Michelle Hampson PhD

Assistant Professor of Diagnostic Radiology

Research Interests

Resting state functional connectivity; Neurofeedback; Real-time fMRI

Current Projects

1. Developing a fast, effective paradigm for neurofeedback of real-time fMRI data.
2. Using neurofeedback of real-time fMRI data to train patients with tic disorders to control activity in the supplementary motor area, which we hope will translate into a reduction of their urges to tic.
3. Evaluating whether healthy control subjects can control activity in a region of their orbitofrontal cortex associated with contamination anxiety when supplied with neurofeedback of the activity in that region. If so, similar neurofeedback paradigms may be effective in helping subjects with obsessive-compulsive disorder to control their symptoms.
4. Evaluating changes in resting state functional connectivity between brain areas before and after neurofeedback to gain an understanding of how neurofeedback influences brain networks.

Research Summary

I am interested in the development and application of new functional brain imaging paradigms. These include resting state functional connectivity analyses and neurofeedback via real-time fMRI (rt-fMRI). Rt-fMRI neurofeedback has great potential as a clinical treatment for mental and neurological disorders. When used in conjunction with resting state functional connectivity assessments (collected before and after the neurofeedback), it provides a powerful perturb-and-measure approach for studying human brain function.

Selected Publications