New Delhi: Researchers at the Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur (IIT Kanpur), in collaboration with Ganesh Shankar Vidyarthi Memorial (GSVM) Medical College, Kanpur, have found that electrical signals from the brain and stomach, combined with clinical symptoms, could help predict response to antidepressant treatment within 7-10 days of starting therapy.
The findings could allow doctors to identify patients who are unlikely to respond to a particular antidepressant earlier than the conventional 4-6 week period typically used to assess treatment response.
The study examined electrical activity in the brain and stomach using electroencephalography (EEG) and electrogastrography (EGG), respectively, along with clinical symptom data.
Researchers studied 206 participants, including 144 patients with depression who had not previously received treatment. EEG and EGG signals were recorded at the beginning of treatment and again approximately one week later. The researchers then examined whether the early biological signals, combined with clinical information, could predict treatment outcomes assessed 4-6 weeks after antidepressant therapy began.
The predictive model identified patients unlikely to respond to treatment with 84% sensitivity and 78% specificity during model evaluation.
When tested on an independent patient cohort, the model recorded 77.3% overall accuracy, with 80% specificity and 71.4% sensitivity in identifying nonresponders.
“Our study shows that objective non-invasive brain and gut electrophysiological signals collected in about the first week of treatment already contain valuable information about treatment response to precisely guide the intervention,” said Dr Pragathi Priyadharsini Balasubramani, Assistant Professor, Department of Cognitive Science, IIT Kanpur, and corresponding author of the study.
The researchers also found that different symptom profiles were associated with distinct patterns of brain and gut physiology linked to treatment outcomes.
“Recognizing these biological subtypes helps explain why patients respond differently to the same medication and facilitates personalized treatment strategies,” said Amal Jude Ashwin Francis, PhD Scholar, Department of Cognitive Science, IIT Kanpur, and first author of the study.
Scope for earlier treatment decisions
More than half of patients may not respond adequately to their first antidepressant, according to the researchers, meaning that identifying likely non-responders earlier could reduce the time spent on ineffective treatment.
The study’s approach uses non-invasive EEG and EGG measurements alongside clinical information. However, the researchers said further studies involving larger and more diverse patient groups will be required to validate the findings.
The tools used in the study are currently accessible through Neuroclinical Innovative Solutions (NCIS) Private Limited, which received financial support from the Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC) for the translational project.
The researchers said the work could support the development of earlier and more personalised approaches to depression treatment, subject to further clinical validation.
