Reward sensitivity, impulsive sensation seeking, and emotion regulation linked to bipolar risk in young adults
Official title: Reward, impulsive sensation seeking and emotional dysregulation: neural mechanisms underlying risk for bipolar disorder in young adults
Funded at University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh · NIH-11257252 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project looks for brain patterns tied to reward, impulsivity, and emotion control that can help spot young adults at risk for bipolar disorder rather than depression.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R37 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Pittsburgh, United States) |
| Project start | January 1, 2024 |
| Project end | December 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $731,051 |
| NIH project number | 5R37MH100041-13 |
| Project ID | NIH-11257252 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are young adults with mood symptoms, recent depressive episodes, or a family history of bipolar disorder who can attend MRI visits and follow-up assessments.
✕Less likely to help
People without mood symptoms, those outside the young-adult age range, or anyone unable or unwilling to undergo MRI scans and follow-up are unlikely to benefit directly from participation.
What this research studies
You'll have brain scans and behavioral tests now and be followed over time to see who develops manic/hypomanic versus depressive symptoms. The team measures brain activity during reward and emotion tasks, white-matter structure, and large-scale network connectivity using MRI alongside questionnaires about mood and behavior. They compare these markers to mood changes to find patterns that predict bipolar risk versus risk for major depression. If you are a young adult with mood symptoms or a family history of bipolar disorder, you might be invited to take part and return for follow-up visits.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could help identify people at higher risk for bipolar disorder earlier and point to brain targets for prevention or tailored treatments.
How similar studies have gone: Previous work by this team and others has found promising brain activity and white-matter markers that predict mania versus depression, but larger and longer studies are still needed to confirm and translate these findings.
Where this research is happening
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University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Phillips, Mary Louise — University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh
- Study coordinator: Phillips, Mary Louise
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Improving emotion control in bipolar disorder with rapid noninvasive brain stimulation
This project uses short sessions of rapid, noninvasive brain stimulation aimed at a specific brain area to help people with bipolar disorder improve control over emotions.
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Finding genes linked to schizophrenia and bipolar disorder in Latino and mixed-ancestry people
This project will combine genetic information and gene-activity (RNA) data from Latino people with schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and people without these conditions to find genes that raise disease risk.
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.