OUR RESEARCH
Current Studies
ACE-D
​The "ACE-D: Accelerating Cognition-guided signatures to Enhance translation in Depression" study aims to optimize, validate, and deploy a clinical cognitive signature using behavioral measures that have a basis in neural mechanisms, enabling individualized assessment at scale suited to personalized clinical prognostic and treatment selection decisions. We will extend our pioneering work in identifying a cognitive phenotype of depression derived from computerized behavioral ‘WebNeuro’ tasks that align with the RDoC cognitive control construct, to be complemented by a novel, research-based smartphone ‘BiAffect’ application for finer-grained, passively sampled behavioral metrics.​
RBRAIN - KETAMINE
Although ketamine has promise as a therapeutic when used at sub-anesthetic doses, we know little about exactly how it impacts the human brain in real-time. In this study, we acquire neuroimaging brain scans immediately following infusions of ketamine versus placebo, in a novel mechanistic trial design with healthy individuals. We also acquire detailed information about the individual experiences of each participant so as to connect brain changes to experience. Data from this study is vital to discovering how ketamine works in a more precise way and will inform its safe and personalized therapeutic use in future trials.
PSILOCYBIN
The "ACE-D: Accelerating Cognition-guided signatures to Enhance translation in Depression" study aims to optimize, validate, and deploy a clinical cognitive signature using behavioral measures that have a basis in neural mechanisms, enabling individualized assessment at scale suited to personalized clinical prognostic and treatment selection decisions. We will extend our pioneering work in identifying a cognitive phenotype of depression derived from computerized behavioral ‘WebNeuro’ tasks that align with the RDoC cognitive control construct, to be complemented by a novel, research-based smartphone ‘BiAffect’ application for finer-grained, passively sampled behavioral metrics.​
CLINIC PROJECT
The Stanford Translational Precision Mental Health Clinic Project is a pragmatic project to assess the clinical translation and implementation of neuroscience-based biotyping assessments for diagnosing and subtyping depressive and associated anxiety disorders in the outpatient setting.
RBRAIN - MDMA
We know little about exactly how MDMA – ‘ecstasy’ – impacts the human brain in real time and how brain changes relate to the experience of MDMA. In this study, we acquire neuroimaging brain scans immediately following doses of MDMA versus placebo, in a novel mechanistic trial design with healthy individuals. We also acquire detailed information about the individual experiences of each participant so as to connect brain changes to experience. Data from this study is vital to discovering how MDMA works in a more precise way and will inform its safe and personalized therapeutic use in future trials.
MDMAP
The “MDMAP: MDMA-assisted Cognitive Processing Therapy in PTSD” study investigates how MDMA-assisted psychotherapy impacts the brain in Veterans with Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Embedded within the VA’s first randomized clinical trial comparing MDMA-aCPT to standard-of-care CPT, we acquire functional neuroimaging scans before, during, and after treatment to identify changes in brain circuits associated with symptom improvement. Building on our recent findings that circuit-derived biotypes predict neural and behavioral responses to MDMA, this work aims to validate a precision biotype that may guide clinical decision-making and personalize treatment for trauma-related disorders.
SPARCLE
SPARCLE addresses a critical gap in precision psychiatry: understanding which patients will benefit from specific medications based on their unique neural signatures. Our goal is to identify whether baseline function in areas of the brain that process positive emotions (the "reward circuit" or "positive affect circuit") can predict treatment response to pramipexole, a selective dopamine agonist that directly targets these circuits. Many individuals with depression show dysfunction in these areas, which may explain why traditional antidepressants do not work for everyone. This study will help establish circuit-based biomarkers to guide personalized medication selection.
Past Studies
BIG
The BIomarker Guided (BIG) Study for Depression is a cutting edge clinical trial that approaches the treatment of a putative cognitive subtype of depression through the innovative use of a medication (guanfacine) that preferentially binds in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC)—a brain region heavily involved in cognitive function. This study aims to provide evidence that a neuroimaging biomarker can be helpful in identifying individuals with depression most likely to respond to a novel treatment.
BRAVE
The BRAVE study aims to define the neural circuits of emotion and reward processing that underlie AUD in Veterans. In addition to testing the relationship between defined neural circuits and treatment outcome (abstinence vs. relapse) and probability of relapse risk. The data collected from the study will allow for an exploration of the impact of gender, psychiatric co-morbidities, and craving on risk of relapse.
HUMAN CONNECTOME PROJECT FOR DEPRESSION AND ANXIETY
The Human Connectome Project for Depression and Anxiety is transforming our understanding of depression, anxiety, and mood disorders based on high-resolution imaging of the brain’s connectomes and biotypes. This study is funded through the NIH Human Connectome Project. It leverages an unparalleled compilation of data to achieve never before realized conclusions about the living human brain and how the brain is disrupted in depression and anxiety.
IRIS NEUROSTUDY
In response to the staggering mental health impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, we have launched the IRIS Neuro study. This study focuses on improving our understanding of the postinfection impact of SARS-CoV-2 on mental health symptoms and accompanying disruptions to concentration and brain function over a 12-month timeframe. By better understanding the impact, we can also identify and tailor treatment options.
RAD
The Research on Anxiety and Depression (RAD) study is aimed at developing a new understanding of anxiety and depression.
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The Research on Anxiety and Depression: Anhedonia Treatment (RAD-AT) study is aimed at understanding treatment options for anhedonia, in particular Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) and the medication pramipexole. Funded in part by Clinical Translational Biomedical Innovation Award Project
Understanding the Emotional Brain in Risk for Depression - The goal of this project is to assess first degree relatives of parents with depression to identify which aspects of emotional brain function and behavior are trait-like markers of familial risk for depression, and which may be more state-like. Data collection is completed.
FAMILY
The TWINS study focused on emotional function as a central aspect of wellness and emotional dysfunction as a central risk factor in mental illness.
A national cohort of twins were assessed on brain imaging, EEG, emotional and cognitive measures and on genetic polymorphisms to profile wellness, resilience and risk for mental illness.
TWINS
iSPOT-A
The International Study to Predict Optimized Treatment for Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (iSPOT-A) study is aimed at identifying brain, genetic and cognitive markers that predict treatment response to short-acting methylphenidate in children and adolescents diagnosed with ADHD.
ACTION
ACTION is a Controlled Trial Investigation of a Non-Stimulant for ADHD; a personalized medicine biomarker trial for ADHD.
The General, Emotional and Multidimensional cognitive assessment of first onset psychosis (GEM) project identified profiles of cognitive function that are prognostic of outcomes following early onset of psychosis. Cognitive behavioral measures were integrated with information from brain imaging and EEG.
GEM
NAMRAD/RAD-S
The Neuroimaging and Machine Learning to Redefine Anxiety and Depression and Research on Anxiety and Depression: Stress studies
This study was aimed to help us learn more about how parenting style is related to a child's perception of ADHD. We hope to apply any findings from this study towards developing a deeper understanding of ADHD and treatments to help make the lives of people with ADHD easier.
Children with ADHD & Parents Study
The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Healthcare Workers study aims to better understand the scope of the burden experienced by healthcare workers, to inform how best to support individuals on the front-line of caring for those with COVID-19.