Sex differences in major depression and heart disease: how prenatal immune and brain pathways affect risk
Official title: Leadership Administrative Core: Sex Differences in Major Depression, Part II: Impact of Prenatal Immune, Autonomic and Neurovascular Function
Funded at Massachusetts General Hospital · NIH-11301320 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A study to understand why women have higher risk of major depressive disorder with heart disease and how early immune factors and brain connections shape this risk.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Massachusetts General Hospital NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Boston, United States) |
| Project start | September 9, 2026 |
| Project end | August 31, 2031 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $147,871 |
| NIH project number | 2U54MH118919-06A1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11301320 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults with or at risk for major depressive disorder and cardiovascular disease, with attention to sex-specific factors.
✕Less likely to help
Individuals without depression or cardiovascular concerns may not directly benefit from this project.
What this research studies
This project looks at how sex differences influence the link between depression and cardiovascular disease, using both human and animal studies. Researchers will explore how prenatal immune factors and brainstem–cerebrum networks regulate immune and hormonal signals that may drive disease risk. They plan to use advanced brain imaging and neuromodulation approaches to identify targets for sex-specific treatments. The work combines clinical observations with basic neuroscience to translate findings into potential therapies that could reduce depression and heart-disease risk, especially in women.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the research could lead to new, sex-specific treatments that lower the risk of depression and cardiovascular disease.
How similar studies have gone: Prior studies show sex differences in depression and cardiovascular links, supporting the potential for meaningful advances with this approach.
Where this research is happening
-
Massachusetts General Hospital
Boston, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Goldstein, Jill M — Massachusetts General Hospital
- Study coordinator: Goldstein, Jill M
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
Trans-Nordic look at extreme major depression genetics
A large genetics study is exploring what makes extreme forms of major depression unique, by studying many thousands of people and their DNA.
-
Genetic factors behind alcohol and opioid use disorders and depression in veterans
A study using genetic data from veterans to understand how genes contribute to co-occurring alcohol use, prescription opioid use, and depression.
-
Global Deep Learning effort to predict depression treatment response
A patient-focused project uses AI on brain scans to predict who with major depression will respond to rTMS treatment.
-
Understanding immune dysfunction and social stress in veterans with depression
A study in U.S. veterans with major depressive disorder looks at how stress-related immune changes may be linked to depression and heart health.
-
Risk pathways to major depression using big Danish and Swedish data
A large study using health and genetic data from Denmark and Sweden will help understand what genetic and environmental factors contribute to major depression across how people grow up.
-
Understanding genetic and environmental pathways to major depression in Nordic health records
A large study will look at how genes and life experiences combine over time to influence major depression, using Danish and Swedish population data.
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.