# Neural Mechanisms of Monoaminergic Engagement in Late-Life Depression Treatment Response (NEMO)

> **NIH NIH R01** · UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH AT PITTSBURGH · 2022 · $150,632

## Abstract

ABSTRACT
R01 MH076079 Neural Mechanisms of Monoaminergic Engagement in Late-Life Depression Treatment
Response [NEMO] tests a mechanistic model that describes the treatment-related dynamic changes of the core
cognitive and affective networks (CAN) at rest and during standard behavioral tasks as well as the moderating
role of vascular burden on the association between CAN engagement and treatment response. We proposed to
recruit 100 older adults with late-life depression. The award was received on January 1, 2017. Since then, we hit
all the adjusted recruitment milestones until year 4, when due to the COVID pandemic we had to halt
recruitment as our potential participants were in the higher-risk age group (60 and older). As of June 2021,
we are at 54% of projected recruitment. We project that by December 2021 (end of award), we will recruit a
total of 64 participants. In order to be able to power the analyzes in both aims of the study we need to recruit
at least 80 subjects. Thus, we need to recruit an additional 16 subjects during the requested additional five
months of funding. This judicious target is based on the pace of recruitment during the first four years of the
project. This is crucial for the successful analysis of data (based on power calculations). As we reach the end of
the funding period for this study, we are planning to submit a competing continuation that would rely on the
powered results from the current proposal. The requested funds are specifically aimed to recover salaries paid
during shutdown. This proposal is responsive to NOT-MH-21-120 as 1) it is within the scope of the
funded research; 2) NEMO is in the last year of the award; 3) completion of enrollment and
follow-up are critical for the success of the current project.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10506442
- **Project number:** 3R01MH076079-15S1
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH AT PITTSBURGH
- **Principal Investigator:** HOWARD J AIZENSTEIN
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2022
- **Award amount:** $150,632
- **Award type:** 3
- **Project period:** 2017-01-01 → 2022-12-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10506442

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10506442, Neural Mechanisms of Monoaminergic Engagement in Late-Life Depression Treatment Response (NEMO) (3R01MH076079-15S1). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-06-01 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10506442. Licensed CC0.

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