The Platform for Advanced Imaging – MRI/EEG – in Clinical Cognitive Sciences

The Platform for Advanced Imaging – MRI/EEG – in Clinical Cognitive Sciences is part of the Program of Biological Models (cognitive neurosciences/ethology/evolutionary/) of Psychopathology in the Department of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy of the Babes-Bolyai University.

Brief History

In 2007 we founded the Department of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy at the Babes-Bolyai University. In its research and development strategy, approved in 2007, we planed to develop two word-class research platforms, as part of our clinical cognitive sciences paradigm: (1) one for clinical cognitive neurosciences and (2) one for virtual reality interventions (including robotics in psychotherapy).

In 2008 we applied for various national and international grants in order to develop our research infrastructure. The university was also very supportive in developing our research infrastructure.

The Platform for Robotherapy and Virtual Reality Psychotherapy was set in 2009 and it is an excellence research unit of the Department (see at http://www.psytech.ro).

The Platform for Advanced Imaging – MRI/EEG – in Clinical Cognitive Sciences is our newest Platform (operational starting with December 2011). Once we obtained the infrastructure an intense program of personnel organization and training began.

In order to organize the Platform according to the highest international standards, we (Dr. David) visited similar neurosciences laboratories at Harvard University, Yale University, Oxford University, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, and New-York University.

We then focused on the training of our academic and non-academic staff. The main contribution in the training programs was due to:

• University of Pisa, Italy
• Dr. Mario Guazzelli, Dr. Pietro Pietrini and their team had a key contribution (e.g., academic courses/workshops) in training our colleagues (some of our colleagues practically worked for several years in the Department of Psychiatry, Neurobiology, Pharmacology and Biotechnologies at the University of Pisa; common research projects and proposals are underway)
• Harvard University, USA
• Dr. Charles Nelson; one of our faculties had an intership in his program
• Dr. Ovidiu Andronesi was involved in our training and also put us in contact with top Harvard researchers in the field, who delivered several key workshops:
• Dr. Ovidiu Andronesi – Advanced MR based methods for neuroimaging (common research projects and proposals are underway)Fundamentals of MRI
• Dr. Giorgio Bonmassar – Fundamentals and advances of EEG
• Dr. Gaab Nadine – fMRI and children

Organization

The Platform for Advanced Imaging – MRI/EEG – in Clinical Cognitive Sciences (Dr. Daniel David & Dr. Alina Rusu, co-supervisors) is the first one in Romania, having a top research infrastructure (e.g., the first Skyra-MRI in Romania). It has the following structure:

• A Center for Clinical Neurosciences (Dr. Octavian Popescu & Dr. Daniel David, co-supervisors)
• Clinical Cognitive Neurosciences Laboratory (Ioana Cristea, director)
• Genetic Counseling Laboratory (Ramona Moldovan, director)
• A Center for the Study of Human-Animal Interaction (Alina Rusu, director)
• Study of Human-Animal Interaction Laboratory (Bianca Macavei, director)

Research Infrastructure

The Platform is localized at the “Raluca Ripan” Institute for Research in Chemistry, No. 30 Fantanele Street, Cluj-Napoca.

MRI (Siemens Skyra)

The MRI equipment consists of a 3 Tesla Siemens Skyra MRI with large bore (70 cm) and 32 channel head coil. Spinal coil, body coils and flexible coils are also available for other clinical applications. Available imagistic applications include angiography, cardiology, abdominal, perfusion, diffusion tensor imaging, nervous tract visualization, functional imaging, spectroscopy and dynamic breast imaging. Parallel acquisition techniques and movement corrections are included (all coils are compatible for parallel acquisition).

EEG System (EMS Pegasus/Phoenix)

The system is a 32-channels digital one that includes a photo stimulator. It permits FFT analysis, brain mapping and it is also equipped for event potential registration and analysis.

Working Procedure

People interested to use our facilities should address their request to Ioana Cristea (ioanacristea@psychology.ro), describing (1) their planned activities, (2) the resources they need (including time and personnel). The fee for a 2 hour session of access to MRI is 500 Euro; if our team is a partner in research the fee is 300 Euro.

The Platform will also offer services to the community, working with trained physicians.

Ethical and research procedures of the Babes-Bolyai University should be followed in any type of activity of the Platform.

Sample publications

• David D, Szentagotai A, Lupu V, & Cosman D. (2008). Rational emotive behavior therapy, cognitive therapy, and medication in the treatment of major depressive disorder: a randomized clinical trial, posttreatment outcomes, and six-month follow-up. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 64(6), 728-746.
• Cristea I, Gentili G, Ricciardi E, Rota G, Bonino D, David D, Pietrini P, Guazzelli M. Brain correlates of rational and irrational beliefs: an fMRI study of cognitive reappraisal. Poster presented at the 17th Annual Meeting of the Organization of Human Brain Mapping, June 2011.