​​​​​Talk from  Laurel Morris – Oxford University

Short abstract:​​

This talk describes a new multimodal project leveraging high-field 7-Tesla MRI to map motivational circuits in depression with improved resolution and specificity. We combine high-resolution structural MRI optimized for sensitivity to dopaminergic signaling (MT-NM), multi-echo functional MRI during a reinforcement learning task, and multi-shell diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI), to probe structural and functional alterations in mesolimbic pathways. In a parallel arm of the project, we implement real-time fMRI neurofeedback targeting the ventral tegmental area (VTA) to explore the causal plasticity of motivation-related circuits and evaluate its therapeutic potential. To bridge laboratory findings with real-world behavior, we integrate novel digital phenotyping tools—including smartphone-based passive sensing, ecological momentary assessment, and facial expression analysis—to track fluctuations in mood and motivation over time. This integrative approach aims to comprehensively phenotype depression and will provide new avenues into understanding the dynamic and multiscale mechanisms of motivational dysfunction.​

​