Considerations in the development of learning health networks for mood disorders

Jessica M Lipschitz¹, Caleb Adler², Jorge R C Almeida³, Shervin Assari⁴, David J Bond⁵, Mason T Breitzig⁶, J Raymond DePaulo⁵, Rif El-Mallakh⁷, Jess Fiedorowicz⁸, John Freshley⁹, Gabriel R Fries¹⁰, Mark A Frye¹¹, Fernando S Goes⁵, Robert Gonzalez¹², Rebekah Huber¹³, Kay Jamison⁵, Guodong Liu¹⁴, Rodrigo Machado-Vieira¹⁰, Pamela Mahon¹², Melvin G McInnis¹⁵, Thomas D Meyer¹⁰, Nagy A Youssef¹⁶, John I Nurnberger Jr¹⁷, Michael Ostacher¹⁸, Sagar V Parikh¹⁵, Omar Pinjari¹⁹, Kristin Raj²⁰, Matteo Respino²¹, Marsal Sanches¹⁰, Christopher D Schneck²², Manpreet K Singh²³, Jair C Soares¹⁰, Stephen M Strakowski¹⁷, Aimee Sullivan²², Trisha Suppes¹⁸, Michael E Thase²⁴, Po Wang²⁰, Jeanette A Waxmonsky²⁵, Deborah Yurgelun-Todd²⁶, Peter P Zandi⁵, Katherine E Burdick¹²

Affiliations

¹ Department of Psychiatry, Mass General Brigham, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA. Electronic address: jessica.lipschitz@bwh.harvard.edu.
² Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, USA.
³ Dell Medical School, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA.
⁴ Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
⁵ Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.
⁶ Henry Ford Health, Center for Health Policy & Health Services Research, Detroit, MI, USA; Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health, Penn State College of Medicine, Hershey, PA, USA.
⁷ Department of Psychiatry, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY, USA.
⁸ University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada; Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, ON, Canada.
⁹ Bioscience Navigators, Ann Arbor, MI, USA; National Network of Depression Centers, Ann Arbor, MI, USA.
¹⁰ Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, McGovern Medical School, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX, USA.
¹¹ Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA.
¹² Department of Psychiatry, Mass General Brigham, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
¹³ Oregon Health & Science University, Center for Mental Health Innovation, Portland, OR, USA; University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, UT, USA.
¹⁴ Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health, Penn State College of Medicine, Hershey, PA, USA.
¹⁵ Department of Psychiatry, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI, USA.
¹⁶ Pine Rest Christian Mental Health Services, Grand Rapids, MI, USA; Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA.
¹⁷ Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA.
¹⁸ United States Department of Veterans Affairs, Palo Alto Health Care System, Palo Alto, CA, USA; Stanford University School of Medicine, Palo Alto, CA, USA.
¹⁹ University of Texas Medical Branch Correctional Managed Care, Galveston, TX, USA.
²⁰ Stanford University School of Medicine, Palo Alto, CA, USA.
²¹ Department of Psychiatry, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada.
²² Department of Psychiatry, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA.
²³ University of California Davis School of Medicine, Sacremento, CA, USA.
²⁴ Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA; Corporal Michael J. Crescenz Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
²⁵ Colorado School of Public Health, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA.
²⁶ University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, UT, USA; VISN 19 MIRECC, George E. Wahlen Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Salt Lake City, UT, USA.

PMID: 40652981
DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2025.119904

Considerations in the development of learning health networks for mood disorders

Jessica M Lipschitz et al. J Affect Disord. 2026.

. 2026 Jan 15;393(Pt A):119904.

doi: 10.1016/j.jad.2025.119904. Epub 2025 Jul 11.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ Department of Psychiatry, Mass General Brigham, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA. Electronic address: jessica.lipschitz@bwh.harvard.edu.
² Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, USA.
³ Dell Medical School, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA.
⁴ Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
⁵ Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.
⁶ Henry Ford Health, Center for Health Policy & Health Services Research, Detroit, MI, USA; Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health, Penn State College of Medicine, Hershey, PA, USA.
⁷ Department of Psychiatry, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY, USA.
⁸ University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada; Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, ON, Canada.
⁹ Bioscience Navigators, Ann Arbor, MI, USA; National Network of Depression Centers, Ann Arbor, MI, USA.
¹⁰ Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, McGovern Medical School, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX, USA.
¹¹ Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA.
¹² Department of Psychiatry, Mass General Brigham, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
¹³ Oregon Health & Science University, Center for Mental Health Innovation, Portland, OR, USA; University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, UT, USA.
¹⁴ Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health, Penn State College of Medicine, Hershey, PA, USA.
¹⁵ Department of Psychiatry, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI, USA.
¹⁶ Pine Rest Christian Mental Health Services, Grand Rapids, MI, USA; Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA.
¹⁷ Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA.
¹⁸ United States Department of Veterans Affairs, Palo Alto Health Care System, Palo Alto, CA, USA; Stanford University School of Medicine, Palo Alto, CA, USA.
¹⁹ University of Texas Medical Branch Correctional Managed Care, Galveston, TX, USA.
²⁰ Stanford University School of Medicine, Palo Alto, CA, USA.
²¹ Department of Psychiatry, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada.
²² Department of Psychiatry, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA.
²³ University of California Davis School of Medicine, Sacremento, CA, USA.
²⁴ Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA; Corporal Michael J. Crescenz Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
²⁵ Colorado School of Public Health, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA.
²⁶ University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, UT, USA; VISN 19 MIRECC, George E. Wahlen Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Salt Lake City, UT, USA.

