Damien Fair
@drdamienfair.bsky.social
Redleaf Endowed Director, Masonic Institute for the Developing Brain (MIDB)
Professor, University of Minnesota
Co-Founder Turing Medical
MacArthur Fellow
Neuroscience, Brain Imaging, Mental Health, Data Science
Professor, University of Minnesota
Co-Founder Turing Medical
MacArthur Fellow
Neuroscience, Brain Imaging, Mental Health, Data Science
From 30+ years of suffering to sustained relief thanks to personalized brain maps + adaptive stimulation
PACE – an approach for a personalized brain pacemaker
Insights on how decades of basic science in fMRI and cognitive science can lead to real breakthroughs in medicine
PACE – an approach for a personalized brain pacemaker
Insights on how decades of basic science in fMRI and cognitive science can lead to real breakthroughs in medicine
August 10, 2025 at 6:23 PM
From 30+ years of suffering to sustained relief thanks to personalized brain maps + adaptive stimulation
PACE – an approach for a personalized brain pacemaker
Insights on how decades of basic science in fMRI and cognitive science can lead to real breakthroughs in medicine
PACE – an approach for a personalized brain pacemaker
Insights on how decades of basic science in fMRI and cognitive science can lead to real breakthroughs in medicine
At home, we used Bayes Tuning, an optimization procedure to refine and personalize stimulation settings.
@ 7 weeks → suicidal thoughts gone.
@ 6 Months → depression in full remission.
@ 30 months later → Mike is still well.
As a bonus some of if cognitive skills improved!!
@ 7 weeks → suicidal thoughts gone.
@ 6 Months → depression in full remission.
@ 30 months later → Mike is still well.
As a bonus some of if cognitive skills improved!!
August 10, 2025 at 6:23 PM
At home, we used Bayes Tuning, an optimization procedure to refine and personalize stimulation settings.
@ 7 weeks → suicidal thoughts gone.
@ 6 Months → depression in full remission.
@ 30 months later → Mike is still well.
As a bonus some of if cognitive skills improved!!
@ 7 weeks → suicidal thoughts gone.
@ 6 Months → depression in full remission.
@ 30 months later → Mike is still well.
As a bonus some of if cognitive skills improved!!
Here is a video of stimulation to his Action Mode Network (AMN) network reducing anxiety:
osf.io/mj246?view_o...
osf.io/mj246?view_o...
August 10, 2025 at 6:23 PM
Here is a video of stimulation to his Action Mode Network (AMN) network reducing anxiety:
osf.io/mj246?view_o...
osf.io/mj246?view_o...
Here is a video showing his response when stimulating the fronto-parietal attention network:
osf.io/8j4dp?view_o...
osf.io/8j4dp?view_o...
August 10, 2025 at 6:23 PM
Here is a video showing his response when stimulating the fronto-parietal attention network:
osf.io/8j4dp?view_o...
osf.io/8j4dp?view_o...
We validated the effects and engagement of the networks in the days after surgery and replicated them 3 weeks later.
Here is a video replicating his emotional response when stimulating the default network:
osf.io/vsc42?view_o...
Here is a video replicating his emotional response when stimulating the default network:
osf.io/vsc42?view_o...
August 10, 2025 at 6:23 PM
We validated the effects and engagement of the networks in the days after surgery and replicated them 3 weeks later.
Here is a video replicating his emotional response when stimulating the default network:
osf.io/vsc42?view_o...
Here is a video replicating his emotional response when stimulating the default network:
osf.io/vsc42?view_o...
Now with PFM, prior cortical stim work by @ziad-nahas.bsky.social for depression could be patient specific.
We developed the end-to-end minimally invasive PACE used by @drdaviddarrow.bsky.social to place electrodes directly on Mike's salience, default, fronto-parietal, and action mode networks.
We developed the end-to-end minimally invasive PACE used by @drdaviddarrow.bsky.social to place electrodes directly on Mike's salience, default, fronto-parietal, and action mode networks.
August 10, 2025 at 6:23 PM
Now with PFM, prior cortical stim work by @ziad-nahas.bsky.social for depression could be patient specific.
We developed the end-to-end minimally invasive PACE used by @drdaviddarrow.bsky.social to place electrodes directly on Mike's salience, default, fronto-parietal, and action mode networks.
