Mindfulness-enhanced brain stimulation for depression
Official title: Mindfulness Engaged Neurostimulation for Depression (MEND)
Funded at University of California, San Diego · NIH-11516191 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project tests whether combining a breath-focused attention training with targeted brain stimulation helps people with treatment-resistant depression think more clearly and feel better.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of California, San Diego NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (La Jolla, United States) |
| Project start | May 1, 2024 |
| Project end | April 30, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $889,216 |
| NIH project number | 4R33MH136135-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11516191 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are adults with major depression that has not responded adequately to at least two prior treatments and who can attend repeated in-person rTMS sessions.
✕Less likely to help
People whose depression responds well to first-line treatments, or those with medical reasons that make rTMS unsafe (for example certain metal implants or a seizure disorder), may not benefit from this approach.
What this research studies
You would receive repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) aimed at the brain area involved in cognitive control while also using a digital breath-focused attention training. The team pairs the behavioral training with DLPFC-targeted rTMS across multiple in-person treatment sessions and measures changes in thinking skills and mood. The goal is to see if the combined approach improves cognitive control and leads to better depression outcomes than typical treatments alone. The work builds on the idea that strengthening cognitive skills while stimulating the brain may produce larger, more lasting benefits.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this approach could improve thinking skills and increase the chance of remission for people whose depression hasn’t responded to standard treatments.
How similar studies have gone: rTMS alone has shown modest remission rates (~30%) for treatment-resistant depression, and combining it with breath-focused cognitive training is a relatively new strategy with promising early evidence but not yet proven.
Where this research is happening
-
University of California, San Diego
La Jolla, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Mishra, Jyoti — University of California, San Diego
- Study coordinator: Mishra, Jyoti
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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.