PMID: 40652981
DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2025.119904

Abstract

Background: Learning Health Networks (LHNs), such as the one described in Savitz et al. (in press), involve employing a network of treatment centers to produce standardized data from routine clinical practice, produce knowledge from that data, and systematically use that knowledge to inform care. To date, there are limited examples of LHNs in psychiatry. It is essential to establish robust dialogue around best practices for building LHNs to advance precision medicine in psychiatry.

Methods: A task group consensus on key elements of LHNs as applied to mood disorders was convened. Task group members reviewed current literature and ongoing LHN network efforts and evaluated opportunities and gaps within psychiatry broadly, and mood disorders specifically.

Results: Task group members noted four key considerations for building LHNs for mood disorders. First, obtain qualitative and quantitative stakeholder input at every stage of development, specifically input from patients and patients' families, clinicians and health system leadership. Second, collect data on objective measures of functioning, such as neuropsychological testing, quality of life indicators, and blood-based markers of health, alongside more standard measures such as symptom severity. Third, carefully consider the details of how new evidence-based practices will be identified and implemented. Fourth, identify a plan for sustainability.

Limitations: Literature was reviewed and discussed among expert task group members, but this was not a systematic review.

Conclusions: With stakeholder input, data on functioning as well as symptom severity, thoughtful implementation strategies, and an eye to sustainability, LHNs represent an important opportunity for advancement in the treatment of mood disorders.

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Conflict of interest statement

