An anti-inflammatory approach to diagnosis and treatment of combined PTSD and mild TBI

Task 1. Collect brain imaging data on an additional group of four subjects recruited under SOW Task 3.3. Subtask 1.1. Collect MRI and functional MRI task data in additional subjects using 3T MRI at MRISC center at Univ. of Kentucky College of Medicine Subtask 1.2. Collect brain event-related potentials during a hybride working memory task and emotional induction task at the electrophysiological lab at the Behavioral Science Department, College of Medicine, Univ. of Kentucky. Task 2. Perform analysis on neuroimaging, neuroelectrophysiological and behavioral data sets Subtask 2.1. MRI (brain structure scans), DTI (white matter), SPECT (MRS) Subtask 2.2. fMRI (activity during memory; default brain network; task-related connectivityKamonik et al. 2012) Subtask 2.3. EEG (direct measures of neural activity; frequency, coherence and nonlinear dynamic analysis; McBride et al., 2012); Cognitive ERP (memory deficits; processing speed) Subtask 2.4. Memory performance (accuracy and reaction times) during neuroimaging, Subtask 2.5. Work with Dr. Walter High to conduct correlational analysis and interpretation between neuroimaging indicators and multiple neuropsychological tests. Task 3. Assist Dr. Robert Lipsky (George Mason University) in performing association analyses on the total cohort of 30 individuals comprising the Kentucky VA cohort. These include comparative analysis on epigenetic profiling data (Parasuraman & Jiang, 2012). Differential DNA methylation analysis on mTBI, PSTD, and mTBI/PTSD combination, and control subjects will be performed using the RnBead R/BioConductor package (http://rnbeads.mpi-inf.mpg.de/). The SWAN method will be used to normalize data to the internal controls on the array. Subsequent analytical procedures were performed according to the standard procedures in RnBead. Significance between groups will be determined using a p-value of 0.05. Task 4. Provide the Study’s overall PI (Dr. Jamie Grimes) with a quarterly report on the status of research