James Patterson, M.D., Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Department of Psychiatry
Director of PET Neuroimaging Research
Biomedical Research Institute PET Imaging Center
M.D., Ph.D., University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston

Major Research Interests:
My research interests include neuropsychiatric illnesses, specifically Schizophrenia and Alzheimer's disease. The tools with which these disorders are evaluated are also of interest; as a cognitive neuroscientist, I study the brain's function in vivo using functional neuroimaging. For schizophrenia, our interest currently lies in detecting endophenotypes in first-degree family members of schizophrenics, to try and determine why some at-risk individuals develop the disorder, and some do not. The majority of the currently accepted endophenotypes are deficits in cognition, and can thus be discriminated by cognitive tests. However, we have very little understanding of what the underlying neural correlates of these deficits are. We use functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to simultaneously obtain rapid (every 3 secs) images of the brain's function, while the patient performs a cognitive task. We are studying short-term working memory, a type of memory that has been frequently found to be abnormal in schizophrenics, as well as their close relatives. I also serve in the role of Director of PET Neuroimaging Research for the PET Imaging Center here on Campus. In this role, we are currently pursuing research objectives related to the early detection of Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI), a disorder that is distinguishable from the "normal" cognitive decline of aging, and often leads to Alzheimer's disease. The goal is to extent the nuclear medicine physician's capacity to detect subtle brain lesions with more accuracy, as well as to provide very early diagnostic direction so that patients can be started on medication much earlier than happens now, perhaps with improved outcome and greater long-term quality of life.

Selected Recent Publications:
Patterson JC, Ungerleider LG, and Bandettini, PA (2003). Task – Independent Functional Brain Activity Correlation with Skin Conductance Changes: an fMRI Study Neuroimage, accepted for publication.

Patterson JC (1997). Augmentation of Antidepressant Pharmacotherapy for Resistant Depression. The Resident Reporter, 2(9):25-28.

Patterson JC, Early TS, Martin A, Walker MZ, Russell, JM, Villanueva-Meyer J. (1997). Computerized SPECT image analysis using statistical parametric mapping: comparison of 99mTc-radiolabeled exametazime and bicisate tracers. J Nuc Med. 38(11):1721-1725

Contact Info:
Dr. James Patterson
Associate Professor
Department of Psychiatry
Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center
1501 Kings Highway
Shreveport, LA 71130-3932
318-675-6040
jpatte@lsuhsc.edu