Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of funding further research into the use of MRI scans for treatment of (a) depression and (b) other mental health disorders.

The Department funds research through the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). The NIHR has several supported studies on the use of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans for depression and other mental health disorders, including a Functional MRI investigation of the neural mechanisms of Emotional Cognitive Bias Modification as an adjunct therapy to selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors in depression. It is not usual practise for the NIHR to ring fence funds for potential topics or conditions. The NIHR welcomes funding applications for research into any aspect of human health, including the use of MRI scans for the treatment of depression and other mental health disorders.