Declaration of competing interest The authors declare the following financial interests/personal relationships which may be considered as potential competing interests: Jessica Lipschitz reports financial support was provided by National Network of Depression Centers. Jessica Lipschitz reports financial support was provided by National Institute of Mental Health. Jessica M Lipschitz reports a relationship with Solara Health Inc. that includes: consulting or advisory. Jessica M Lipschitz reports a relationship with Alkermes Inc that includes: funding grants. Caleb Adler reports a relationship with Breakthrough Discoveries for thriving with Bipolar Disorder (BD2) that includes: funding grants. Caleb Adler reports a relationship with Johnson & Johnson that includes: consulting and speaking. And a relationship with Abbvie that includes consulting. J. Raymond DePaulo reports a relationship with Merck & Co. that includes: stock ownership. John Freshley reports a relationship with Superior Genomics that includes: board membership. Rif El-Mallakh reports a relationship with Axsome that includes: speaking and lecture fees. Rif El-Mallakh reports a relationship with Johnson and Johnson that includes: speaking and lecture fees. Rif El-Mallakh reports a relationship with Lundbeck that includes: speaking and lecture fees. Rif El-Mallakh reports a relationship with Otsuka that includes: speaking and lecture fees. Rif El-Mallakh reports a relationship with Vanda that includes: speaking and lecture fees. Gabriel R. Fries reports financial support was provided by the John S. Dunn Foundation that includes: funding grants. Mark A. Frye reports a relationship with Assurex Health that includes: funding grants. Mark A. Frye reports a relationship with Baszucki Group that includes: funding grants. Mark A. Frye reports a relationship with Breakthrough Discoveries for Thriving with Bipolar Disorder (BD2) that includes: consulting or advisory. Mark A. Frye reports a relationship with Carnot Laboratories that includes: providing continuing medical education. Mark A. Frye reports a relationship with American Physician Institute that includes: providing continuing medical education. Mark A. Frye reports a potential financial interest with Chymia LLC. Nagy A. Youssef reports a relationship with Sigma Stim Corp. that includes: research support for equipment. Nagy A. Youssef reports a relationship with Elsevier that includes: royalties. Michael Ostacher reports a relationship with Neurocrine Biosciences Inc that includes: consulting or advisory. Jair Soares reports a relationship with Alkermes Inc that includes: board membership. Jair Soares reports a relationship with Compass Pathways that includes: funding grants. Manpreet Singh reports a relationship with Advanced Neuromodulation Systems, Inc. that includes: funding grants. Manpreet Singh reports a relationship with AbbVie Inc that includes: board membership, consulting or advisory, and funding grants. Manpreet Singh reports a relationship with Alkermes Inc that includes: board membership and consulting or advisory. Manpreet Singh reports a relationship with Alto Neuroscience, Inc. that includes: board membership and consulting or advisory. Manpreet Singh reports a relationship with Boehringer Ingelheim Corp USA that includes: board membership and consulting or advisory. Manpreet Singh reports a relationship with Johnson and Johnson that includes: board membership and consulting or advisory. Manpreet Singh reports a relationship with Karuna Therapeutics Inc that includes: board membership and consulting or advisory. Manpreet Singh reports a relationship with Neumora Therapeutics Inc that includes: board membership and consulting or advisory. Manpreet Singh reports a relationship with Skyland Trail that includes: board membership and consulting or advisory. Manpreet Singh reports a relationship with American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry that includes: speaking and lecture fees. Michael Thase reports a relationship with Autobahn Therapeutics, Inc. that includes: board membership and consulting or advisory. Jair Soares reports a relationship with Mind Med that includes: funding grants. Melvin McInnis reports a relationship with Janssen Pharmaceuticals Inc that includes: consulting or advisory and funding grants. Trisha Suppes reports a relationship with Compass Pathways that includes: funding grants. Trisha Suppes reports a relationship with Merck that includes: funding grants. Trisha Suppes reports a relationship with Cohen Biosciences that includes: funding grants. Trisha Suppes reports a relationship with Intracellular Therapies that includes: consulting or advisory. Trisha Suppes reports a relationship with MindMed that includes: consulting or advisory. Trisha Suppes reports a relationship with American Psychiatric Association Publishing that includes: royalties. Trisha Suppes reports a relationship with Hogrefe Publishing that includes: royalties. Trisha Suppes reports a relationship with Jones and Bartlett that includes: royalties. Trisha Suppes reports a relationship with Wolters Kluwer Health that includes: royalties. Trisha Suppes reports a relationship with Wolters Kluwer Health that includes: continuint medical education honoraria. Michael Thase reports a relationship with Axsome Therapeutics Inc that includes: board membership and consulting or advisory. Michael Thase reports a relationship with Clexio Biosciences Ltd that includes: board membership and consulting or advisory. Michael Thase reports a relationship with Gerson Lehman that includes: board membership and consulting or advisory. Michael Thase reports a relationship with GH Therapeutics that includes: board membership and consulting or advisory. Michael Thase reports a relationship with H Lundbeck A/S that includes: board membership and consulting or advisory. Michael Thase reports a relationship with Janssen Pharmaceuticals Inc that includes: board membership and consulting or advisory. Michael Thase reports a relationship with Johnson and Johnson that includes: board membership and consulting or advisory. Michael Thase reports a relationship with Luye Pharma Group Ltd that includes: board membership and consulting or advisory. Michael Thase reports a relationship with Merck & Co Inc that includes: board membership and consulting or advisory. Michael Thase reports a relationship with Object Pharma that includes: board membership and consulting or advisory. Michael Thase reports a relationship with Otsuka Pharmaceutical Company, Ltd. that includes: board membership and consulting or advisory. Michael Thase reports a relationship with Pfizer Inc that includes: board membership and consulting or advisory. Michael Thase reports a relationship with Sagent Pharmaceuticals Inc that includes: board membership and consulting or advisory. Michael Thase reports a relationship with Seelos Pharmaceuticals that includes: board membership and consulting or advisory. Michael Thase reports a relationship with Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited that includes: board membership and consulting or advisory. Has patent pending to. Katherine E Burdick reports a relationship with Breakthrough Discoveries for thriving with Bipolar Disorder (BD2) that includes: board membership and consulting or advisory. Katherine E Burdick reports a relationship with Suven Life Science that includes: board membership and consulting or advisory. Katherine E Burdick reports a relationship with Alto Neuroscience that includes: board membership and consulting or advisory. If there are other authors, they declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper.

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Considerations in the development of learning health networks for mood disorders

Affiliations

Considerations in the development of learning health networks for mood disorders

Authors

Affiliations

Abstract

Conflict of interest statement

MeSH terms

LinkOut - more resources

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Medical