Projects & Collaborations
Key Funded Projects
Longitudinal Study of Genetic Influences on Cognition (LOGIC; PI Doyle)
LOGIC is our flagship study and represents a longstanding collaboration between the Doyle Lab and the MGH Learning and Emotional Assessment Program, founded by Ellen Braaten PhD. The project is conducting deep phenotyping and genomic characterization of ~3,000 youth referred for neuropsychiatric evaluation and then following them over time. Its goals are to understand how different neuropsychiatric trajectories unfold from childhood to young adulthood and how genetic, neuropsychological, and other factors moderate and mediate outcomes. Such knowledge is expected to reveal new opportunities for early identification and intervention. These data will also yield hypotheses regarding ways in which discoveries in psychiatric genetics could have utility in the child clinical setting. Please click here to learn more.
JASPer-MH: Jointly Assessed Scalable Phenotypes for Mental Health (mPIs Perlis & Doyle)
Dr. Doyle is co-leading this U01 with Roy Perlis MD MSc, Director of the MGH Center for Quantitative Health. JASPer-MH aims to advance computational models that predict mental health and psychosocial outcomes in transition age youth (18 to 24 years old). Specifically, we will be applying novel, interpretable machine learning methods to leverage electronic health record (EHR) data alone and in conjunction with dimensional psychopathology and cognitive phenotypes. The study is part of the NIMH’s IMPACT-MH initiative. Projects in this consortium are capitalizing on big data, strategic phenotyping, and novel computational strategies to improve clinical prediction and decision making in psychiatry.
Leveraging computational strategies to disentangle the genetic and neural underpinnings of ADHD and its associated cognitive systems (PI Ge)
Dr. Doyle is thrilled to be collaborating with Tian Ge PhD and colleagues on a study that aims to 1) clarify distinct and overlapping genetic and neural signatures of ADHD and associated cognitive systems; and 2) integrate them to enhance longitudinal, predictive models of youth outcomes. The strategy is informed by the principles of NIMH’s RDoC framework, and the project capitalizes on publicly available data sets and novel computational strategies developed by Dr. Ge and team members.
Longitudinal neuroprotective effects of periconceptional folic acid supplements in help-seeking youth with psychiatric symptoms and healthy controls (PFAB; mPIs Roffman and Doyle)
The Doyle lab is fortunate to work closely with Dr. Josh Roffman MD MSc, Director of the Mass General Early Brain Development Initiative, and his team on this study. PFAB examines the impact of folic acid supplementation and other perinatal exposures on brain development, cognition, and psychiatric symptoms in help-seeking youth and non-help-seeking controls. We are examining these outcomes prospectively, over two years, with the majority of help-seeking youth recruited from the LOGIC study.
Person-centered identification and clinical prediction for childhood ADHD and other dysregulatory psychopathology using novel phenotypes (mPIs; Nagel and Nigg; MGH PI Wozniak)
Dr. Doyle is excited to be working with Janet Wozniak MD who is leading the MGH effort within another U01 in this consortium. Spearheaded by our colleagues at the Oregon Health and Science University (OHSU), this project will define novel, transdiagnostic phenotypes in children with dysregulated attention, behavior, and/or emotion. The team will then use advanced analytics to develop and test diagnostic and prognostic prediction models in different clinical settings.
Other Collaborations
IMpACT and ECNP Network: ADHD across the lifespan
Yes- it’s another project called IMpACT! This ‘IMpACT’ refers to the International Multicenter Persistent ADHD CollaboraTion, a longstanding working group of clinical, genetic, and basic researchers based in Europe and the Americas who study ADHD. Dr. Doyle participates in this group, as well as its recently expanded network within the European College of Neuropsychopharmacology (ECNP) entitled ‘ADHD across the Lifespan’. The ECNP network, chaired by Barbara Franke PhD and J. Antoni Ramos-Quiroga MD PhD, extends the mission of IMpACT to study the development of ADHD, improve diagnostics and treatment, and create opportunities for better clinical outcomes and prevention.
Influence of ADHD and Executive Functions on Developmental Dyslexia (PI Christodoulou; MGH PI Braaten)
Dr. Doyle is delighted to be working on another project with Ellen Braaten PhD, who is leading a collaboration with Joanna Christodoulou EdD and her Brain Education and Mind Lab, based in the MGH Institute of Health Professions. This study aims to disentangle the influence of ADHD and executive functions (EFs) on reading performance, which will advance conceptual models and have practical implications for assessment and intervention of struggling readers. The project involves three annual assessments (with psychiatric and cognitive measures and neuroimaging paradigms) in typically developing youth, youth with reading disabilities, and youth with reading disabilities and comorbid ADHD. Analyses will evaluate the hypothesis that greater reading impairments and differences in brain function are associated with worse EFs in youth with reading difficulties, regardless of ADHD status.
