Mapping brain structure in bipolar disorder and major depression
Official title: Large-scale fine mapping of brain morphometry in bipolar disorder and major depression
Funded at University of Southern California · NIH-11235831 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project uses thousands of brain scans to find detailed patterns in brain anatomy linked to bipolar disorder and major depression.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R21 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Southern California NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Los Angeles, UNITED STATES) |
| Project start | December 1, 2024 |
| Project end | November 30, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $86,324 |
| NIH project number | 5R21MH139001-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11235831 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are people diagnosed with bipolar disorder or major depression who have available brain MRI scans and accompanying clinical information, or who are enrolled at contributing research sites.
✕Less likely to help
People without MRI scans, those with other psychiatric conditions only, or anyone seeking immediate treatment changes should not expect direct personal benefit from this data-focused project.
What this research studies
Researchers are combining existing brain MRIs and clinical information from thousands of people around the world to look for fine-grained differences in brain structure linked to bipolar disorder and major depression. They will run a standardized voxel-wise mapping pipeline (ENIGMA-VBM) that measures anatomy at each small unit (voxel) instead of averaging over large brain regions, allowing inclusion of often-overlooked areas like the cerebellum. The project plans to analyze roughly 3,500 people with bipolar disorder and 8,500 healthy controls and will compare patterns across bipolar disorder and major depression. The goal is to produce reproducible, generalizable brain maps that researchers and clinicians can use to better understand these conditions.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could reveal brain-based markers that help improve diagnosis and guide more targeted treatment decisions for people with bipolar disorder or major depression.
How similar studies have gone: Previous ENIGMA studies using region-based measures have yielded replicated findings, but applying voxel-wise whole-brain mapping at this scale is a newer and less-tested approach.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Southern California
Los Angeles, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Ching, Christopher — University of Southern California
- Study coordinator: Ching, Christopher
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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.