The UCLA Depression Grand Challenge, in collaboration with Apple, launched the National Digital Mental Health study, open for nationwide recruitment on May 19, 2025.

The study leverages digital sensors in iPhone and Apple Watch to illuminate the relationship between objective, everyday measures (e.g., sleep, heart rate) and symptoms of depression and anxiety. Establishing connections between objective data and individuals’ symptoms could give health care providers the power to intervene earlier to reduce and possibly prevent the onset of depressive episodes, and to track the effectiveness of treatment. In addition,  objective measures could more precisely characterize the physiological, behavioral and emotional components of depression and anxiety, which may aid in developing more effective treatments, predicting patient outcomes and understanding the underlying causes of these conditions.

The NDMH study builds upon the DGC’s Digital Mental Health Study conducted in collaboration with Apple, the largest study of its kind today. Consisting of two pilot phases and one main phase, the DMHS similarly leveraged digital sensors to collect objective data, involving more than 3,000 participants each participating for 12 months. Data analysis, commenced April 30, 2024, is still underway. 

Unlike the DMHS, which limited recruitment to the UCLA student body and UCLA Health system, the NDMH study seeks to include individuals from across the U.S. Each participant will be engaged for approximately 6 months with daily symptom reporting, daily use of a smartwatch, completion of online surveys and periodic remote assessment sessions.

To learn more about the NDMH study, visit the study webpage.