HUMAN CONNECTOME PROJECT FOR DEPRESSION AND ANXIETY
50 billion stars in the Milky Way versus 100 trillion synapses in a human brain
In a human brain, there are 500 times more connections than there are stars in our galaxy: that is what we call "the human connectome".
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These connections that make up the human connectome change with our everyday experiences of mood, anxiety, and stress. When ‘stretched’, they can become disrupted and we observe these disruptions in clinical mood and anxiety disorders.
Our Human Connectome Project for Depression and Anxiety is using cutting-edge, high temporal resolution functional and structural Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) technology to detail connectomes with a high level of detail across the continuum of healthy mood states through clinical mood and anxiety disorders.
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Our mission is to characterize how specific types of connectome disruptions contribute to each person’s experience of depression and anxiety. In doing so, we refine our understanding of these disorders based on brain biotypes. We can then personalize interventions and create customized treatments and preventions.
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The Human Connectome Project for the Disordered Emotional States is part of the Connectome Studies Relating to Human Disease. In particular, it focuses on investigating mood and anxiety disorders.
The data from the Human Connectome Project for Disordered Emotional States, in conjunction with the other Connectome Studies Related to Human Disease, will be screened, pre-processed and released by the Connectome Coordination Facility. The release of data from all Connectome Studies Relating to Human Disease will provide great opportunities to investigate a large dataset of standardized biological, cognitive-behavioral, and self-report measurements. To learn more about the Connectome Coordination Facility and how the Human Connectome Project for Disordered Emotional States relates to the larger Human Connectome Project, please check out our listing on the website here.
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The Human Connectome Project for Depression and Anxiety is possible because of a thriving collaboration with Stanford faculty - Drs. Leanne Williams, Max Wintermark, Ian Gotlib, Brian Wandell, Russ Poldrack and Trevor Hastie. It is also part of the large multi-site Human Connectome Project that emphasizes collaboration and open data sharing with the research community worldwide.
Our Goals
Through our Connectomes for Emotional Disorders Project, we aim to:
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Characterize the structural and functional connectome in depression and anxiety
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Quantify the relations between specific brain circuits, clinical symptoms, and performance on cognitive tasks
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Use the functional and structural connectome types to predict behavior, symptoms, and function over one year
We hope that our research will ultimately transform the diagnosis and treatment of depression and anxiety disorders, so that we can potentially improve the lives of over 400 million people in the world who are currently suffering from these mental health problems.
A human connectome showing the inner wiring of the brain
Our Methods
We use a variety of methods to help us understand the connectomes for depression and anxiety, including:
Brain Scans
Brain scans to map with precision the connections among brain circuits.
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Behavioral Measures
Behavioral measures to assess cognitive capacities, such as memory and problem solving, that relate to these brain circuits.
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Clinical Measures
Clinical measures to understand each person’s life experience and symptoms.
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Meet the Team
Leanne Williams, PhD
Principal Investigator
Emily Zhai
Clinical Research Coordinator
Leonardo Tozzi, MD, PhD
Staff Scientist
Brian Wandell, PhD
Co-Investigator
Esther Anene
Lab Manager/Clinical Research Coordinator
Hua Wu, PhD
MRI Research Engineer
Adam B. Kerr
Research Director for the CNI
Ian Gotlib, PhD
Co-Investigator
Trevor Hastie, PhD
Co-Investigator
Russ Poldrack, PhD
Co-Investigator
Max Wintermark, MD
Co-Investigator
Findings
In the article below we characterize connectome dysfunctions in disordered emotional states and present quality control data from a representative sample of participants.
The human connectome project for disordered emotional states: Protocol and rationale for a research domain criteria study of brain connectivity in young adult anxiety and depression.
DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2020.116715
In the article below we indentify the portion of the functional connectome that can be measured reliably and the effect on reliability of the methods used for connectivity analyses.
Test-retest reliability of the human functional connectome over consecutive days: identifying highly reliable portions and assessing the impact of methodological choices.
Funding
Funding for our Connectomes for Emotional Disorders Project is provided by the National Institutes of Health (NIH): Human Connectome Project.
Title: “Mapping Connectomes for Disordered Emotional States”
Number: U01MH109985 under PAR-14-281
Contact Us
If you are interested in learning more about the Connectomes for Emotional Disorders Project, please feel free to:
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Send us an email at connectomeproject@stanford.edu​​​