Brain circuit derived biotypes for treatment selection in mood disorders: A critical review and illustration of a functional neuroimaging tool for clinical translation

Although the lifetime burden due to major depressive disorder is increasing, we lack tools for selecting the most effective treatments for each patient. A third to one half of patients with major depressive disorder do not respond to treatment, and we lack strategies for selecting among available treatments or expediting access to new treatment options. This critical review concentrates on functional neuroimaging as a modality of measurement for precision psychiatry. We begin by summarizing the current landscape of how functional neuroimaging-derived circuit predictors can forecast treatment outcomes in depression. We then outline the opportunities and challenges in integrating circuit predictors into clinical practice. We highlight one standardized and reproducible approach for quantifying brain circuit function at an individual level, which could serve as a model for clinical translation. We conclude by evaluating the prospects and practicality of employing neuroimaging tools, like the one we propose, in routine clinical practice.