Understanding how depression affects older adults through anxiety and inflammation
Official title: Experimental model of depression in aging: anxiety, inflammation, and reward mechanisms
Funded at University of California Los Angeles · NIH-11045627 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is looking at how depression, anxiety, and inflammation affect older adults' feelings of joy and motivation, with the goal of finding better ways to detect and treat depression in this age group.
Quick facts
| Grant type | Career grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of California Los Angeles NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Los Angeles, United States) |
| Project start | March 15, 2022 |
| Project end | February 28, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $129,006 |
| NIH project number | 5K01AG072049-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11045627 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are older adults experiencing symptoms of depression and anxiety.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who are not experiencing depression or anxiety may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research investigates the complex relationship between depression, anxiety, and inflammation in older adults. It aims to understand how these factors contribute to a loss of pleasure and motivation, which are common in late-life depression. By examining biological markers and behavioral responses, the study seeks to identify mechanisms that could lead to better detection and treatment of depression in this population. Participants may undergo assessments and interventions that explore the impact of inflammation on mood and motivation.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to improved treatments for depression in older adults, enhancing their quality of life.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research has shown promising results in understanding the link between inflammation and mood disorders, indicating that this approach may yield valuable insights.
Where this research is happening
-
University of California Los Angeles
Los Angeles, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Boyle, Chloe — University of California Los Angeles
- Study coordinator: Boyle, Chloe
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
Environmental and psychological stressors shaping anxiety, depression, and alcohol-related health issues in people with HIV
A patient-facing overview of how stress, mental health, and alcohol use interact with HIV to influence health and aging in people living with HIV.
-
Screening, Tracking and Treatment for Anxiety and Depression in Community Colleges
A scalable, student-centered program at community colleges helps students screen for anxiety and depression, track progress, and access appropriate care.
-
Modeling how early caregiver responses shape brain development linked to anxiety and depression in young children
A study in 0-11 year olds explores how negative emotions and caregiver reactions influence developing brain networks tied to emotion, attention, and self-regulation, with the aim of understanding pathways to anxiety and depression.
-
Understanding why some people in alcohol recovery have more anxiety and depression linked to the BNST brain network
This project looks at how differences in a tiny brain network called the BNST relate to anxiety and depression in people who are recently stopping alcohol.
-
Sleep to calm the brain’s emotion network and ease depression and anxiety
A Stanford-led study tests a proven sleep program to help adults with insomnia and mood symptoms feel better by potentially stabilizing the brain networks involved in emotion.
-
Optimizing human and digital support in a meditation app for depression and anxiety
A study at UW–Madison will test how adding small amounts of coaching and reminders to a popular meditation app can help people with depression or anxiety use it more and feel better.
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.