Using neuroimaging to measure drug responses

Neuroimaging can be used to inform about a large range of responses to pharmacological challenges. In particular, it is the emergence of techniques available for the in vivo assessment of drug effects that has generated the most interest. Of these, functional magnetic resonance imaging is fast developing in allowing the assessment of the effect of pharmacological agents with good temporal and spatial resolution. However, an array of alternative techniques remains viable for assessment of drug action within the brain, e.g. the use of radioligands in receptor mapping and drug occupancy imaging methods, as well as measurement of endogenous neurotransmitter release.