Ultrasound-guided brain circuit targets for treatment-resistant depression
Official title: Parsing Mechanistic Relationships Between Circuits and Negative Valence System Behaviors in Treatment-Resistant Depression with Ultrasound Neuromodulation
Funded at Texas A&m University Health Science Ctr · NIH-11568938 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This grant tests whether focused ultrasound can safely and reversibly adjust brain circuits linked to negative mood in people with treatment-resistant depression.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Texas A&m University Health Science Ctr NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (College Station, United States) |
| Project start | July 1, 2025 |
| Project end | April 30, 2030 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $409,280 |
| NIH project number | 7R01MH137331-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11568938 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults with treatment-resistant major depressive disorder who have ongoing anhedonia and rumination and are eligible for neuromodulation studies.
✕Less likely to help
People without treatment-resistant depression or with contraindications to ultrasound neuromodulation may not benefit.
What this research studies
Many people with major depressive disorder do not respond to standard treatments. This project uses low-intensity focused ultrasound to noninvasively influence deep brain circuits and study how these changes affect negative-valence behaviors like anhedonia and rumination. The work aims to map how specific cortico-subcortical connections relate to mood-related symptoms so future therapies can be tailored. If successful, it could lead to more precise neuromodulation approaches for patients who have exhausted other options.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Could lead to targeted neuromodulation therapies that relieve core depressive symptoms and reduce relapse risk for treatment-resistant individuals.
How similar studies have gone: Preliminary evidence suggests brain circuit modulation can affect mood-related behaviors, but this specific mechanistic approach with LIFU is exploratory.
Where this research is happening
-
Texas A&m University Health Science Ctr
College Station, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Guinjoan, Salvador Martin — Texas A&m University Health Science Ctr
- Study coordinator: Guinjoan, Salvador Martin
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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.