10/13/2025
đź§ Precision Psychiatry in Action đź§
Thrilled to share our new paper in Nature Mental Health! We show that targeting a specific brain mechanism can alleviate the cognitive biotype of depression.
Depression is still treated mostly by trial and error. Our goal is to change that with precision approaches.
Using fMRI, we identified individuals with dysfunction in the cognitive control circuit - the brain network for focus, decision-making, and self-control. We then tested whether immediate release guanfacine, a treatment that strengthens this circuit, reduces depressive symptoms.
✨ The results: ✨
• Treatment restored brain circuit function and cognitive performance
• 76.5% clinical response
• 84.6% remission among responders
This is one of the first demonstrations that directly targeting a brain circuit can drive remission in depression - a proof-of-concept for precision psychiatry.
Grateful to our incredible multidisciplinary team, our participants, and Stanford Medicine partners who made this work possible.
đź”— Full paper here: https://lnkd.in/gmMQyM36
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