CAN-BIND transforms depression treatment from trial-and-error to precision medicine, publishing breakthrough research showing brain waves can predict treatment effectiveness within two weeks and guide personalized care through OPTIMUM-D clinical trial

  • Ontario-led research shapes national mental health standards, contributing to CANMAT's perinatal mood and anxiety disorders guidelines while establishing Canada's first psychedelic research centre in Kingston
  • This OBI program addresses urgent need for better depression care, developing biomarkers and standardized research methods to serve 1 in 5 Canadians experiencing mental health conditions annually and the 14% who will face major depression in their lifetime

For millions of Canadians, finding the right treatment for depression is a long, frustrating journey of trial and error. Relief often comes only after months of cycling through medications and therapies while symptoms persist. For the 1 in 5 Canadians who experience mental health conditions each year, and the 14% who will face major depression in their lifetime, this uncertainty can feel overwhelming.

The Canadian Biomarker Integration Network in Depression (CAN-BIND), one of the Ontario Brain Institute's Integrated Discovery Programs, is changing that reality. By combining cutting-edge science, clinical expertise, and lived experience, CAN-BIND is building a future where patients are matched with the right treatment from the very start.

"It could be as simple as a patient walking into their doctor's office, putting on a quick, non-invasive EEG cap, and getting matched with the right treatment from the start," explains Dr. Faranak Farzan, CAN-BIND's platform lead. "That could dramatically reduce the time people spend living with untreated depression."

Uncovering brain waves that predict recovery

In October 2024, CAN-BIND researchers published findings in Translational Psychiatry showing that brain waves can predict which treatment will work best, often within just two weeks of starting therapy.

The study followed more than 100 participants with major depressive disorder receiving either antidepressants or cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) over eight weeks. Using non-invasive EEG technology, researchers tracked subtle electrical patterns that influence cognitive and emotional responses.

Within two weeks, shifts in brain activity could indicate which treatment would be most effective. Both medications and CBT reduced the same brain wave patterns, revealing shared neural pathways for recovery.