  group leader biography

current research projects

Project 1: Long term outcome of exposure to antiepileptic drugs during pregnancy

Antiepileptic medications are used during pregnancy to protect against the harmful impact of seizures on the unborn child. Emerging research suggests that some children exposed to AEDs during pregnancy have poor cognitive and behavioural outcomes. Our research in babies and school-aged children will characterise the nature and range of outcomes. The older group will undergo brain scanning to examine the effects on the development of key brain structures. This research is a collaboration with the Australian Pregnancy Register for Women with Epilepsy and Allied Conditions. The outcomes of the work will affect clinical management of thousands of Australian women and their children.

Project 2: Computational Image Analysis Infrastructure

Neuroimaging data is complex due to the diverse nature of imaging modalities, imaging sequences, and file formats. To address shortcomings in data management tools, we have developed tools for our computational environment. Our lab runs Ubuntu Linux-based server-class workstations and a high-capacity file server. Grid facilities allow full utilisation of the computational resources.

The data management tool includes graphical and command-line based programs to provide ingest, categorisation, storage, search and reporting functions for raw and processed data. Secure and reversible anonymisation of raw data is conducted prior to data storage. Raw data can be exported to multiple formats and file names can be automatically generated from meta-data when exporting. This early DFBI project provides a highly efficient setting for medical image analysis.

Project 3: Genetics and brain imaging in child neurodevelopmental disorders

Childhood neurodevelopmental disorders such as ADHD are associated with cognitive deficits, in addition to the clinical symptoms and behaviours. ADHD is a common child mental health condition in Australia. Although there are environmental influences on the phenotype, there is convergent and robust evidence of genetic susceptibility to ADHD.  This body of research takes an imaging genetics approach to examine the effects of genetic variation on neural activity underlying attentional control. The ADHD work is led by Dr Tim Silk, in collaboration with the Developmental Neuropsychiatry group at MCRI and researchers at the University of Queensland.

team members

  • Chris Adamson - Research Officer
  • Sarah Barton - Research Assistant
  • Richard Beare - Postdoctoral Research Fellow
  • Mark Bellgrove - RESEARCH ASSOCIATE
  • James Brown - PhD Student (UoM Paeds)
  • Tim Cain - HONORARY RESEARCH FELLOW
  • Jian Chen - RESEARCH ASSISTANT - IMAGING SCIENCE
  • Ross Cunnington - RESEARCH ASSOCIATE
  • Karen Dally - RESEARCH ASSOCIATE
  • Gary Egan - RESEARCH ASSOCIATE
  • Rachel Ellis - PhD/Masters Student
  • Tamsen Franklin - RESEARCH AFFILIATE
  • Rapson Gomez - RESEARCH ASSOCIATE
  • Nicole Hall - RESEARCH ASSOCIATE
  • Penelope Hartmann - PhD Student (Monash Medicine)
  • Julie Iredale - Administrative Assistant
  • Elisha Josev - MPsych/PhD Student (UoM Psych)
  • Michael Kean - HONORARY FELLOW
  • Paul Maruff - RESEARCH ASSOCIATE
  • John Mathai - RESEARCH AFFILIATE
  • Caroline Nadebaum - Research Officer
  • Margaret Nelson - MPsych/PhD Student (UoM Psych)
  • Ken Pang - RESEARCH AFFILIATE
  • Chidambaram Prakash - RESEARCH ASSOCIATE
  • Tim Silk - Postdoctoral Fellow
  • Alasdair Vance - HONORARY FELLOW
  • Veronika Vilgis - PhD Student (UoM Paeds)
  • Simon Vogrin - Research Officer
  • Amanda Wood - HONORARY FELLOW

