A number of different research studies are ongoing in Dr. Reiss' research lab.

These studies focus on two primary areas of investigation,
(1) behavioral neurogenetics and
(2) neuroimaging

The Behavioral Neurogenetics Program represents the continuation of 20 years of research by Dr. Reiss into the genetic and neurobiological bases of cognitive and neuropsychiatric dysfunction in individuals with known or presumed homogenous etiologies for neurobehavioral dysfunction. Disorders currently under study by Dr. Reiss include individuals with fragile X syndrome, Turner syndrome, velo-cadio-facial syndrome, Turner syndrome and other sex chromosome aneuploidies, autism, ADHD and dyslexia. This work emphasizes the elucidation of quantitative/statistical linkages among specific genetic factors, measures of brain structure and function, markers of neuroendocrine function, variables representing the influence of the environment, and behavior (broadly defined). Other collaborative research in the Neuroimaging lab focuses on children or adults with normal development, bipolar disorder, major depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, and obsessive-compulsive disorder.

Dr. Reiss, Director of the Stanford Psychiatry Neuroimaging Laboratory (SPNL), has a well-established tradition in quantitative neuroimaging research dating back to 1987 with a particular focus on specialized pediatric groups. The SPNL currently serves as one of the original funded sites for Phase I of the Human Brain Project, a multi-center, multi-NIH Institute supported research program designed to promote the development of innovative software, methodology and advanced informatics for the next decade of neuroscience research (NIH Program Announcement PA-93-068).

The research aims of the SPNL Human Brain Project fall into in three principal areas:
(1) ongoing development of advanced software modules for quantitative image analysis,
(2) determination of the reliability and validity of the methods and algorithms comprising these modules and,
(3) evaluation of the utility of this software in pilot imaging studies of normal pediatric controls and unique pediatric patient groups with homogeneous genetic or neurobiological causes of neurobehavioral dysfunction.

Software development focus in the lab has resulted in the creation of BrainImage, an advanced 2D and 3D image processing and analysis program.

• Gothelf D, Eliez S, Thompson T, Hinard C, Penniman L, Feinstein C, Kwon H, Jin S, Jo B, Antonarakis SE, Morris MA, Reiss AL "COMT genotype predicts longitudinal cognitive decline and psychosis in 22q11.2 deletion syndrome." Nat Neurosci 2005; 8: 11: 1500-2 More 
• Azim E, Mobbs D, Jo B, Menon V, Reiss AL "Sex differences in brain activation elicited by humor." Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2005; 102: 45: 16496-501 More 
• Mobbs D, Hagan CC, Azim E, Menon V, Reiss AL "Personality predicts activity in reward and emotional regions associated with humor." Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2005; 102: 45: 16502-6 More 
• Reiss AL, Kesler SR, Vohr B, Duncan CC, Katz KH, Pajot S, Schneider KC, Makuch RW, Ment LR "Sex differences in cerebral volumes of 8-year-olds born preterm." J Pediatr 2004; 145: 2: 242-9 More 
• Reiss AL, Eckert MA, Rose FE, Karchemskiy A, Kesler S, Chang M, Reynolds MF, Kwon H, Galaburda A "An experiment of nature: brain anatomy parallels cognition and behavior in Williams syndrome." J Neurosci 2004; 24: 21: 5009-15 More