Project: The motor activity – subjective energy (MASE) project: Neurobiological and digital phenotyping towards digital mental health interventions in depression

Acronym	MASE
Project Topic	Major depressive disorder (MDD) is considered the worldwide leading disability-source, affecting about 29 million Europeans to date. Still, expedient behavioral treatment targets and their underlying neurobiology imperative for precision medicine approaches remain immature. From a clinical perspective, both psychomotor retardation and diminished mood constitute central MDD diagnostic criteria. MDD-patients but also remitted individuals vs. controls show reduced motor activity, and treatment response relates to increased activity. Intriguingly, a prominent recent study identified momentary interactions between motor activity and subjective energy in everyday life as a previously uncharted intervention target, and we were able to unravel neurobiological underpinnings of this dynamic real-life mechanism. The findings argue for targeted behavioral activation interventions, but which neurobiological phenotypes benefit the most in which intervention-environment (type, time, place) remains elusive. Therefore, in MASE, we aim to implement brain network analysis to unravel neurobiological activity–energy phenotypes, employ artificial intelligence to predict phenotype-tailored real-life intervention-environments, set up a daily life experimental study to validate results towards causality, and maximize adherence through smartphone APP designs. This will set the basis towards evidence-based, tailored and expedient mental health interventions fostering primary and secondary prevention.
Network	NEURON Cofund2
Call	Neuron Cofund2 Joint Call 2023

Project partner

Number	Name	Role	Country
1	Ruhr-University Bochum & Central Institute of Mental Health	Coordinator	Germany
2	Central Institute of Mental Health	Partner	Germany
3	University of Bern	Partner	Switzerland
4	University of Deusto	Partner	Spain
5	University de Ostrava	Partner	other