Understanding brain circuit changes behind mood and behavior problems in Alzheimer’s
Official title: Combining Computational Methods, RDoC, and Big Neuroimaging Data to Understand Mechanisms of Neuropsychiatric Symptoms in Alzheimer's Disease
Funded at Mclean Hospital · NIH-11297721 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Using large sets of brain scans and advanced computer analysis to find what causes depression, anxiety, agitation, and other mood or behavior symptoms in people with Alzheimer’s disease.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Mclean Hospital NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Belmont, United States) |
| Project start | September 30, 2022 |
| Project end | August 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $1,583,985 |
| NIH project number | 4RF1AG078304-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11297721 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease, especially those who are experiencing neuropsychiatric symptoms such as depression, anxiety, agitation, aggression, or apathy, are the main focus.
✕Less likely to help
People without Alzheimer’s disease or whose symptoms are caused primarily by other medical or psychiatric conditions may not see direct benefit from this project.
What this research studies
Researchers will use big neuroimaging datasets and clinical information from people with Alzheimer’s to map how disease-related brain degeneration affects circuits tied to emotion and behavior. They will apply advanced computational methods and the NIMH RDoC framework together with the Triple Network model (default mode, central executive, and salience networks) to link circuit changes to specific neuropsychiatric symptoms. Most work involves analyzing existing brain scans (like fMRI) and clinical records, but findings may guide future scans or assessments for patients. The goal is to clarify why common treatments often fail for these symptoms in Alzheimer’s.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could point to more precise ways to predict, monitor, or treat mood and behavior problems in people with Alzheimer’s disease.
How similar studies have gone: Prior imaging studies have linked network disruptions to psychiatric symptoms, but combining very large neuroimaging datasets with RDoC and advanced computational approaches in Alzheimer’s is relatively new.
Where this research is happening
-
Mclean Hospital
Belmont, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Nickerson, Lisa D — Mclean Hospital
- Study coordinator: Nickerson, Lisa D
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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.