# Neurobiologically-Based Subtyping of Multi-Cohort Samples with MDD and PTSD Symptoms

> **NIH NIH R01** · DUKE UNIVERSITY · 2024 · $73,667

## Abstract

ABSTRACT
The goal of this administrative supplement is to support research training and mentoring for Ms. LeeAnne
Tunstall in the post-baccalaureate category. Ms. Tunstall graduated from Virginia Tech in May 2023 with a
Bachelor of Science in Psychology and minor concentration in Adaptive Brain and Behavior. Long-term, she is
interested in pursuing a research career in neuroscience. Ms. Tunstall’s research experience will be
considerably enhanced by dedicated mentoring by the PI, intellectually stimulating scientific and clinical
environment at Duke, formal and informal educational experiences, and peer networking opportunities with
post-baccalaureate, graduate, and post-doctoral trainees at Duke. The parent grant will investigate resting-
state functional connectivity in PTSD, but does not change or duplicate the overall goals or hypotheses of the
parent award. The parent project aims to identify resting-state fMRI neural signatures that are common and
unique across DSM diagnoses of PTSD and MDD, compares comorbid PTSD and MDD, pure PTSD, pure
MDD, and Controls in functional brain networks involved with arousal, fear, salience, and executive processing,
and finally investigates trans-diagnostic symptoms shared by PTSD and MDD.
The goal of Specific Aim 1 is: Investigate the relationship between PTSD re-experiencing symptoms and DMN
/ CEN connectivity, and the relationship between PTSD hypervigilance symptoms SN connectivity. Hypothesis:
We predict that re-experiencing symptoms will be positively associated with DMN activity and re-experiencing
symptoms will be negatively associated with CEN activity. Thus, there will be a reciprocal relationship between
DMN and CEN activity. We predict that patients with more severe re-experiencing symptoms will spend greater
time in a DMN-dominant state whereas patients with mild re-experiencing symptoms will spend relatively less
time in a DMN-dominant state, effectively modulating DMN-CEN network imbalance.
The goal of Specific Aim 2 is: Investigate the relationship between PTSD re-experiencing symptoms and
DMN-cerebellar / DMN-cerebellar subregions, CEN-cerebellar / CEN-cerebellar subregion / SN-cerebellar /
SN-cerebellar subregion connectivity. Hypothesis: We predict altered CEN, SN, and DMN connectivity to
cerebellum and cerebellar sub-structures in PTSD. We hypothesize that the PTSD effects will be more
pronounced in the neocerebellum than the archicerebellum (i.e. diagnosis x sub-structural interaction). We
expect more severe PTSD re-experiencing symptoms will tip the balance to stronger DMN-cerebellar and
DMN-cerebellar sub-structural connectivity, but weaker CEN-cerebellar, CEN-cerebellar sub-structural
connectivity in PTSD. We expect more severe PTSD hypervigilance symptoms will tip the balance to stronger
SN-cerebellar and SN-cerebellar sub-structural connectivity in PTSD.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10862104
- **Project number:** 3R01MH129832-03S1
- **Recipient organization:** DUKE UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** RAJENDRA A MOREY
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $73,667
- **Award type:** 3
- **Project period:** 2022-04-15 → 2025-01-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10862104

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10862104, Neurobiologically-Based Subtyping of Multi-Cohort Samples with MDD and PTSD Symptoms (3R01MH129832-03S1). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-28 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10862104. Licensed CC0.

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