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I wonder if some mental disorers like squizophrenia, attention deficit disorder, borderline personality, general anxiety, bipolarity, obsessive compulsive disorder, etc, can be diagnosed by a brain scanner? Are physiological differences in the brain structure of people with certain mental disorder and people who don´t have them?
Besides detecting brain tumors, what other medical uses do brain scanners have?
I wonder if some mental disorers like squizophrenia, attention deficit disorder, borderline personality, general anxiety, bipolarity, obsessive compulsive disorder, etc, can be diagnosed by a brain scanner? Are physiological differences in the brain structure of people with certain mental disorder and people who don´t have them?
Besides detecting brain tumors, what other medical uses do brain scanners have?
What kind of "brain scanners" are you talking about? EEG? CT? MRI? fMRI? PET scan? Radiotracers? You've got several options here.
Tumors show up on scans because of changes in tissue density (IIRC-IANARadiologist). And fMRI can identify changes in blood flow and oxygen utilization. But if you're looking for a machine that can identify a mental illness biochemically in a living patient?--no, that's currently Star Trek-type technology.
There are neurophysiological tests for some of the disorders you listed. Was there a particular disorder you had in mind (pardon the pun)?
Agree with the above. Today, there are no "scans" that can identify an mental illness.
An MRI might detect structural issues related to organic brain damage, or like you mentioned a tumor. An MRI can sometimes detect some brain changes that happen with some people with schizophrenia after years of having the disease (like enlarged ventricles, or loss of parietal grey matter). But not everyone with schizophrenia shows these problems, and there is debate as to whether such brain changes are related to the illness itself or the meds the person has taken over time.
A PET scan can look at activity in different parts of the brain. Some activity patterns have been found to be correlated with certain mental illnesses, but nothing definitive that would say "this pattern in a PET scan means you have OCD" or "this PET scan pattern means you have bipolar disorder" or anything that specific.
Such "scanners" as you call them can be useful not only for identifying tumors, but to look for vascular problems in the brain. Aneurisms, blocked blood vessels, strokes, and damaged tissue resulting from a stroke can show up. Some forms of dementia will show up--like multi-infarct dementia (a bunch of mini-strokes that cause brain damage over time and result in Alheimer's-like symptoms.) MRIs combined with other tests can also help doctors distinguish between different forms of dementia.
What kind of "brain scanners" are you talking about? EEG? CT? MRI? fMRI? PET scan? Radiotracers? You've got several options here.
Tumors show up on scans because of changes in tissue density (IIRC-IANARadiologist). And fMRI can identify changes in blood flow and oxygen utilization. But if you're looking for a machine that can identify a mental illness biochemically in a living patient?--no, that's currently Star Trek-type technology.
There are neurophysiological tests for some of the disorders you listed. Was there a particular disorder you had in mind (pardon the pun)?
I used the term scanner to give it a general meaning. I am specially interested in Asperger and ADD.
The various types of brain scan can detect damage and tumors. Both of those might have effects on behavior.
An MRI can show multiple sclerosis and Alzheimer's, as well as cholesterol build up.
There is something with the way an eye works that can diagnose autism very early in life. (the eye can also be used sometimes to diagnose brain tumors)
I have a vague memory of something that linked a specific gene to both the behavior of ADHD and eating disorders. I wonder if I could find that information again.
The GARS (Gilliam Autism Rating Scale) is a face-valid instrument used for identifying Autism. It is a survey/questionnaire that when completed, can offer you a description of Autism. There is also the C(hildhood)ARS - same idea as the GARS. The TOVA (test of Variables of Attention) can give you information about ADHD/ADD. So does the Continuous Performance Test. For most other disorders you may use the MMPI II (Axis I disorders, including schizophrenia, depression, somatization and anxiety) or the MCMI III (axis II disorder - personality including Borderline). You don't always have to go more expensive or bigger. The PAI works just as nicely to ID the former disorders too.
I have 3 sons with Aspergers, 2 of which also have ADHD and a daughter with RAD and ADHD, no those things cannot be diagnosed by any type of brain scan. A scan can pick up a tumor or a brain bleed, or brain damage, but not mental illness.
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The Amen Clinics take PET scans of the brain and claim to be able to detect a lot of neurologically-based conditions, like ADHD, OCD, etc.. Several years ago, my "ex" was clinically diagnosed by a psychiatrist, as Borderline Personality (BPD), with NPD 'co-morbidity'. Since there was also an Amen clinic not that far from us, we arranged for a "2nd Opinion" and both had the scans done. And what they do is compare the 3-D color printout of each PET scan, taken at rest, with the printout of a supposedly 'normal' brain also at rest.
Long story short, my brain scan looked reasonably the same as the "baseline", with a few areas in green (indicating low metabolic activity), and others in shades of red (more activity). But my 'ex-es' scan was amazing, and instead of just a few large areas of color and activity, hers was lit up all over with colored dots like a Christmas tree! Which BTW, kinda fit her behavior as always seeming on the "edge", apparently from internally always feeling on the brink of "overload", even when she appeared calm!
PET scans are used to diagnose anxiety disorders but they are expensive and usually these disorders can be diagnosed clinically so most doctors do not bother with the scan routinely. Insurance won't routinely cover the scan either.
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