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How data science competitions accelerate brain health discovery

Nature Mental Health volume 4, pages 190–192 (2026)Cite this article

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Data science competitions offer a collaborative, inclusive approach to tackling the complexity of brain health research. This Comment explores the challenges faced by competition organizers and how they can harness diverse expertise to address data heterogeneity, assess modeling strategies and translate findings into practice.

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Acknowledgements

We acknowledge each of our previous data science competition sponsors and partners for their support, including the Healthy Brain Network Initiative, Dell Technologies, Nvidia, the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Global Center for Child and Adolescent Mental Health, the California Youth Behavioral Health Initiative, Kaggle, Women in Data Science and the Ann S. Bowers Women Brain Health Institute.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Child Mind Institute, New York, NY, USA

    Arianna Zuanazzi, Michael P. Milham & Gregory Kiar

  2. Nathan S. Kline Institute for Psychiatric Research, New York, NY, USA

    Michael P. Milham

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  1. Arianna Zuanazzi
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  2. Michael P. Milham
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  3. Gregory Kiar
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Correspondence to Gregory Kiar.

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The authors declare no competing interests.

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Nature Mental Health thanks Philipp Kellmeyer and the other, anonymous, reviewer(s) for their contribution to the peer review of this work.

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Zuanazzi, A., Milham, M.P. & Kiar, G. How data science competitions accelerate brain health discovery. Nat. Mental Health 4, 190–192 (2026). https://doi.org/10.1038/s44220-025-00574-5

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