# Using human brain connectivity to identify the causal neuroanatomical substrate of depression symptoms

> **NIH NIH R01** · BRIGHAM AND WOMEN'S HOSPITAL · 2022 · $772,542

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY: Using human brain connectivity to identify the causal neuroanatomical
substrate of depression symptoms
Depression is the leading cause of disability worldwide. Identifying the brain regions causing depression
symptoms can lead to better treatment targets and therapies. Most neuroimaging studies identify brain regions
where activity correlates with depression symptoms but cannot determine whether these regions actually
cause symptoms. The goal of this project is to causally link depression symptoms to human neuroanatomy.
Lesions and brain stimulation can provide causal links to human neuroanatomy. Because symptoms can come
from regions connected to the lesion or stimulation site, we study the connectivity of these sites (not just their
location) using brain connectivity data from a large cohort of normal subjects (functional connectivity MRI,
n=1000). This allows us to map symptoms caused by lesions or stimulation to brain circuits without
connectivity data from the patients themselves. With NIMH support, we found that lesions, transcranial
magnetic stimulation (TMS) sites, and deep brain stimulation (DBS) sites that cause a change in depression
symptoms are all connected to a common brain circuit across 14 independent datasets (Siddiqi et. al 2021
Nature Human Behaviour). Connectivity to this circuit was a better predictor of antidepressant response to
TMS or DBS than connectivity to other candidate regions (e.g., subgenual cingulate). However, this circuit
requires validation before it can be translated into a target for clinical trials. Here, we will validate our brain
circuit for depression using three independent causal sources of information: lesions (Aim 1), DBS (Aim 2), and
TMS (Aim 3). For all aims, we will use our published a priori depression circuit to predict overall depression
outcomes. We will also perform exploratory data-driven analyses to test whether different circuits are
responsible for different symptoms of depression. In Aim 1, we will prospectively test whether our depression
circuit can predict depression scores after stroke. In Aim 2, we will test whether our depression circuit can
predict change in depression score after DBS across a wide range of DBS patients with different diagnoses. In
Aim 3, we will test whether individualized connectivity to our circuit prospectively predicts change in depression
symptoms with TMS. Completion of these Aims will validate our depression circuit across different diagnoses
and across three independent causal sources of information, providing much stronger validation than could be
achieved with one modality alone. If successful, this study will facilitate future trials directly targeting our brain
circuit with therapeutic neuromodulation for depression.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10442310
- **Project number:** 2R01MH113929-07
- **Recipient organization:** BRIGHAM AND WOMEN'S HOSPITAL
- **Principal Investigator:** MICHAEL D FOX
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2022
- **Award amount:** $772,542
- **Award type:** 2
- **Project period:** 2017-09-19 → 2027-06-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10442310

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10442310, Using human brain connectivity to identify the causal neuroanatomical substrate of depression symptoms (2R01MH113929-07). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10442310. Licensed CC0.

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