We developed the end-to-end minimally invasive PACE used by @drdaviddarrow.bsky.social to place electrodes directly on Mike's salience, default, fronto-parietal, and action mode networks.
Using Precision Functional Mapping (PFM) we mapped Mike’s unique brain networks.
We found his salience network was 4× larger than normal - it encroached on mood and attention systems.
We found his salience network was 4× larger than normal - it encroached on mood and attention systems.
August 10, 2025 at 6:23 PM
Using Precision Functional Mapping (PFM) we mapped Mike’s unique brain networks.
We found his salience network was 4× larger than normal - it encroached on mood and attention systems.
We found his salience network was 4× larger than normal - it encroached on mood and attention systems.
I still get chills
Meet Mike
*30+ years severe depression
*first hospitalized @ 13y
*20 meds
*3 rounds of ECT
*2 near-fatal suicide attempts
Mike felt joy for the first time in decades after we turned on his new brain pacemaker or PACE
see videos, read paper, follow thread
doi.org/10.31234/osf...
Meet Mike
*30+ years severe depression
*first hospitalized @ 13y
*20 meds
*3 rounds of ECT
*2 near-fatal suicide attempts
Mike felt joy for the first time in decades after we turned on his new brain pacemaker or PACE
see videos, read paper, follow thread
doi.org/10.31234/osf...
August 10, 2025 at 6:23 PM
I still get chills
Meet Mike
*30+ years severe depression
*first hospitalized @ 13y
*20 meds
*3 rounds of ECT
*2 near-fatal suicide attempts
Mike felt joy for the first time in decades after we turned on his new brain pacemaker or PACE
see videos, read paper, follow thread
doi.org/10.31234/osf...
Meet Mike
*30+ years severe depression
*first hospitalized @ 13y
*20 meds
*3 rounds of ECT
*2 near-fatal suicide attempts
Mike felt joy for the first time in decades after we turned on his new brain pacemaker or PACE
see videos, read paper, follow thread
doi.org/10.31234/osf...
🙌 Shout out to the
ABCD consortium @theabcdstudy.bsky.social
NBDC Data Hub and @lassoinfo.bsky.social cial
@umn-midb.bsky.social and and UMN’s MSI (file-based data host)
NIDA leadership
and all researchers enabling this next wave of discovery.
Start exploring now via 👉 nbdc-datahub.org
ABCD consortium @theabcdstudy.bsky.social
NBDC Data Hub and @lassoinfo.bsky.social cial
@umn-midb.bsky.social and and UMN’s MSI (file-based data host)
NIDA leadership
and all researchers enabling this next wave of discovery.
Start exploring now via 👉 nbdc-datahub.org
June 30, 2025 at 5:24 PM
🙌 Shout out to the
ABCD consortium @theabcdstudy.bsky.social
NBDC Data Hub and @lassoinfo.bsky.social cial
@umn-midb.bsky.social and and UMN’s MSI (file-based data host)
NIDA leadership
and all researchers enabling this next wave of discovery.
Start exploring now via 👉 nbdc-datahub.org
ABCD consortium @theabcdstudy.bsky.social
NBDC Data Hub and @lassoinfo.bsky.social cial
@umn-midb.bsky.social and and UMN’s MSI (file-based data host)
NIDA leadership
and all researchers enabling this next wave of discovery.
Start exploring now via 👉 nbdc-datahub.org
Bonus!!! Check out the updates to DEAP: the Data Exploration and Analysis Portal
* Search and Filter Tabulated Data!
* Output in many formats!
* Organize and share curated datasets!
* Search and Filter Tabulated Data!
* Output in many formats!
* Organize and share curated datasets!
June 30, 2025 at 5:24 PM
Bonus!!! Check out the updates to DEAP: the Data Exploration and Analysis Portal
* Search and Filter Tabulated Data!
* Output in many formats!
* Organize and share curated datasets!
* Search and Filter Tabulated Data!
* Output in many formats!
* Organize and share curated datasets!
Hosted on the new NBDC Data Hub and supported by our friends @lassoinfo.bsky.social
* Scalable data integration
* Custom query tools and data dictionaries for search and filter
* Streamlined Data Use Certification & Responsible Use training
* Download any or all survey or imaging file data!
* Scalable data integration
* Custom query tools and data dictionaries for search and filter
* Streamlined Data Use Certification & Responsible Use training
* Download any or all survey or imaging file data!
