Finding better ways to identify patients who don't respond to depression treatments
Official title: Identifying first-line treatment failure for earlier referral to alternative treatments in depression
Funded at Emory University · NIH-10989081 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is looking to help people with major depressive disorder by finding out who might not respond well to common treatments, so they can get quicker access to other options that might work better for them.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R03 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Emory University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Atlanta, United States) |
| Project start | August 1, 2024 |
| Project end | July 31, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2024 |
| Award (this year) | $156,500 |
| NIH project number | 1R03MH135363-01A1 |
| Project ID | NIH-10989081 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are individuals diagnosed with major depressive disorder who have not responded adequately to first-line treatments.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who have not been diagnosed with major depressive disorder or those who have not tried any first-line treatments may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research aims to improve the identification of patients with major depressive disorder (MDD) who are likely to fail first-line treatments. By using advanced classification methods, the study will analyze data from clinical trials and real-world treatment to distinguish between patients who show partial responses and those who truly do not respond to standard therapies. The goal is to enable earlier referrals to alternative treatments, such as transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) and ketamine, which can be more effective for those with treatment-resistant depression. This approach seeks to alleviate the burden of lengthy treatment failures on patients.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to quicker access to effective alternative treatments for patients with depression who do not respond to standard therapies.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research has shown promise in using data-driven approaches to identify treatment-resistant depression, suggesting that this methodology could be effective.
Where this research is happening
-
Emory University
Atlanta, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Kelley, Mary Elizabeth — Emory University
- Study coordinator: Kelley, Mary Elizabeth
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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.