Project Grant R01MH143752

The National Institute of Mental Health awarded the University of Pittsburgh $739,727 on August 1, 2026, under the Mental Health Research Grants program (CFDA 93.242) to develop federated statistical harmonization and multivariate modeling frameworks for investigating altered brain aging patterns in individuals with severe mental illness and the modifying effects of metabolic syndrome.

The project addresses methodological challenges in large-scale neuroimaging research by leveraging the ENIGMA (Enhancing Neuroimaging Genetics Through Meta-Analysis) consortium, which aggregates data from tens of thousands of participants across 47 countries. The work focuses on developing novel federated statistical methods that enable reliable and replicable neuroimaging analyses while respecting the distributed structure of multi-site collaborations, reducing site-level heterogeneity from scanner and acquisition differences, and improving statistical inference on high-dimensional imaging features. The research targets schizophrenia spectrum disorders, bipolar disorder, and major depressive disorder—conditions affecting nearly 1 in 25 U.S. adults and associated with accelerated brain aging and increased dementia risk. The project specifically examines how metabolic syndrome, which affects individuals with severe mental illness at 50 percent higher rates, modifies brain aging trajectories.

Performance occurs at the University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, with a period of performance running through May 31, 2031. The award is a Project Grant, with support not to exceed five years under NIMH guidelines.