Understanding Brain Patterns in Treatment-Resistant Depression
Official title: Precision Functional Mapping in Treatment-Resistant Depression
Funded at Washington University · NIH-11164751 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project aims to find unique brain patterns in people with depression that hasn't responded to other treatments, using a new brain imaging technique.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Washington University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Saint Louis, United States) |
| Project start | June 1, 2022 |
| Project end | July 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $249,000 |
| NIH project number | 5R00MH129616-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11164751 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
This research is relevant for individuals living with major depressive disorder who have not found relief from multiple previous treatments.
✕Less likely to help
Patients whose depression responds well to current treatments may not directly benefit from this specific research focus on treatment-resistant forms.
What this research studies
Many people with severe depression don't get better with standard treatments, which is called treatment-resistant depression. This project uses a special brain imaging method, called precision functional mapping, to look closely at how the brain works in these individuals. The goal is to find specific signs, or biomarkers, in the brain that can help us understand why some people don't respond to current therapies. By identifying these unique brain characteristics, we hope to pave the way for more personalized and effective treatments in the future.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to new ways to identify specific brain markers for treatment-resistant depression, helping doctors choose better, more targeted treatments for patients.
How similar studies have gone: While precision functional mapping has been used to understand brain organization in healthy individuals, its application to identify biomarkers in treatment-resistant depression is a novel approach.
Where this research is happening
-
Washington University
Saint Louis, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Laumann, Timothy Otto — Washington University
- Study coordinator: Laumann, Timothy Otto
Related research
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Precision brain mapping to understand hard-to-treat depression
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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.