image: Danella Hafeman, M.D., Ph.D.
Credit: BBRF
Early identification of bipolar disorder (BD) is crucial to ensuring timely and appropriate treatment. Early detection of mood episodes--given their recurrent nature--is also essential for better management of the illness. The Brain & Behavior Research Foundation (BBRF) will host a free webinar, “Tracking Mood Instability in Bipolar Disorder: Advances in Neuroimaging and Digital Monitoring” on Tuesday, September 9, 2025, at 2:00 pm ET. In this webinar, Danella Hafeman, M.D., Ph.D., Associate Professor of Psychiatry at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, will explain how her lab uses neuroimaging (fMRI) and mobile sensing to identify neural and behavioral markers of BD and mood recurrence. In addition, she will discuss mobile sensing metrics—of factors including sleep, motion, and phone interaction—as potential early indicators of depressive and manic symptoms. Preliminary findings suggest that neuroimaging and mobile sensing could become valuable clinical tools for earlier diagnosis and relapse detection.
The session will be hosted by Jeffrey Borenstein, M.D., President & CEO of the Brain & Behavior Research Foundation and host of the Emmy® nominated television series Healthy Minds.
Register Now to learn about Dr. Hafeman’s research and advances in neuroimaging and digital monitoring psychotherapy for tracking mood instability in bipolar disorder.
About Brain & Behavior Research Foundation
The Brain & Behavior Research Foundation (BBRF) awards research grants to develop improved treatments, cures, and methods of prevention for mental illness. These illnesses include addiction, ADHD, anxiety, autism, bipolar disorder, borderline personality disorder, depression, eating disorders, OCD, PTSD, and schizophrenia, as well as research on suicide prevention. Since 1987, the Foundation has awarded more than $475 million to fund more than 5,700 leading scientists around the world. 100% of every dollar donated for research is invested in research. BBRF operating expenses are covered by separate foundation grants. BBRF is the producer of the Emmy® nominated public television series Healthy Minds with Dr. Jeffrey Borenstein, which aims to remove the stigma of mental illness and demonstrate that with help, there is hope.