Challenges and adaptations (WTP) - Brain Imaging Study

The Twin Brain Imaging Study The twin brain imaging study is a follow up of the oldest twins in the Wisconsin Twin Project. The current study includes only monozygotic twins (genetically identical) and all families in this study participated in at least two prior studies with WTP. The purpose of the study is to understand the specific mechanisms of emotional reactivity and emotion regulation in adolescents and young adults. This research considers individual differences in cognitive, behavioral, and biological features of emotion. Each twin completes a clinical interview, a series of computer-based cognitive tasks, a series of questionnaires, and an fMRI. Parents complete a clinical interview about each twin. Assessments are scheduled during a day visit to the Waisman Center at UW-Madison. Parents should refer to the most current letter of informed consent for complete details concerning research participation. A brief summary is provided below. Twins and parents are each interviewed to gain an overall picture of each twin’s feelings and behavior. Twins participate in a series of 10 computer-based cognitive tasks designed to measure memory, decision making, and problem solving. They will also be asked to fill out a series of questionnaires that cover different aspects of emotional style and motivation. The fMRI task consists of looking at pictures and faces and deciding whether they think each picture is positive, negative or neutral. What is an MRI? Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) is a primarily noninvasive imaging technique which uses no ionizing radiation. MRI produces a magnetic field that passes through the body without disturbing any of its parts, and a small proportion of the water in your body sends radio signals back to the machine. Computer software then reconstructs the image. There are no known risks or adverse effects from the magnetic signals used in this study. Dr. Richard Davidson directs the brain imaging study and described MRI on the Big Ten Network's Office Hours program (see video to the right). What to expect during research participation Sample Session Schedule for Twin 10:00am: Arrival and Consent 10:30am: MRI practice session & 10 min computer-based task 11:30am: Lunch break 12:00pm: MRI Scan (30 min of resting scans at beginning, 45 min of MRI task with pictures and faces, then 30 min of resting scans at the end) 2:00pm: Structured Interview 3:00pm: Computer-based tasks 4:00pm: Paper-and-pencil questionnaires 5:00pm: Finish session This experienced staff has cumulatively conducted scans of over 10,000 individuals, a large majority whom were children. Their experience with a range of ages and developmental needs ensures that research participants have a positive experience. The state-of-the-art equipment has many improvements, including improved image resolution. In addition, a practice session is conducted prior to the live session to get each twin acclimated to the scanner environment and practice the task they’ll be doing during the actual scan.