Personalizing antidepressant choices for first-time major depression

Computational Strategies to Tailor Existing Interventions for First Major Depressive Episodes to Inform and Test Personalized Interventions

NIH-funded research Kaiser Foundation Research Institute · NIH-11121023

This project uses computer analysis of clinical data to help choose better antidepressant options for people having their first major depressive episode.

Quick facts

Grant typeR01 grant
Study typeNIH-funded research
Funding institutionKaiser Foundation Research Institute NIH-funded
Lab location1 site (Oakland, UNITED STATES)
Project IDNIH-11121023 on NIH RePORTER

What this research studies

The team will analyze clinical and other health data from people who present with their first major depressive episode to find patterns linked to poor response to standard antidepressants. They will combine known risk factors and new predictors using computational models to generate personalized treatment suggestions. Those suggestions aim to guide initial antidepressant selection or other early treatment changes to prevent ongoing symptoms and recurrence. Work will be done through Kaiser clinics, using patient records and possibly patient-reported information to build and test the approach.

Who could benefit from this research

Good fit: Adults experiencing their first major depressive episode who are starting antidepressant treatment and can share their medical records with the research team.

Not a fit: People with long-standing or recurrent depression, those not taking antidepressants, or those unable to provide access to their clinical data may not benefit from this work.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this could get the right antidepressant to people sooner and lower the chances of depression becoming chronic or disabling.

How similar studies have performed: Past studies have found individual risk factors for poor antidepressant response, but using combined computational tools to personalize first-episode treatment is largely new.

Where this research is happening

Oakland, UNITED STATES

Researchers

About this research

  1. This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
  2. Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
  3. For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.
Conditions Chronic depressive disorder
Last reviewed 2026-06-13 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.