June 30, 2025 at 5:24 PM
Hosted on the new NBDC Data Hub and supported by our friends @lassoinfo.bsky.social
* Scalable data integration
* Custom query tools and data dictionaries for search and filter
* Streamlined Data Use Certification & Responsible Use training
* Download any or all survey or imaging file data!
* Scalable data integration
* Custom query tools and data dictionaries for search and filter
* Streamlined Data Use Certification & Responsible Use training
* Download any or all survey or imaging file data!
Neuroimaging is now delivered in BIDS format!!!!!
Including concatenated rest & task data and, of course, the ABCD BIDS Community Collection (ABCC) derivatives!!!
docs.abcdstudy.org/latest/
osf.io/psv5m
nbdc-datahub.org
Soon to be updated ABCC paper! www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Including concatenated rest & task data and, of course, the ABCD BIDS Community Collection (ABCC) derivatives!!!
docs.abcdstudy.org/latest/
osf.io/psv5m
nbdc-datahub.org
Soon to be updated ABCC paper! www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
June 30, 2025 at 5:24 PM
Neuroimaging is now delivered in BIDS format!!!!!
Including concatenated rest & task data and, of course, the ABCD BIDS Community Collection (ABCC) derivatives!!!
docs.abcdstudy.org/latest/
osf.io/psv5m
nbdc-datahub.org
Soon to be updated ABCC paper! www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Including concatenated rest & task data and, of course, the ABCD BIDS Community Collection (ABCC) derivatives!!!
docs.abcdstudy.org/latest/
osf.io/psv5m
nbdc-datahub.org
Soon to be updated ABCC paper! www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Major milestone for the day!
The ABCD 6.0 Data Release is LIVE on the NIH Brain Development Cohorts (NBDC) Data Hub—featuring longitudinal data through the six year follow up (ages 9–16) for ~75% of participants (~12,000 kids)!
@theabcdstudy.bsky.social
www.nbdc-datahub.org
docs.abcdstudy.org
The ABCD 6.0 Data Release is LIVE on the NIH Brain Development Cohorts (NBDC) Data Hub—featuring longitudinal data through the six year follow up (ages 9–16) for ~75% of participants (~12,000 kids)!
@theabcdstudy.bsky.social
www.nbdc-datahub.org
docs.abcdstudy.org
June 30, 2025 at 5:24 PM
Major milestone for the day!
The ABCD 6.0 Data Release is LIVE on the NIH Brain Development Cohorts (NBDC) Data Hub—featuring longitudinal data through the six year follow up (ages 9–16) for ~75% of participants (~12,000 kids)!
@theabcdstudy.bsky.social
www.nbdc-datahub.org
docs.abcdstudy.org
The ABCD 6.0 Data Release is LIVE on the NIH Brain Development Cohorts (NBDC) Data Hub—featuring longitudinal data through the six year follow up (ages 9–16) for ~75% of participants (~12,000 kids)!
@theabcdstudy.bsky.social
www.nbdc-datahub.org
docs.abcdstudy.org
Ready to explore or contribute?
Start here:
docs.abcdstudy.org/latest/
osf.io/psv5m
nbdc-datahub.org
Soon to be updated ABCC paper! www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Stay tuned in for ABCD updates and NBDC Platform posts tomorrow!!!!!
nbdc-datahub.org
Start here:
docs.abcdstudy.org/latest/
osf.io/psv5m
nbdc-datahub.org
Soon to be updated ABCC paper! www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Stay tuned in for ABCD updates and NBDC Platform posts tomorrow!!!!!
nbdc-datahub.org
June 29, 2025 at 4:39 PM
Ready to explore or contribute?
Start here:
docs.abcdstudy.org/latest/
osf.io/psv5m
nbdc-datahub.org
Soon to be updated ABCC paper! www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Stay tuned in for ABCD updates and NBDC Platform posts tomorrow!!!!!
nbdc-datahub.org
Start here:
docs.abcdstudy.org/latest/
osf.io/psv5m
nbdc-datahub.org
Soon to be updated ABCC paper! www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Stay tuned in for ABCD updates and NBDC Platform posts tomorrow!!!!!
nbdc-datahub.org
Our proposed model:
Pain is not a static signal.
It’s a dynamic, modulated feedback loop for guiding behavior.
Intervening at SCAN/AMN breaks the cycle — better than any one-size-fits-all cortical stimulation.
Pain is not a static signal.
