Skip to main content
Top
Published in: Behavioral and Brain Functions 1/2012

Open Access 01-12-2012 | Commentary

Why are psychiatric imaging methods clinically unreliable? Conclusions and practical guidelines for authors, editors and reviewers

Authors: Stefan Borgwardt, Joaquim Radua, Andrea Mechelli, Paolo Fusar-Poli

Published in: Behavioral and Brain Functions | Issue 1/2012

Login to get access

Abstract

No reliable anatomical or functional alterations have been confirmed in psychiatric neuroimaging; however it can become reliable with translational impact on clinical practice when considering crucial methodological issues. We provide guidelines to authors, editors and reviewers in the implementation/evaluation of neuroimaging studies to bend neuroimaging to be more than basic neuroscience.
Literature
1.
go back to reference Johnstone EC, Crow TJ, Frith CD, Husband J, Kreel L: Cerebral ventricular size and cognitive impairment in chronic schizophrenia. Lancet. 1976, 7992: 924-926.CrossRef Johnstone EC, Crow TJ, Frith CD, Husband J, Kreel L: Cerebral ventricular size and cognitive impairment in chronic schizophrenia. Lancet. 1976, 7992: 924-926.CrossRef
2.
go back to reference Fusar-Poli P, Broome MR: Conceptual issues in psychiatric neuroimaging. Curr Opin Psychiatry. 2006, 19: 608-612. 10.1097/01.yco.0000245750.98749.1b.CrossRefPubMed Fusar-Poli P, Broome MR: Conceptual issues in psychiatric neuroimaging. Curr Opin Psychiatry. 2006, 19: 608-612. 10.1097/01.yco.0000245750.98749.1b.CrossRefPubMed
3.
go back to reference Fusar-Poli P, Broome M, Barale F, Stanghellini G: Why is psychiatric imaging clinically unreliable? Epistemological perspectives in clinical neuroscience. Psychother Psychosom. 2009, 78: 320-321. 10.1159/000229771.CrossRefPubMed Fusar-Poli P, Broome M, Barale F, Stanghellini G: Why is psychiatric imaging clinically unreliable? Epistemological perspectives in clinical neuroscience. Psychother Psychosom. 2009, 78: 320-321. 10.1159/000229771.CrossRefPubMed
4.
go back to reference Fusar-Poli P, Allen P, McGuire P: Neuroimaging studies of the early stages of psychosis: a critical review. Eur Psychiatry. 2008, 23: 237-244. 10.1016/j.eurpsy.2008.03.008.CrossRefPubMed Fusar-Poli P, Allen P, McGuire P: Neuroimaging studies of the early stages of psychosis: a critical review. Eur Psychiatry. 2008, 23: 237-244. 10.1016/j.eurpsy.2008.03.008.CrossRefPubMed
5.
go back to reference Fusar-Poli P, Bhattacharyya S, Allen P, Crippa JA, Borgwardt S, Martin-Santos R, Seal M, O’Carroll C, Atakan Z, Zuardi AW, McGuire P: Effect of image analysis software on neurofunctional activation during processing of emotional human faces. J Clin Neurosci. 2010, 17: 311-314. 10.1016/j.jocn.2009.06.027.CrossRefPubMed Fusar-Poli P, Bhattacharyya S, Allen P, Crippa JA, Borgwardt S, Martin-Santos R, Seal M, O’Carroll C, Atakan Z, Zuardi AW, McGuire P: Effect of image analysis software on neurofunctional activation during processing of emotional human faces. J Clin Neurosci. 2010, 17: 311-314. 10.1016/j.jocn.2009.06.027.CrossRefPubMed
6.
go back to reference Ioannidis JP: Excess significance bias in the literature on brain volume abnormalities. Arch Gen Psychiatry. 2011, 68: 773-780. 10.1001/archgenpsychiatry.2011.28.CrossRefPubMed Ioannidis JP: Excess significance bias in the literature on brain volume abnormalities. Arch Gen Psychiatry. 2011, 68: 773-780. 10.1001/archgenpsychiatry.2011.28.CrossRefPubMed
7.
go back to reference Radua J, van den Heuvel OA, Surguladze S, Mataix-Cols D: Meta-analytical comparison of voxel-based morphometry studies in obsessivecompulsive disorder vs. other anxiety disorders. Arch Gen Psychiatry. 2010, 67: 701-711. 10.1001/archgenpsychiatry.2010.70.CrossRefPubMed Radua J, van den Heuvel OA, Surguladze S, Mataix-Cols D: Meta-analytical comparison of voxel-based morphometry studies in obsessivecompulsive disorder vs. other anxiety disorders. Arch Gen Psychiatry. 2010, 67: 701-711. 10.1001/archgenpsychiatry.2010.70.CrossRefPubMed
8.
go back to reference Radua J, Mataix-Cols D, Phillips ML, El-Hage W, Kronhaus DM, Cardoner N, Surguladze S: A new meta-analytic method for neuroimaging studies that combines reported peak coordinates and statistical parametric maps. Eur Psychiatry. 2011, published online June 7 Radua J, Mataix-Cols D, Phillips ML, El-Hage W, Kronhaus DM, Cardoner N, Surguladze S: A new meta-analytic method for neuroimaging studies that combines reported peak coordinates and statistical parametric maps. Eur Psychiatry. 2011, published online June 7
Metadata
Title
Why are psychiatric imaging methods clinically unreliable? Conclusions and practical guidelines for authors, editors and reviewers
Authors
Stefan Borgwardt
Joaquim Radua
Andrea Mechelli
Paolo Fusar-Poli
Publication date
01-12-2012
Publisher
BioMed Central
Published in
Behavioral and Brain Functions / Issue 1/2012
Electronic ISSN: 1744-9081
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/1744-9081-8-46

Other articles of this Issue 1/2012

Behavioral and Brain Functions 1/2012 Go to the issue