Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a serious medical illness that affects millions of Australians. There is a crisis of access to psychiatric services across Australia, with wait times of several months to access appropriate psychiatric services. The accessibility crisis is particularly acute in Queensland, where psychiatrists work longer hours than their colleagues elsewhere in the country [AIHW 2022].
A beacon of hope in Queensland's mental health landscape
However, there is hope. Researchers at QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, a recipient of the 2024 Industry Research Projects, are developing a new device to help address this challenge. Their project focuses on optimising the screening for Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) therapy, an effective non-invasive brain stimulation technique for treating symptoms of refractory major depression.
The project aims to create a new AI-enabled device to predict the effectiveness of TMS therapy for individual patients. This device will use brain network-derived biomarkers to provide prognostic information for TMS treatment. In simpler terms, the software will analyse a patient's brain activity to predict how likely they are to respond well to the therapy.
This new technology has the potential to significantly improve the effectiveness of TMS therapy by administering this costly and time-consuming intervention only to individuals who are most likely to benefit from it. Thus, the new device could lead to better patient outcomes, shorter waiting times, and ultimately, a brighter outlook for Queensland's mental health landscape.
The project is being led by QIMR Berghofer's Clinical Brain Networks Group, a team with a well-established reputation for research in neuroscience and neuromodulation. The group is working in collaboration with a not-for-profit clinic offering robotically delivered personalised TMS, Queensland Neurostimulation Centre, a startup specialised in AI for mental health, Resonait Medical Technologies, and an international medical device producer, ANT Neuro.
The development of this new AI-powered software is a significant advancement in the fight against depression. It has the potential to significantly fast-track access to treatment, improving the lives of millions of Australians who are struggling with this debilitating condition, particularly those in Queensland facing the current burden of long wait times and high rates of mental illness.
We proudly support Queensland business and research institutions to collaborate and develop solutions to real-world challenges to fuel the future economy. More than $980,000 in funding will help boost Queensland’s economy by translating cutting-edge neuroscience research into tangible outcomes benefiting Queenslanders.
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Industry Research Projects supports researchers and industry to collaborate to translate research outcomes into commercialisation opportunities.
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Last updated: 18 Feb 2025