It’s a dynamic, modulated feedback loop for guiding behavior.
Intervening at SCAN/AMN breaks the cycle — better than any one-size-fits-all cortical stimulation.
June 26, 2025 at 1:29 PM
Our proposed model:
Pain is not a static signal.
It’s a dynamic, modulated feedback loop for guiding behavior.
Intervening at SCAN/AMN breaks the cycle — better than any one-size-fits-all cortical stimulation.
Pain is not a static signal.
It’s a dynamic, modulated feedback loop for guiding behavior.
Intervening at SCAN/AMN breaks the cycle — better than any one-size-fits-all cortical stimulation.
So, we examined it in our prior cortical stimulation patients.
Two patients with central neuropathic pain.
One had electrodes over both SCAN & AMN.
One hit only SCAN.
Pain relief tracked exactly with network engagement.
Precision matters!!!!
Two patients with central neuropathic pain.
One had electrodes over both SCAN & AMN.
One hit only SCAN.
Pain relief tracked exactly with network engagement.
Precision matters!!!!
June 26, 2025 at 1:29 PM
So, we examined it in our prior cortical stimulation patients.
Two patients with central neuropathic pain.
One had electrodes over both SCAN & AMN.
One hit only SCAN.
Pain relief tracked exactly with network engagement.
Precision matters!!!!
Two patients with central neuropathic pain.
One had electrodes over both SCAN & AMN.
One hit only SCAN.
Pain relief tracked exactly with network engagement.
Precision matters!!!!
Figure 1 (attached) shows how these networks:
• Interdigitate with traditional motor areas
• Align closely with pain activations (r=0.73)
• Vary dramatically between individuals
These are non-sensory pain networks.
That’s why classic targeting misses.
• Interdigitate with traditional motor areas
• Align closely with pain activations (r=0.73)
• Vary dramatically between individuals
These are non-sensory pain networks.
That’s why classic targeting misses.
June 26, 2025 at 1:29 PM
Figure 1 (attached) shows how these networks:
• Interdigitate with traditional motor areas
• Align closely with pain activations (r=0.73)
• Vary dramatically between individuals
These are non-sensory pain networks.
That’s why classic targeting misses.
• Interdigitate with traditional motor areas
• Align closely with pain activations (r=0.73)
• Vary dramatically between individuals
These are non-sensory pain networks.
That’s why classic targeting misses.
Alert!!!!
“An Action Networks Model for Pain”
We propose a new model for chronic pain — and highlight two functionally connected cortical networks that could revolutionize how we treat it.
👉 thread below 🧵
osf.io/preprints/ps...
“An Action Networks Model for Pain”
We propose a new model for chronic pain — and highlight two functionally connected cortical networks that could revolutionize how we treat it.
👉 thread below 🧵
osf.io/preprints/ps...
June 26, 2025 at 1:29 PM
Alert!!!!
“An Action Networks Model for Pain”
We propose a new model for chronic pain — and highlight two functionally connected cortical networks that could revolutionize how we treat it.
👉 thread below 🧵
osf.io/preprints/ps...
“An Action Networks Model for Pain”
We propose a new model for chronic pain — and highlight two functionally connected cortical networks that could revolutionize how we treat it.
👉 thread below 🧵
osf.io/preprints/ps...
A little rest from work on a 40 degree day at the beach!
Winter Lake Superior’s North Shore MN!
Winter Lake Superior’s North Shore MN!
February 22, 2025 at 9:20 PM
A little rest from work on a 40 degree day at the beach!
Winter Lake Superior’s North Shore MN!
Winter Lake Superior’s North Shore MN!
Look who is here! Let’s welcome @umn-midb.bsky.social to #bluesky
Come follow us for updates on clinical care, education, and policy around developmental brain health and, of course, new scientific discoveries about the developing brain at #MIDB!
Come follow us for updates on clinical care, education, and policy around developmental brain health and, of course, new scientific discoveries about the developing brain at #MIDB!
January 23, 2025 at 9:20 PM
Look who is here! Let’s welcome @umn-midb.bsky.social to #bluesky
Come follow us for updates on clinical care, education, and policy around developmental brain health and, of course, new scientific discoveries about the developing brain at #MIDB!
Come follow us for updates on clinical care, education, and policy around developmental brain health and, of course, new scientific discoveries about the developing brain at #MIDB!
December 4, 2024 at 1:15 AM