Mapping brain network changes in anxiety and emotional difficulties
HCP-2.0: Ascertaining Network Mechanisms and Analytics of Emotional Dysfunction (HARMONY)
Using brain scans and mental health information from teens and adults to find patterns linked to anxiety and low mood.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Pennsylvania NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Philadelphia, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11177009 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
This project looks across thousands of existing brain scans and clinical records from studies of adolescents and adults to find common brain network patterns tied to anxiety and related symptoms like anhedonia. The team combines data from major resources (HCP, ABCD, UK Biobank, and related Connectome projects) and uses harmonized MRI processing so measurements match across studies. They apply new computer methods to group people by symptom and brain-pattern subtypes so similar patients can be better understood. Results and processed imaging features will be shared with other researchers to speed future work.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People aged about 12 and older who experience anxiety, low mood, or related emotional symptoms (anhedonia/anxious misery) are most relevant to this work.
Not a fit: Children younger than the adolescent age range studied (under ~12) or people without anxiety or emotional symptoms are unlikely to directly benefit from these findings.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the work could help identify distinct brain-based subtypes of anxiety that guide more personalized treatments and better targets for new therapies.
How similar studies have performed: Previous studies using HCP and ABCD data have linked brain features to behavior, but combining multiple large datasets to define anxiety subtypes with new computational methods is a newer and less-tested approach.
Where this research is happening
Philadelphia, United States
- University of Pennsylvania — Philadelphia, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Sheline, Yvette I — University of Pennsylvania
- Study coordinator: Sheline, Yvette I
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.