Brain circuit activity in Parkinson's linked to depression
Official title: Basal Ganglia Network Neurophysiology of Depression in Parkinson’s Disease
Funded at Utah State Higher Education System--University of Utah · NIH-11502751 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project looks for specific brain signals in people with Parkinson's that relate to depression and that might show who could get mood benefit from deep brain stimulation.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Utah State Higher Education System--University of Utah NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Salt Lake City, United States) |
| Project start | February 5, 2025 |
| Project end | January 31, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $248,333 |
| NIH project number | 4R00NS137249-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11502751 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are people with Parkinson's disease who have clinically significant depression (or are being evaluated for it) and who are candidates for or already have DBS targeting the GPi or STN.
✕Less likely to help
People without Parkinson's, those with depression unrelated to Parkinson's, or Parkinson's patients who are not DBS candidates or unwilling to undergo device procedures are unlikely to participate or benefit directly.
What this research studies
If you join, researchers will record electrical activity from basal ganglia brain regions in people with Parkinson's who have or are getting deep brain stimulation (DBS) in either the globus pallidus interna (GPi) or subthalamic nucleus (STN). They will compare recordings from participants who have depression to those who do not, and track mood changes after DBS. Computer modeling and brain-network mapping will be used to identify common patterns of activity linked to depression and to improvement in mood after DBS. The goal is to find where and how brain activity should be adjusted to help reduce depression symptoms in Parkinson's patients.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the work could help doctors target DBS more effectively to reduce depression and improve quality of life for people with Parkinson's.
How similar studies have gone: Previous DBS studies show mood can both improve and worsen after stimulation and early recordings suggest network signals relate to mood, but reliably targeting basal ganglia networks to treat depression in PD is still a novel goal.
Where this research is happening
-
Utah State Higher Education System--University of Utah
Salt Lake City, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Johnson, Kara Ann — Utah State Higher Education System--University of Utah
- Study coordinator: Johnson, Kara Ann
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Targeting the brain changes that cause depression in Parkinson's
Using brain PET and MRI scans, researchers will look for specific synapse and network changes linked to depression in people with Parkinson's and try treatments aimed at those changes.
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Investigating how brain activity in the basal ganglia relates to depression in Parkinson's disease
This study is looking at how depression affects the brains of people with Parkinson's disease to find better ways to help them feel better, especially through a treatment called deep brain stimulation.
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Exploring the brain mechanisms of depression in Parkinson's disease
This study is looking at how depression affects the brains of people with Parkinson's disease to find out what’s happening in their brains and help create better treatments for them.
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This study is looking at how ketamine might help improve mood and brain flexibility in Veterans with Parkinson's disease who are dealing with depression, and it aims to find better ways to treat their symptoms.
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Gut-brain clues in Parkinson’s disease: supplement to a large registry
A plant-wide supplement to an NIH program will enroll people with Parkinson’s, with and without GI symptoms, plus healthy controls, to study how gut function, brain signals, and sleep rhythms relate to Parkinson’s symptoms.
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Gut-brain connections in Parkinson’s disease: how the gut and environment shape symptoms
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.