Beijing, October 21-22 - The 3rd International Conference on Brain Imaging of Depression, hosted by the Institute of Psychology at the Chinese Academy of Sciences and organized by the Magnetic Resonance Imaging Research Center, unfolded at the Lecture Hall on the ninth floor of the Harmonious Building. The event brought together over 100 participants, including renowned experts and scholars from institutions such as West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Affiliated Zhongda Hospital of Southeast University, Beijing Normal University, Harvard University, Hangzhou Normal University, Weill Cornell Medicine, and the King's College London.

The opening ceremony saw a welcome address from Dr. Sun Xianghong, the Secretary of the Party Committee at the Institute of Psychology, who expressed gratitude to the experts and participants. She emphasized the conference's role in advancing research, diagnosis, and treatment of depression. Dr. Yan Chaogan, Chair of the conference, presented a comprehensive report titled "Research Progress and Blueprint of the Depression Imaging REsearch ConsorTium (DIRECT) Phase III," outlining the achievements of the first two phases research of DIRECT and detailing the plans for the third phase, which concentrates on the individualized transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) guided by depression brain imaging big data.

Distinguished speakers shared their expertise during the conference. Their reports covered a range of topics, including psychoradiology, the biological, psychological, and social treatment model for depression, and research on childhood negative experiences' impact on depression. The conference facilitated international collaboration, fostering discussions on cutting-edge technologies, and exploring innovative approaches like AI-based dimensional neuroimaging systems for characterizing brain structure and function in major depressive disorder.

The event provided a platform for fruitful discussions and collaboration, culminating in a roundtable meeting focusing on the implementation details of the third phase research of DIRECT. The conference reinforced its commitment to advancing research, diagnosis, and treatment for depression.

The 3rd International Conference on Brain Imaging of Depression successfully brought together experts from various disciplines, fostering a collaborative environment to deepen our understanding of depression's mechanisms and enhance interventions, particularly in the realm of TMS.