Award
National Institute of Mental Health 5K23MH133118-04
Depression as a disease of network disruption: learning from multiple sclerosis
Recipient
University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States
Award Amount
$194,940.00
Ceiling
$194,940.00
Awarded
June 09, 2026
Identifier
5K23MH133118-04
The project explores the role of white matter lesions in depression among MS patients, using lesion network mapping and machine learning to understand heterogeneity and develop predictive models for personalized treatment strategies.
Description
This project aims to investigate how brain network disruption underlies depression by studying white matter lesions in multiple sclerosis (MS). It involves analyzing retrospective data from 1,554 MS patients with research-grade 3T MRIs, obtaining structured clinical and cognitive assessments, and applying advanced semi-supervised machine learning methods to understand heterogeneity in white matter lesion burden and its relation to depressive symptoms.