How family risk and the hippocampus affect depression in children
Hippocampal and Genetic Mechanisms Underlying Development of Depression in Children at High Family Risk
The project compares brain activity and genetic risk in children with and without a family history of depression to find why some develop depression.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Columbia University Health Sciences NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (New York, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11179484 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
This work follows children and their relatives across generations to compare those at high versus low family risk for depression. Participants will have brain imaging focused on the hippocampus, genetic testing to generate polygenic and expression-based risk scores, and behavioral assessments. The team will use findings from animal models to guide which hippocampal features and genes to examine in people. The goal is to identify biological markers that mark vulnerability or resilience in children who carry family risk.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are children and adolescents (plus their parents or grandparents) with or without a family history of depression, especially families with known mood disorders.
Not a fit: People seeking immediate treatment for active depression or those with no family history may not directly benefit since the project focuses on risk markers rather than testing treatments.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could help identify children at highest risk for depression and guide development of early prevention or targeted interventions.
How similar studies have performed: Animal studies show hippocampal links to susceptibility and some human imaging work supports hippocampal differences in at-risk youth, but translating mouse findings to multigenerational human families is relatively new.
Where this research is happening
New York, United States
- Columbia University Health Sciences — New York, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Van Dijk, Milenna Tamara — Columbia University Health Sciences
- Study coordinator: Van Dijk, Milenna Tamara
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.