publications

  • Adamson CL., Wood AG., Chen J., Barton S., Reutens DC., Pantelis C., Velakoulis D., Walterfang M. Thickness profile generation for the corpus callosum using Laplace's equation. Human Brain Mapping 32 (12) : 2131 - 2140(2011) PubMed
  • Anderson V., Spencer-Smith M., Wood A. Do children really recover better? Neurobehavioural plasticity after early brain insult. BRAIN 134 (8) : 2197 - 2221(2011) PubMed
  • Beare R., Das G., Ren M., Chong W., Sinnott MD., Hilton JE., Srikanth V., Phan TG. Does the principle of minimum work apply at the carotid bifurcation: a retrospective cohort study. BMC Medical Imaging 11 (17) (2011) PubMed
  • Beauchamp MH., Ditchfield M., Babl FE., Kean M., Catroppa C., Yeates KO., Anderson V. Detecting Traumatic Brain Lesions in Children: CT versus MRI versus Susceptibility Weighted Imaging (SWI). JOURNAL OF NEUROTRAUMA 28 (6) : 915 - 927(2011) PubMed
  • Beauchamp MH., Ditchfield M., Catroppa C., Kean M., Godfrey C., Rosenfeld JV., Anderson V. Focal thinning of the posterior corpus callosum: Normal variant or post-traumatic?. BRAIN INJURY 25 (10) : 950 - 957(2011) PubMed
  • Beauchamp MH., Ditchfield M., Maller JJ., Catroppa C., Godfrey C., Rosenfeld JV., Kean MJ., Anderson VA. Hippocampus, amygdala and global brain changes 10 years after childhood traumatic brain injury. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF DEVELOPMENTAL NEUROSCIENCE 29 (2) : 137 - 143(2011) PubMed
  • Bora E., Fornito A., Radua J., Walterfang M., Seal M., Wood SJ., Yucel M., Velakoulis D., Pantelis C. Neuroanatomical abnormalities in schizophrenia: A multimodal voxelwise meta-analysis and meta-regression analysis. SCHIZOPHRENIA RESEARCH 127 (40603) : 46 - 57(2011) PubMed
  • Corben LA., Akhlaghi H., Georgiou-Karistianis N., Bradshaw JL., Egan GF., Storey E., Churchyard AJ., Delatycki MB. Impaired inhibition of prepotent motor tendencies in Friedreich ataxia demonstrated by the Simon interference task. BRAIN AND COGNITION 76 (1) : 140 - 145(2011) PubMed
  • Ferrin M., Vance A. Examination of neurological subtle signs in ADHD as a clinical tool for the diagnosis and their relationship to spatial working memory. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry (2011)
  • Nadebaum C., Anderson VA., Vajda F., Reutens DC., Barton S., Wood AG. Language skills of school-aged children prenatally exposed to antiepileptic drugs. NEUROLOGY 76 (8) : 719 - 726(2011) PubMed
  • Nelson MT., Seal ML., Phillips LJ., Merritt AH., Wilson R., Pantelis C. An Investigation of the Relationship Between Cortical Connectivity and Schizotypy in the General Population. JOURNAL OF NERVOUS AND MENTAL DISEASE 199 (5) : 348 - 353(2011) PubMed
  • Schonberger M., Ponsford J., Reutens D., Beare R., Clarke D., O'Sullivan R. The relationship between mood disorders and MRI findings following traumatic brain injury. BRAIN INJURY 25 (6) : 543 - 550(2011) PubMed
  • Silk TJ., Wood AG. Lessons About Neurodevelopment From Anatomical Magnetic Resonance Imaging. JOURNAL OF DEVELOPMENTAL AND BEHAVIORAL PEDIATRICS 32 (2) : 158 - 168(2011) PubMed
  • Valli I., Stone J., Mechelli A., Bhattacharyya S., Raffin M., Allen P., Fusar-Poli P., Lythgoe D., O'Gorman R., Seal M., McGuire P. Altered Medial Temporal Activation Related to Local Glutamate Levels in Subjects with Prodromal Signs of Psychosis. BIOLOGICAL PSYCHIATRY 69 (1) : 97 - 99(2011) PubMed
  • Van Hecke W., Leemans A., Sage CA., Emsell L., Veraart J., Sijbers J., Sunaert S., Parizel PM. The effect of template selection on diffusion tensor voxel-based analysis results. NEUROIMAGE 55 (2) : 566 - 573(2011) PubMed
  • Vance A., Winther J., Rennie K. Management of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder: The importance of psychosocial and medication treatments. JOURNAL OF PAEDIATRICS AND CHILD HEALTH (2011) PubMed
  • Yik YI., Cain TM., Tudball CF., Cook DJ., Southwell BR., Hutson JM. Nuclear transit studies of patients with intractable chronic constipation reveal a subgroup with rapid proximal colonic transit. JOURNAL OF PEDIATRIC SURGERY 46 (7) : 1406 - 1411(2011) PubMed
  • Yik YI., Clarke MCC., Catto-Smith AG., Robertson VJ., Sutcliffe JR., Chase JW., Gibb S., Cain TM., Cook DJ., Tudball CF., Hutson JM., Southwell BR. Slow-transit constipation with concurrent upper gastrointestinal dysmotility and its response to transcutaneous electrical stimulation. PEDIATRIC SURGERY INTERNATIONAL 27 (7) : 705 - 711(2011) PubMed