There is an improvement in the construction and implementation of clinical trials for mental health.
In a
workshop on biomarkers, pharmacogenetics, and pharmacogenomics, Michael
Henry, MD, of Caritas St Elizabeth’s Medical Center in Boston,
indicated that technological improvements in scanner design, along with
increasing understanding of neuropathophysiology, “offer an
unprecedented opportunity for utilizing brain imaging techniques to
improve the precision of clinical trials.” Henry foresees the
application of technologies such as MRI, PET, and single photon
emission CT to reduce diagnostic variability in study populations,
measure drug penetration of target sites, and establish biomarkers of
therapeutic efficacy. Although imaging in clinical trials is most
common in cardiology and oncology, Henry noted its recent use in trials
of agents for dementia, depression, and psychosis.