MAILMAN RESEARCH CENTER

Visual Psychophysiology Laboratory

The missions of the Visual Psychophysiology Laboratory (VPL) are to increase the understanding of core dysfunctions and underlying brain mechanisms in major psychiatric disorders, and to apply our acquired knowledge in improving impaired behavioral and cortical responses in patients suffering from the disorders.

To understand the pathophysiological mechanisms underlying schizophrenia we study visual, visual cognitive and visuomotor processes. The focus on the visual system provides a window into different brain systems associated with major psychiatric disorders.

Using psychophysical, neurocognitive and neuroimaging approaches, we examine behavioral performance and cortical response in schizophrenia patients, their biological relatives and patients with other psychiatric disorders (such as bipolar disorder). We are particularly interested in the linkage of the brain and visual behaviors in both normal and diseased populations.

Current Research Opportunities

Collaborations

We collaborate with the following laboratories, the first two of which are located at McLean Hospital.

Schizophrenia and Bipolar Disorder Program (Dr. Dost Ongur)
Cognitive Neuroimaging and Neuropsychology Laboratory (Dr. Yurgelun-Todd)
Department of Psychiatry, Vanderbilt University (Dr. Stephan Heckers)
Harvard University Vision Sciences Laboratory (Dr. Ken Nakayama)

Funding

Our research program is supported by federal government and private foundations, including the National Institutes of Health, the Rappaport Foundation (McLean Hospital), the Milton Foundation (Harvard University), and Autism Speaks Inc.

Contact us

If you would like to learn more about our research and/or are interested in participating in our studies, please contact Dr. Yue Chen, the director of the laboratory, at ychen@mclean.harvard.edu or by phone at (617) 855-3615. You can also contact Daniel Norton, Research Assistant II, at dnorton@mclean.harvard.edu, (617) 855-3609, or Ryan McBain, Research Assistant I, at rmcbain@mclean.harvard.edu, (617) 855-3688. The VPL is located in the ground floor of the Centre Building.

Selected Publications

Chen Y, Norton D, Ongur D, & Heckers S. Inefficient Face Detection in Schizophrenia. Schizophrenia Bulletin 2007. (in press)
Chen Y, Bidwell LC, & Norton D. Trait vs. State Markers for Schizophrenia: Identification and Characterization through Visual Processes. Current Psychiatry Review 2006 Nov; 2(4):431-438.
Bidwell LC, Holzman PS & Chen Y Aging and visual motion discrimination in normal adults and schizophrenia patients Psychiatry Research Psychiatry Research 2006; 145:1-8.
Chen Y, Levy DL, Sheremata S & Holzman PS. Bipolar and Schizophrenic Patients Differ in Patterns of Visual Motion Discrimination. Schizophrenia Research 2006; 88:208-216.
Chen Y, Bidwell LC & Holzman PS. Visual Motion Integration in Schizophrenia Patients, Their First-degree Relatives, and Patients with Bipolar Disorder Schizophrenia Research 2005; 74:271-281.
Sheremata S & Chen Y Co-administration of antidepressant and atypical antipsychotic drugs disturbs contrast detection in schizophrenics. Schizophrenia Research 2004; 70:81-89.
Chen Y, Levy DL, Sheremata S & Holzman PS. Compromised late stage motion processing in schizophrenia Biological Psychiatry 2004; 55:834-41.
Chen Y, Levy DL, Nakayama K, Matthysse S, Sheremata S & Holzman PS. Effects of typical, atypical, and no antipsychotic drugs on visual contrast detection in schizophrenia. American Journal of Psychiatry 2003; 160(10):1795-801.
Chen Y, Nakayama K, Levy DL, Matthysse S & Holzman PS Processing of global, but not local, motion direction is deficient in schizophrenia Schizophrenia Research 2003; 61:215-227.
Chen Y, Holzman PS & Nakayama K Visual and cognitive control of attention in smooth pursuit Progress in Brain Research 2002; 140:55-266.
Chen Y, Nakayama K, Levy DL, Matthysse S, Holzman PS. Psychophysical isolation of a motion-processing deficit in schizophrenics and their relatives and its association with impaired smooth pursuit.Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences U S A. 1999 96(8):4724-9.
Chen Y, Palafox G, Nakayama K, Levy DL, Matthysse S & Holzman PS. Motion perception in schizophrenia. Archives of General Psychiatry 1999; 56:149-154.
Chen Y, Levy DL, Nakayama K, Matthysse S & Holzman PS. Dependence of impaired eye tracking on deficient velocity discrimination in schizophrenia Archives of General Psychiatry 1999; 56:155-161.