Global brain imaging and genetics for bipolar disorder
ENIGMA Bipolar Initiative: A Global Study of Imaging Genomics & Clinical Outcomes
This project combines brain scans and genetic information from people with bipolar disorder to find biological patterns linked to symptoms and treatment outcomes.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Southern California NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Los Angeles, UNITED STATES) |
| Project ID | NIH-11381689 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Researchers will pool existing MRI brain scans, DNA data, and clinical records from dozens of sites around the world to increase statistical power. Advanced statistical and Bayesian methods will be used to harmonize data across centers and look for brain and genetic features tied to illness course, age of onset, attention and affective symptoms, and treatment response. The effort includes comparisons with major depression and analyses of first-degree relatives and follow-up data to track progression and recovery. Participation generally means contributing existing imaging/genetic data through a participating center rather than receiving new treatments.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are people with bipolar disorder (across ages and illness stages), people with major depression for comparison, and first-degree relatives who can provide brain scans and DNA or who are already enrolled at participating centers.
Not a fit: People seeking immediate changes to their clinical care or emergency treatment will not benefit directly, and those without accessible brain scan or genetic data are unlikely to participate.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could improve diagnosis, predict who will respond to which treatments, and point to new targets for therapies.
How similar studies have performed: Previous ENIGMA projects have successfully pooled imaging and genetic data across disorders, but a large-scale global imaging-genomics effort focused on bipolar disorder is relatively new.
Where this research is happening
Los Angeles, UNITED STATES
- University of Southern California — Los Angeles, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Thompson, Paul M — University of Southern California
- Study coordinator: Thompson, Paul M
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 below.