How to Practically Apply Lessons Learned from Translational Neuroscience to Intervention Development: Ideas for the Road Ahead

Abstract

One of the most frequent questions that we hear working in the area of translational neuroscience is, ‘The brain imaging work you are doing is compelling, but how will it inform treatment?’ Within other fields, many basic and clinical research teams have demonstrated that neuroimaging approaches are highly relevant to direct practice (e.g., informing the treatment of depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder) (Weingarten & Strauman, 2014). Despite these advances, few research groups have provided concrete information about what we can do with these data. This is indispensible because despite many real-world addiction treatment centers advertising the ability to alter neuronal connections or remedy brain deficits (e.g., brain restoration rapid detox, neurotransmitter restoration therapy), the connection between neuroscience and direct clinical practice is still nascent.