Psychiatric neuroimaging research in Brazil: historical overview, current challenges, and future opportunities

• Published in: Revista brasileira de psiquiatria Vol. 43; no. 1; pp. 83 - 101
• Main Authors: Busatto Filho, Geraldo, Rosa, Pedro G, Serpa, Mauricio H, Squarzoni, Paula, Duran, Fabio L
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Brazil Associação Brasileira de Psiquiatria 2020; Associação Brasileira de Psiquiatria (ABP)
• Subjects: Brain imaging; Brazil; Humans; magnetic resonance; Mental Disorders - diagnostic imaging; Neuroimaging; PET; PSYCHIATRY; Special; SPECT; Brazil; Brazil; magnetic resonance; Brain imaging; PET; SPECT
• ISSN: 1516-4446; 1809-452X; 1809-452X
• DOI: 10.1590/1516-4446-2019-0757

The last four decades have witnessed tremendous growth in research studies applying neuroimaging methods to evaluate pathophysiological and treatment aspects of psychiatric disorders around the world. This article provides a brief history of psychiatric neuroimaging research in Brazil, including quantitative information about the growth of this field in the country over the past 20 years. Also described are the various methodologies used, the wealth of scientific questions investigated, and the strength of international collaborations established. Finally, examples of the many methodological advances that have emerged in the field of in vivo neuroimaging are provided, with discussion of the challenges faced by psychiatric research groups in Brazil, a country of limited resources, to continue incorporating such innovations to generate novel scientific data of local and global relevance.