# Generalizing and Standardizing fMRI Tools for Differentiating Mental Illnesses and Predicting Medication-Class Response in Patients

> **NIH NIH R41** · ADVANCED BIOMEDICAL INFORMATICS GROUP · 2020 · $437,555

## Abstract

Project Summary/Abstract
 Mood disorders, like many psychiatric conditions, have their onset in emerging adulthood and often last a
lifetime. Mental illnesses have an excessively large loading of Disability Adjusted Life Years, making early
intervention crucial for both individuals and society. Differentiating bipolar disorder (BD) from major depressive
disorder (MDD) based on the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM) can be especially challenging if clear
mania is absent. In fact, BD patients go an average of 6-10 years without the proper diagnosis, with 70%
misdiagnosed with MDD instead. The challenge of identifying BD patients among depressed individuals is
complex but critical because diagnosis determines treatment. The use of antidepressant (AD) medications in
patients with BD can lead to worsening of illness. We have recently shown that, using resting fMRI, we can
predict future medication class response with high accuracy (> 90%). In this project we will build on this work to
generalize to a new MRI scanner and clinical assessment protocol. In addition we will develop, in consultation
with multiple psychiatrists, a cloud-based tool to analyze and report the results from the brain imaging protocol
and machine learning analysis, in a timely, meaningful, and interpretable manner. Results are expected to be an
important step forward in the eventual development of clinical useful markers of mental illness.
2

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10157747
- **Project number:** 1R41MH122201-01A1
- **Recipient organization:** ADVANCED BIOMEDICAL INFORMATICS GROUP
- **Principal Investigator:** Henry Jeremy Bockholt
- **Activity code:** R41 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $437,555
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2020-09-16 → 2022-08-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10157747

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10157747, Generalizing and Standardizing fMRI Tools for Differentiating Mental Illnesses and Predicting Medication-Class Response in Patients (1R41MH122201-01A1). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10157747. Licensed CC0.

---

*[NIH grants dataset](/datasets/nih-grants) · CC0 1.0*