Defining the Mind and Minding the BrainTake a look into our current understanding of the function of the human brain and some of the important diseases that cause nervous system dysfunction. On this edition, Dr. Sophia Vinogradov of the San Francisco Veterans Affairs Medical Center explores the mixing of visual perception, emotion, and memory and the interplay of the different functions of the brain.
Dr. Vinogradov studies how the brain malfunctions in schizophrenia, a devastating psychiatric illness that strikes young adults in their prime. She is a co-investigator on a multi-site collaborative project that investigates the relationship between prenatal and early developmental factors and the later onset of schizophrenia. She is also a leader in the next wave of treatment and prevention of schizophrenia, using techniques of neuroscience-guided cognitive remediation: intensive computer-based training exercises to correct the brain information-processing abnormalities of the illness. Additionally, Dr. Vinogradov is working with senior researchers at UC Davis, UCLA, and UC San Diego to develop a consortium of programs that identify adolescents who show risk signs for developing schizophrenia and to intervene to prevent the illness.
